Skipping the cornmeal

Almost all English muffin recipes call for sprinkling semolina or cornmeal on the flat sides of the raw muffin dough before the final rest. This layer prevents the muffins from sticking to the griddle while cooking. Because of the generous sprinkling of semolina between the sticky dough and the griddle, the dough can have a higher water content, contributing to the signature nooks and crannies. The more water there is in the dough, the more yeast there is to eat, resulting in larger bubbles. More bubbles also mean more nooks and crannies.

The semolina adds another layer of texture to the mouthfeel. The texture will vary depending on whether you use semolina or cornmeal, but it will be either a light crust or a hearty crunch. In any case, skipping this ingredient will result in a huge mess and difficult-to-work-with dough.