16 Ways To Improve Store-Bought English Muffins

English muffins are a well-known breakfast item that can be easily identified by their circular shape and pillowy, airy consistency. If you're usually unimpressed by them, we have a lot of captivating ideas to upgrade these rounds. We spoke with a few experts who gave us their finest insights on ways to improve store-bought English muffins.

"I hate it when I buy store-bought English muffins and they turn out to be dry and bland," says Audrey Sommer, founder and recipe developer for Audreythena Food Goddess. We wholeheartedly agree, and luckily, they don't have to stay that way. We also spoke with Scott Groth, a professional chef and the creator of I'd Rather Be a Chef, and Rena Awada, the owner and head chef at Healthy Fitness Meals. Their professional insights can help you transform this breakfast staple into something extraordinary, interesting, and scrumptious. From savory meals and sweet treats to alternative cooking methods, you won't get tired of ways to give your English muffins new life. 

Before we begin, it helps to note that there are many varieties of muffins to choose from, from multigrain to super thick. These tips can typically be used for any variety, but we'll specify if something works best with a particular variety. Whether you're on the hunt for a quick snack or want to integrate them into a heartier dish, English muffins will be part of your everyday grocery list once you read through all the fresh and delicious improvements possible.

One of the best ways to improve this bread is to turn it into French toast. It's also useful if you have slightly stale or freezer-burnt English muffins that you don't have the heart to throw away. This method gives them new life while also improving their overall texture and flavor. 

It doesn't demand anything technical or difficult — just your standard ingredients — but it still brings richness to the muffin. The muffins have a much more unique texture than standard French toast bread because of their structure and airy interior. Slice the muffin in half lengthwise to ensure the creamy custard gets into every crevice. A thicker-sliced muffin can provide additional structure if you're concerned about the thinness. This creates a photo-worthy brunch that you can serve on weekends or transform into a simple dessert. 

English muffins croutons have far more texture than your average white bread crouton. The holes in the English muffin can make for an elevated crouton that you can place on top of salads and soups for a memorable meal. The larger pores can hold a lot of seasoning and offer a captivating, bubbly texture, which makes every bite burst with flavor. Plus, they're unbelievably crunchy and buttery — and you can always add your own creative spin with seasonings. Any English muffin varieties work for this hack, but sourdough ones can offer a slightly tangier crouton. 

Salt and pepper are classic seasonings that can amp up the flavor, but you can further brighten the taste by seasoning them with citrus zest. Lemon or grapefruit can offer a tasty snap complement to a light salad. They're so good that you'll find yourself munching on a few before they ever make it onto your dish.

Pizzas, in any form, is delicious. Well, English muffins can really amp up a dull lunch, thanks to their porous texture. Their signature air pockets allow your sauce of choice, whether that's a tomato-based marinara seasoned with Italian herbs or a dairy-based sauce, to penetrate through the bread. 

Per recipe developer Audrey Sommer's suggestion, try your English muffin pizzas with diced onions, bell peppers, and olives for a colorful, compelling way to decorate your pizza. You'll want a balance between melted cheese and a slightly firm underside of the English muffin. Place the two muffin pizzas in the air fryer and cook them for 10 minutes at 350 F, per Sommer's instructions. But, you could also cook them in the oven or a toaster oven. Serve with a side salad and you're ready to go.

A cheese crust can upgrade an English muffin by introducing a unique texture. But, don't confuse this with simply melting cheese on the bread. The crust should be hard and crunchy, whereas melted cheese is gooey and flexible. 

This hack is incredibly easy to implement; it doesn't require expensive cheese or equipment. All you need to do is place shredded cheese in a pan and then lay the English muffin on top. The cheese can melt and adhere to the bread before it fully hardens. Continue cooking on medium heat until the cheese browns and firms up. It creates a "crispy, savory layer that complements the softness of the muffin interior," chef Scott Groth says. This playful balance of textures is great for grilled cheeses or mini sandwiches that need a quick, but effective, upgrade. 

We love using mozzarella for this hack, but cheddar or Parmesan work just as well. The latter also offers a nutty aroma and taste. 

Jam is such a delight to make yourself and eat on an English muffin. While store-bought jams often stick to basic fruits, you can use a lot of intriguing ingredients and flavorful additions when you create them from scratch. "Making your own spreads at home lets you control the flavors and ingredients, resulting in a fresh and unique addition to your breakfast," says chef Rena Awada. Not only can you pick the perfect blend of fruits, but you can also control the sweetness, tanginess, and extra notes from the spices or herbs.

