These Incredible Oprah-Loved English Muffins Are as Fluffy and Buttery as a Croissant

Do you ever rediscover a food you used to eat all the time and wonder why you ever stopped including it in your meals? That was me recently with English muffins. In a way, they’re the perfect bread form for so many recipes. You can use them for savory breakfast sandwiches, or slather them in butter and jam. In my opinion, their soft, fluffy texture is way more enjoyable than your standard bagel or slice of sourdough. I was already a fan of English muffins, but then Goldbelly sent some of The Model Bakery’s English muffins to the office for me and my coworkers to try. After that experience, I like English muffins even more than I did before, and I can’t stop thinking about the buttery, pastry-like bread rolls I had weeks ago. 

In case you don’t know, these are the English muffins that Oprah included in her Favorite Things list. After trying them myself, I fully understand the hype. Best of all, you can easily buy your own pack of 12 for $60 on Goldbelly. They’re perfect for sharing with loved ones, but I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to keep them all to yourself.

When my colleagues told me there were English muffins for us to try in the kitchen, I was excited, but I wasn’t expecting anything special besides the standard bread rolls you can get at the grocery store. So when I bit into one of The Model Bakery’s English muffins, I was taken by surprise. Even just looking at the muffins, they looked like a mix between a hamburger bun and an English muffin. When I picked one up and bit into it, it was softer and fluffier than I anticipated, and it was also a bit flaky, like a croissant. But what I loved most was how buttery the English muffin was. Its texture was almost like that of a donut, and it even tasted a bit fried, but it wasn’t sweet.

This all made sense when I later opened the product page on Goldbelly and read that the muffins are, indeed, “griddle-fried in clarified butter until puffy and golden brown on both sides.” Additionally, the muffins are made from a focaccia-style dough that’s covered in cornmeal, which explains their airy consistency. As I mentioned before, you can buy them in packs of 12 for $60 (a jar of the brand’s organic fruit preserves is included in the purchase), and if you’re looking to gift some muffins, you even have the option to add a Model Bakery cookbook or bag of coffee to your order.

Because these English muffins are so airy and fluffy, I imagine they won’t go stale as fast as standard English muffins. But my team and I didn’t have to worry about that; we devoured them in one sitting. I covered my muffin in the jam that The Model Bakery sent, and it was so good, I was licking my fingers and checking to see if there was more the second I finished it. 

Unlike me, Deputy Commerce Editor, Alicia Kort, isn’t normally a fan of English muffins, but these were an exception. “English muffins can sometimes be a bit stodgy and lack flavor, but this one from Model Bakery basically melted in my mouth,” she says. “It was so buttery that I could eat it on its own (unlike most English muffins, which require a topping to make them more palatable, in my opinion), but it was so delicious with the preserves from Model Bakery. I can see why it’s one of Oprah’s Favorite Things!”

Mark, our executive director of commerce, agreed, noting, “It doesn’t get dry when you toast it — it only gets better. I seriously could eat these every day.” So, if your breakfasts or midday snacks could use an upgrade, give these English muffins a try. They’re practically guaranteed to be a hit with anyone who tries them — at least by us (and by Oprah). You’ll never go back to basic supermarket muffins again!

Buy: The Model Bakery Oprah’s Favorite Things English Muffins, Pack of 12, $59.95