The Worst Store-Bought English Muffins Are From Your Favorite Bread Chain

More popular in America than they are in their namesake country, English muffins are a beloved breakfast food. They look more like pancakes than muffins, but the flat and round yeasted bread is offered at most diners and breakfast establishments as an alternative to toast alongside your meal. But the most common type to consume is from a store-bought package. These days, more than a handful of brands produce variations of the muffins, so it can be hard to choose from the options on the shelf. Tasting Table's own Sarah Klimek ranked 10 store-bought English muffin brands to make your shopping trip easier; Panera Bread's were at the bottom.

The puffy and toasted-looking exterior of Panera's English muffins is enticing, so the first bite is extra disappointing. Dry, dense, and too bready, nothing sets these muffins apart in texture or flavor. English muffins are known for their light and airy interior that create nooks and crannies for butter to seep into, but no pockets are to be found upon slicing open one of these (which, by the way, was very hard). Neither is the distinct saltiness, slight sweetness, or touch of acidity that you love in the Americanized crumpet. We advise sticking to Panera's restaurant-baked items only and skipping its grocery store line in this case. But there are plenty of other English muffin contenders that deserve a spot in your cart.

You can't go wrong with the classic Thomas English muffins; they're popular for a reason. But another lesser-known brand took the top spot in the ranking: Dave's Killer Bread. Either of these spread with butter and jam will make the perfect side to your eggs and bacon. Or, make them the star of the show with an English muffin French toast recipe.

Given how good English muffins are, why should they be limited to breakfast? We say, bring the fun into lunch! Take a page from Jacques Pepin's book and use English muffins as buns to make smaller, more sizable hamburgers. They'd also work in the same way for sandwiches, either deli meat or PB&J. English muffins even have a place on dinner plates; spread them with some garlic and butter for a twist on classic garlic bread, or spread them with marinara and cheese and bake them up into mini pizzas.