Start your morning with Awada's suggestion of blending softened cream cheese and strawberry jam. Slather the pink spread on your muffins to jazz them up for brunch. Or, try a rosemary and pear jam for a sweet, yet aromatic option that will complement the mildness of the muffin. This chunky jam intertwines sweet and savory so you can enjoy it at any time of day. The bread is the perfect vehicle for tasty jams since it won't take away from the flavor of them. When you combine the jam and the muffin, you'll get a magical combination.

One of the best ways to improve store-bought English muffins is to play with different toppings for them. Rather than opting for a typical breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, Scott Groth recommends using avocado and a poached egg to construct a filling brunch or a light lunch atop your muffin. "The creamy avocado and soft egg yolk pair perfectly with the crispy muffin, offering a balanced mix of textures," Groth says. Add a sprinkle of red chili flakes, salt, and pepper to balance the richness of the toppings and offer a spicy, colorful complement.

"Personally, I love trying out new combinations to keep breakfast exciting," Rena Awada says. For example, you could go with her suggestion of adding smoked salmon, cream cheese, and capers to the muffin. It's a divine blend of creamy and briny. Plus, the capers offer a luxurious flavor that will make the English muffins feel like a more expensive dish. "The fun part is that there are endless possibilities, whether you prefer sweet or savory," says Awada. Come up with your concoctions and pairings based on what you have at home.

Bruschetta is a tantalizing appetizer that you'll often see at restaurants and parties, but you can bring the festivities to your home with help from English muffins. Using these rounds as the base feels approachable, but it still puts a new spin on classic bruschetta. The English muffins are thinner than a baguette (which is typically used for this dish), meaning that you'll get a different ratio of tomatoes when you swap in the muffins. Once toasted, the English muffins can hold the weight of the tomatoes with no issues — and they still have the same airy texture as the baguette. A nice and toasty English muffin get an upgrade here because it's complemented by the richness of olive oil and sliced tomatoes. 

Elevate the bruschetta even more by mixing up your tomatoes. Different-colored grape or heirloom tomatoes can enhance the color of your recipe and keep you coming back for more. This may be an unexpected foundation for bruschetta, but you'll find that it's a fantastic fit. The refreshing appetizer only takes minutes to whip up and amplifies the sensory experience of eating this dish. 

Toasting your English muffins and adding butter to them is a no-brainer. But, you can also try adding the fat, like olive oil or butter, to the muffins during the cooking process. You can do so in a frying pan or toaster oven, but you should avoid using the toaster for this tip since the liquid will just fall through. Place the oil or butter directly in the pan or on the baking sheet to warm up, then put the sliced English muffin on top. Allow the bread to toast directly on top of the oil for a fresh take on toasted, buttered English muffins. 

This elevates a dry and drab English muffin into one with a crispy exterior and a chewy inside. It will have a unique crunch that toasting alone can't provide. Eat it as is, use it as the base for a sandwich, or slather it in jam. Thanks to the warm, rich butteriness, it will "taste so much better paired with your favorite sweet and savory spreads," says Audrey Sommer.

English muffins allow you to reinvent grilled cheese into a uniquely crispy sandwich that you'll regret not having tried sooner. Although you cook the English muffins the same way as your favorite grilled cheese bread, this swap offers you a wholly different eating experience. This version allows for a thinner, toastier, and cheesier sandwich compared to standard white bread. Meanwhile, the inside of your bread will remain soft. It's a delightful juxtaposition. Plus, the cheese has a chance to melt into every crevice; this completely revamps the way you think of the sandwich. Plus, it will improve the taste and consistency of the English muffin itself. 

You can also use thicker muffins, switch up the cheese that you use, or add a tasty spread to the sandwich. For example try to elevate your grilled cheese further by spreading a thin layer of pesto on it for a vibrant and herby addition. Cut the finished product into strips so that you can dunk them into tomato soup. This gooey sandwich is a game-changing way to eat an English muffin.

Sometimes giving your food a boost involves getting creative with the usual cooking steps. Rather than placing a cooked egg on top of a toasted piece of bread, try switching up the order of things. 

Audrey Sommer recommends cracking the raw egg on top of a split-open English muffin and air-frying it for about 8 to 10 minutes at 350 F. Season it however you like, as it will stick to the tacky raw egg. Salt and pepper are always a fantastic starting point. Sommer suggests also sprinkling shredded cheese on top during the last minute of cooking. The egg has a chance to get into the little crannies of the English muffin, which creates an unparalleled consistency that you wouldn't get if you just topped the English muffin with already-cooked eggs.

