Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins Recipe

If you’ve made and loved my original sourdough English muffins, this cinnamon raisin version is going to feel like a very happy upgrade. It’s the same 100% sourdough dough you already trust, but now swirled with warm cinnamon and dotted with plump, juicy raisins in every bite. These are one of my favorite ways to add a little sweetness to breakfast—especially when they’re freshly toasted and finished with a generous smear of melty butter.

These sourdough cinnamon raisin English muffins are tender with just the right amount of chew, thanks to the long, slow fermentation of the sourdough starter. Cooking them low and slow in a skillet creates those signature nooks and crannies that seem made for butter (and maybe a drizzle of honey, too).

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Soft, Slightly Chewy Texture

These cinnamon raisin muffins are tender and just a little chewy, exactly what you want in a good homemade English muffin. The active starter adds a gentle tangy flavor while keeping the crumb nice and soft. Cooking them slowly on the skillet creates the classic nooks and crannies that hold butter perfectly. Slow fermentation builds flavor without making the muffins dense.

Plump Raisins and Warm Cinnamon Flavor

Soaking the raisins helps make them soft, plump, and juicy, while cinnamon adds a cozy, inviting warmth that pairs naturally with their sweetness. The combo of raisins and the subtle cinnamon flavor creates a unique flavor and taste you’ll find yourself craving every other weekend.

Easy, Make-Ahead Dough

This English muffin dough mixes in one bowl and rests, then you knead in the cinnamon and raisins. It’s forgiving and simple to shape into rounds, and you can refrigerate it overnight. The muffins rise perfectly and hold their tender texture even when made ahead.

Perfect for Breakfast or Snacks

These muffins toast up beautifully straight from the freezer, keeping their soft interior, buttery pockets. Enjoy them with butter, jam, or honey. Nothing’s more satisfying than fully fermented muffins the next morning.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

Active Sourdough Starter – For the softest and fluffiest cinnamon raisin sourdough English muffins, be sure to use an active and bubbly sourdough starter for the best rise. No need for baking soda or commercial yeast!
Flour – So many sourdough recipes call for bread flour for it’s higher protein content, but this recipe calls for all-purpose. If you use bread flour, the English muffins will become too dense and chewy, while all-purpose flour keeps them tender and soft.
Honey – For a touch of sweetness, I added honey to the dough. This can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Milk – Milk makes these English Muffins cloud-like as it brings moisture to the dough. I used whole milk, but you can substitute with non-dairy options as well.
Raisins – Pre-soaking raisins before adding them to the dough will give each bite a plump, sweet raisin.
Cinnamon – I love the way cinnamon compliments the raisins in this sourdough English muffin recipe, however, keep in mind, cinnamon naturally slows yeast activity. So, be prepared for a slightly longer bulk fermentation.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal is used to dust the parchment-lined baking sheet before the second rise. It prevents sticking and gives the bottoms of the muffins their classic texture during skillet cooking.

Baking Schedule 1

Time	Process
DAY 1
12:00 PM	Mix the dough and soak raisins.
12:30 PM	Knead the dough.
8:30 PM	Cover and place the dough in the fridge.
DAY 2
6:00 AM	Remove the dough from the fridge and shape.
9:00 AM	Cook in the pan.

Baking Schedule 2

Time	Process
DAY 1
10:00 PM	Mix the dough and soak raisins.
10:30 PM	Knead the dough, cover, and let rise overnight.
DAY 2
6:00 AM	Remove the dough from the bowl and shape.
8:00 AM	Cook in the pan.

How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

mixed dry and wet ingredients to make muffin dough

Mix the dough, cover, and leave to rest for 30 minutes. The dough should be mixed using warm milk, water, melted butter, active sourdough starter, honey, flour, and salt until a shaggy dough forms. In the meantime, soak, drain and dry the raisins.

After 30 minutes, knead the raisins and cinnamon into the dough.

Cover and let the dough rest until doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the top of the dough down to remove all of the air bubbles.

When ready to shape, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and let it rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough out to a large, ½-inch thick rectangle.

Use a biscuit cutter to cut out the English muffins. Reroll any extra dough. You should get about 10–12 muffins. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with cornmeal.

Place the shaped English muffins on top of the cornmeal, cover the baking sheet and allow the muffins to complete their second rise.

cooking one side of sourdough cinnamon raisin english muffins on a pan

When the English muffins have puffed up, preheat a large skillet to medium-low heat. Once warm, cook 6 muffins at a time, 12–14 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches at least 190 °F.

cooked sourdough cinnamon raisin english muffins

Check the bottoms halfway through cooking for even browning. The muffins should feel lightweight and spring back when gently pressed.

Nothing tastes better than warm golden brown cinnamon raisin muffins!

How to Store

Store leftover Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. You can toast or warm them straight from the freezer, and they’ll stay soft inside while the outside gets nicely golden. The nooks and crannies stay perfect for butter or jam every time.

FAQs

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose?

You can, but bread flour will make the muffins denser and chewier. All-purpose keeps them soft and tender. Using bread flour changes the texture, so results will differ from the recipe.

Can I skip the raisins or cinnamon?

