15 Ways to Eat English Muffins, from Mini Pizzas to French Toast

There’s a lot to love about English muffins—from their crisp cornmeal-coated exteriors to the craggy bread inside. They are most often served split, toasted, and slathered with softened butter, jam, or honey. But don't relegate English muffins to a quick snack or breakfast. These fluffy yeast-leavened rounds can be baked into casseroles, used instead of bread for sandwiches, turned into snack-sized pizzas, and much more. Keep reading to learn more about these creative ways to eat English muffins.

What Is an English Muffin?

Given its name, you might expect these round, yeasted, single-serving breads to come from across the pond. That's not entirely true; the English muffin we know and love is the creation of an ex-pat English baker working in New York City. Samuel Bath Thomas founded his own bakery and trademarked the English muffin. It was his take on another British bread, the crumpet. Crumpets are a griddle-cooked yeasted breads that became popular in the nineteenth century. Unlike crumpets, English muffins have a smooth top and bottom and are split in half before being toasted. Crumpets have one smooth side and one with large cavities, the latter is toasted and buttered.

How to Eat English Muffins

Consider swapping in an English muffin wherever you use bread—here are some of our favorite possibilities.

French Toast

There are a lot of different breads that can be used to make French toast. Some people like old-school sandwich bread, while others prefer dense, buttery loaves like brioche or challah. English muffins are a great compromise between these two options. They are hearty on the outside, yet soft on inside. They soak up the egg mixture very well, so once the halves are fried in butter, the outsides get crisp while the insides remain creamy and custard-like. Serve English muffin French toast just like you would regular French toast, with fresh fruit, pats of butter, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Bread Pudding

English muffins also have the perfect texture for baked dishes like bread pudding. Whether making a sweet pudding with dried fruit and nuts or a savory one with nutty cheese and alliums, swap in the same weight of English muffins for whatever bread the recipe calls for. Simply tear the muffins into bite-sized pieces and proceed.

Sandwiches

English muffins can be swapped in for regular bread in just about any sandwich. These are some of our favorites:

Breakfast Sandwich

Why don't delis and bodegas offer English muffins as an option for their beloved breakfast sandwiches? They’re just the thing to hold together layers of crispy bacon or sausage, fried or scrambled eggs, and slices of melted American cheese. Serve your English muffin BEC with your choice of ketchup or hot sauce.

Cold Cuts

Sandwiches piled high with deli meats and cheeses are another deli classic—and one for which the English muffin is well suited, especially when you aren’t quite hungry enough for a foot-long sub. Pack in even more protein by serving English muffin sandwiches open-faced, garnished with any sandwich toppings you like (we’re partial to thinly sliced tomatoes and onions, shredded iceberg lettuce, and lots of vinegar).

Caprese

It's more than a beloved Italian salad. The thick slices of juicy tomato and fresh, whole-milk mozzarella cheese that make a Caprese can also be layered directly onto toasted English muffins. Shingle the layers with a few fresh basil leaves and drizzle everything with good balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil before closing the sandwich.

Croque Monsieur

Make a unique version of this classic French bistro sandwich by swapping the usual firm slices of bread for halves of English muffin. Layer with thin slices of ham, Gruyère cheese, and creamy Mornay sauce (a type of béchamel sauce made with cheese). Pop a fried egg on top to turn the sandwich into a Croque Madame.

Tuna Melt

Tuna melts are such an easy sandwich to make, and English muffins are the ideal size. Toast the muffin, then top it with creamy tinned tuna salad, sliced tomatoes, and slices of mild provolone cheese before popping them back in the oven to melt the cheese.

Chicken Salad or Egg Salad

Toasted English muffins are sturdy and make a stellar replacement for soft sandwich bread as the base for scoops of rich, mayonnaise-based salads such as chicken salad and egg salad onto.

Toasts

Whatever you like to put on your morning toast can also be spread onto warm English muffins.

Avocado Toast

Just a you need a properly ripe avocado for Avocado toast, you also need bread that can hold up to the toppings. That's where the English muffin comes; mashed avocado practically melts into the nooks and crannies of a toasted English muffin. All it needs is a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of flaky sea salt and red pepper flakes.

Hummus Toast

A thick layer of hummus on an English muffin is ripe for fun toppings, such as crispy roasted chickpeas, shaved cucumbers with sesame seeds, and even leftover roasted vegetables. It’s a nutritious and satisfying breakfast, lunch, or after-school snack.

Peanut Butter Toast

For a ridiculously quick breakfast, spread peanut butter (or your favorite other nut butter) on toast and add a layer of sliced bananas. Toasted nuts and seeds, shredded coconut, or a drizzle of honey all make great toppings.

Eggs Benedict

Perhaps the best-known way to use English muffins is Eggs Benedict—and you shouldn't overlook this classic. Warm Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce top halved, toasted muffins.

Garlic Bread

A favorote to serve alongside rich dishes like seafood stew and fettuccine Alfredo, that's garlic bread—and it's easy and fun to make it with English muffins. Start by mixing a quick compound butter with roasted garlic and minced herbs, smear it over the split sides of English muffins, and bake them like you would any other garlic bread recipe.

Mini Pizzas

Give pizza bagels a homemade upgrade by using English muffins. Bake them with any and all of your favorite toppings—kids and adults alike will enjoy building their favorite pizza flavors.

Hamburger Buns

If you want a slightly more substantial hamburger bun, English muffins are the way to go. Toast them on the grill alongside your cheeseburgers. Don’t forget the ketchup and mustard!