Sommer recommends serving the English muffin with chopped avocado and tomato, which makes for a colorful and filling meal. The air fryer cooks the egg and bread simultaneously for a straightforward way to "spice up those store-bought English muffins while creating a quick, healthy, and balanced breakfast meal," she says.  

Schmearing your English muffins with compound butter is a splendid way to enhance this breakfast staple. It's not too difficult to whip up a batch, but it can truly transform your average butter into a flavor-packed marvel. Scott Groth suggests using garlic herb butter spread, flavored with minced garlic, parsley, and a dash of sea salt, to give your bread a tasty makeover. This fragrant and colorful compound butter can easily upgrade uncooked or toasted English muffins. "It melts into the crevices of the muffin, boosting the savory flavor and aroma, turning a simple snack into something more indulgent," Groth says. 

Rena Awada recommends using honey cinnamon butter for an irresistible sweet and spicy combination. This delicious butter is perfect for spreading over English muffin French toast for a heightened breakfast. No matter what mix-ins you opt for, the butter transformation can "elevate your breakfast or snack," says Awada. 

You can upgrade your English muffins by transforming them into scrumptious sloppy Joes. The savory, tangy, and slightly-sweet sandwich makes a drool-worthy dinner for the family. However, the liquid from the sauce can make the English muffins soggy if you don't take proper precautions. Therefore, it's beneficial to use partially-stale muffins for the messy meat sandwich so that they can soak up the juices. 

However, if you utilize fresh muffins, you should either give them a quick toast to firm them up or use a thicker English muffin for added density. Using a toasted muffin enhances the mouthfeel and complements the softness of the ground beef — resulting in a scrumptious harmony. Plus, the sauce can penetrate through the muffin to make every morsel flavorsome. The bread base is also enjoyable because it's not something you frequently see paired with sloppy Joes.

Audrey Sommer's idea for improving English muffins is an effective way to moisten tough or stale bread and give it a second life. She suggests cutting the English muffin in half, then splashing a few drops of water on it. Wrap the pieces in aluminum foil and bake them for several minutes at 400 F. Take them out of the oven and let them cool before opening the foil. 

The water creates a steam effect that softens the English muffin and makes it less dry and more chewy. Depending on how stale the muffin is, you may need to alter the amount of water you use or how long you cook the bread. This tip will help revive your bread, whether you have hard English muffins or ones that are too dry to appreciate. Sommer suggests pairing the warm muffin with a fruit spread or a poached egg.

Toasting may be the best way to heat up your bread, but we have an even more scrumptious way to give your English muffins added pizzazz. Grilling the muffins will imbue them with a smoky flavor and create grill lines. Achieve this by placing them on a greased grill pan or grill for a couple of minutes or until they're perfectly toasted. This technique offers "a more gourmet experience" thanks to the added sensory components, says Scott Groth. Plus, the crispiness isn't something you can achieve with your standard toaster. 

While this method can improve any breakfast or sandwich, it's an immaculate choice for sandwiches straight off the barbecue. After grilling your muffins, top them with your favorite ingredients or use them as a base for a juicy burger (bonus points it the burger is grilled too). Rena Awada recommends serving grilled English muffins with garlic and herb cream cheese.  

Garlic and butter can make any boring bread taste better, and it's no different for English muffins. While ciabatta and baguettes, which are often used for garlic bread, also have holes to soak up the butter, the English muffin is thinner and will taste more buttery. Not only does the butter melt into the bread, but it can fill in the holes for extra buttery bites. 

Using English muffins for your garlic bread makes for an enhanced and intriguing dining experience that will transform your run-of-the-mill English muffin into a delicious side dish for pasta. Integrate chopped parsley into the garlic butter mixture for a slightly peppery addition. Since the bread is thin, it has a satisfying crunch that's comparable to a crusty piece of bread. Homemade garlic bread is easy to make, so you might end up making this part of your weekly dinner rotation.

"Think of the English muffin as a blank canvas that you can customize to your liking," says Rena Awada. So while the muffin may be often associated with savory toppings, it is easy to add your own twist and turn it into the base for a sweet treat. Awada suggests toasting the muffin until it's crispy, then spreading a layer of cream cheese or mascarpone onto it. Integrate the sweet components, like honey or your favorite syrup, and sliced fresh fruits. 

The creamy topping will complement the burst of color and juiciness of the fruit. Try playing with different flavors, like using cinnamon raisin English muffin or strawberry cream cheese. We love this for an easy dessert idea when you don't want to bake a whole desert, but still want to upgrade the English muffin's appearance and taste. It's an excellent way to satisfy "a sweet tooth with something a bit different [than] the usual pastries," Awada says.