Yes, the muffins will still rise and be soft without them. Refer to my original Sourdough English Muffin recipe. The flavor won’t be as sweet or warm, though. Substitutions will work, but results may vary.

How do I know when the muffins are done cooking?

Cooked cinnamon raisin muffins feel light and spring back when you press them gently. The internal temperature should reach at least 190°F. Check that the bottoms are golden and adjust the skillet heat if needed.

Can I make them ahead of time?

Absolutely. After shaping, cover the muffins and refrigerate overnight. Let them sit out for the second rise before cooking, and they’ll taste just as tender and flavorful.

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Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins Recipe

By McKenna Pulda

Yield: English muffins

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 24

Rise Time: 9

Total Time: 9 39

Taking my popular 100% Sourdough English Muffins recipe and giving it a little sweet upgrade. These Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins are soft, lightly chewy, and cooked on the skillet with warm cinnamon and juicy raisins.

5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

Ingredients

240 grams milk 1 cup
120 grams water 1/2 cup
42 grams unsalted butter 3 Tablespoons
75 grams active sourdough starter 1/3 heaping cup
24 grams honey 1 Tablespoon
550 grams all-purpose flour 4 cups + 3 Tablespoons
10 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
4 grams cinnamon 2 teaspoons
100 grams raisins 1/2 cup
boiling water
cornmeal for dusting

Instructions

Make the Dough:

In a liquid measuring cup, add milk, water and cubed butter. Heat in the microwave until the butter is just melted and the liquid is warm. Cool slightly before adding to the dough.
You don't want the liquid to be hotter than 110 degrees F, otherwise this can kill the starter.
240 grams milk, 120 grams water, 42 grams unsalted butter
Add active starter and honey to a straight-edge bowl. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl and stir with a Danish dough whisk or your hand until combined.
75 grams active sourdough starter, 24 grams honey
Next, add the flour and salt to the liquid and stir until a rough dough forms. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl for the extra flour. You will need to use your hands to incorporate the last bit of the flour into the dough. Cover the dough with the plastic cover or plastic wrap. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
550 grams all-purpose flour, 10 grams salt
While the dough is resting, prepare the raisins. Pour the raisins in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow them to soak for at least 15 minutes. After soaking, strain, pat dry, and set aside.
100 grams raisins, boiling water
After the dough has rested, pour the raisins and ground cinnamon on top of the dough. Knead the dough by pulling a piece of the edge of the dough, folding it towards the center, and pushing it down with the heel of your hand. Repeat for 20 seconds or until all of the raisins have been evenly distributed.
4 grams cinnamon

Bulk Rise:

Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place to bulk ferment until doubled in size.
In my 70 degree F kitchen this takes about 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time. If your kitchen is cooler, it will take more time.
Once the first rise is complete, either cover the dough and place it in the fridge to chill overnight or continue on to shaping.
The next morning, or when you are ready to shape, remove the dough from the fridge or the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with a piece of parchment paper and generously sprinkling it with cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking.
cornmeal for dusting

Shaping:

Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle shape that is 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-inch English muffin ring, cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, or a rimmed drinking glass, cut the dough into 10-12 rounds. Place them onto the prepared sheet pan. Reroll the scrapes and cut the dough until all of the dough has been formed.

Second Rise:

Once all of the Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins have been shaped, cover them with a plastic cover and let them rest until puffy.
In my 70 degree F kitchen, this step took about 1-2 hours when the dough was room temperature. When the dough was stored in the fridge overnight, this took about 3-4 hours. Again, if your kitchen is warmer, it will be faster. If your kitchen is cooler, it will be slower.

Cook:

Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat. I usually cook 6 at a time since they do not spread very much when they are cooking.
Cook on one side for 12-14 minutes, checking the bottoms halfway for even cooking. Flip to the other side and continue to cook for another 12-14 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 190 degrees F.
A great way to know when the muffins are done cooking is they should feel lightweight and when pressed gently, the sides spring back.
Place the Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins on a wire rack to cool while you cook the second batch. Split in half when ready to serve and enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients & Substitutions

Active Sourdough Starter – For the softest and fluffiest cinnamon raisin sourdough English muffins, be sure to use an active and bubbly sourdough starter for the best rise. No need for baking soda or commercial yeast!
Flour – So many sourdough recipes call for bread flour for it’s higher protein content, but this recipe calls for all-purpose. If you use bread flour, the English muffins will become too dense and chewy, while all-purpose flour keeps them tender and soft.
Honey – For a touch of sweetness, I added honey to the dough. This can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Milk – Milk makes these English Muffins cloud-like as it brings moisture to the dough. I used whole milk, but you can substitute with non-dairy options as well.
Raisins – Pre-soaking raisins before adding them to the dough will give each bite a plump, sweet raisin.
Cinnamon – I love the way cinnamon compliments the raisins in this sourdough English muffin recipe, however, keep in mind, cinnamon naturally slows yeast activity. So, be prepared for a slightly longer bulk fermentation.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal is used to dust the parchment-lined baking sheet before the second rise. It prevents sticking and gives the bottoms of the muffins their classic texture during skillet cooking.