If you thought my classic sourdough English muffins were good, just wait until you try this version. These Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough English Muffins take everything you love about the original — the soft, airy crumb and signature sourdough tang — and turn it up a notch with melty cheddar cheese and a kick of jalapeños baked right in.

They’re the perfect mix of spicy, cheesy, and downright irresistible. Whether you toast them up for a quick breakfast or stack them high with eggs and sausage for the ultimate breakfast sandwich, every bite is packed with flavor.

I’ve been testing this recipe for weeks (and by “testing,” I mean watching my husband devour them every morning). He swears he could eat these every single day and never get tired of them — and honestly, I agree. There’s just something about that golden, cheesy crust and hint of heat that makes them totally crave-worthy.

If you’re a sourdough lover looking to spice up your routine, this is the recipe you didn’t know you needed. It’s simple, satisfying, and guaranteed to become a new favorite in your kitchen.

So grab your starter, your jalapeños, and a little cheddar — because these sourdough English muffins are about to make your mornings a whole lot more delicious.

These English muffins are best enjoyed within 2-3 days, so if you aren’t going to eat them all that quickly, I recommend you let them cool, slice them and freeze them immediately. They thaw really quickly and freezing them will help to keep them fresh and delicious. After freezing them, they just need 30 seconds in the microwave or a couple minutes in the toaster and they’re good as new.

This recipe will make 12 English muffins – about 105-110 grams each.

Don’t rush this process. Be patient on the second rise time. Nothing ruins an English muffin faster than not letting it raise long enough. We want light and fluffy muffins, not heavy and dense muffins. Remember: watch the muffins … not the clock. My favorite way to make these muffins is to shape them and let them raise until they’re almost double. Then I put them into the fridge for the night and bake them from cold. But if you don’t have time to do that, you can shape them and put them right into the fridge and then just allow extra time the next day to proof.

How do you shape your English muffins?

I’ve tried several different ways to shape my muffins, but this is my favorite way to shape them. You may find you prefer to shape your muffins differently, and that’s okay. There are so many different techniques. Try a few and decide what works best for you.

1. Divide your dough into even sections. I use my kitchen scale to make sure they are all the same size – these usually end up around 105-110 grams each.
2. Gently fold each section and pinch the bottom together to start to form a ball.
3. With a little pressure, roll your dough ball in your palm in a circular motion until the dough is in a tight, smooth ball.
4. Place dough ball into a bowl of corn meal. Gently press the dough into the cornmeal – this will help to coat the dough and also help to slightly flatten your dough, giving it more of that English muffin shape. Flip your dough over and coat the second side with cornmeal.
5. Place onto a sheet pan and cover and let proof until dough has doubled in size.

Can they cold ferment in the fridge?

Yes. Just like all other sourdough bread, these English muffins can absolutely do a cold ferment in the fridge. I love to be able to pause my baking day and throw this dough into the fridge. I love to shape these muffins, let them raise until they are almost double. Then instead of baking them, I’ll put them into the fridge until the next day. The extended fermentation time will give them even more great flavor and will make it easier to digest. You can bake them right from the fridge. But if you don’t have time to do the second raise, you can shape the muffins and place them in the fridge. Then let them raise until double the next morning. Just know that your rising time will be longer because they have to come to room temperature and then start raising. So instead of 3-4 hours, it might be 5-6 hours.

Here’s a sample timeline you can use if you want to do a long, cold proof.

Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough English Muffins

Nichole Nelson

These Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough English Muffins are soft, cheesy, and perfectly spicy — the ultimate twist on a classic! Ideal for breakfast sandwiches or an easy grab-and-go snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Proofing Time 8 hours hrs

Course Breakfast

Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

• large mixing bowl or stand mixer
• Kitchen scale
• Sheet pan with a lid
• Griddle or cast iron pan

Ingredients

  

• 100 grams active starter
• 75 grams milk warm
• 240 grams water
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 10 grams sugar
• 10 grams salt
• 625-650 grams bread flour
• 4 ounce can of diced jalapenos drained (or 75 grams fresh jalapenos)
• 75 grams grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter for baking

Instructions

 

• Combine active starter, milk, water and melted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Give it a quick stir to break up the starter.
• Add sugar, salt, diced jalapenos and bread flour. Mix on low until combined. Then mix on medium-low for an additional 5-7 minutes. Add sharp cheddar cheese and mix until combined. The mixer will break up the cheese, so the less time you spend mixing with the cheese in, the better.
• Cover and let bulk ferment until nearly doubled in size, usually around 6 hours.
• Portion into 12 even portions – typically 105-110 grams each.
• Roll into a ball. Then tap both sides in corn meal and place on a greased sheet pan to proof a second time. Gently flatten the balls before covering for your second proof.
• Let raise until muffins are doubled in size and light and airy, usually around 3-4 hours. Don’t bake them until they’re risen or they’ll be dense. If baking same day, continue to step 7. If baking next day, place muffins in the fridge for the night.
• Preheat your oven to 350 °F
• Coat a large skillet (or cast iron pan) with butter, place muffins on the skillet over medium-high heat and bake both sides until they are golden brown – usually 1-2 minutes each side.
• Add more butter to the pan when flipping muffins over.
• Place muffins back on the greased cookie sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Let cool and enjoy.

Keyword english muffins, jalapeno cheddar, sourdough english muffins

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support the content I create and allow me to continue providing valuable information. I only recommend products and services that I trust and believe in.