Tired of eating the same kind of bread every morning? Try English muffins!
Crisp on the outside and soft and yeasty on the inside, these small, round, individually skillet-cooked pieces of bread make a great alternative to your regular baked variety.
Use them for breakfast sandwiches or go the classic way of cutting them in half and toasting them to crispy perfection before slathering with butter or jam (or both), English muffins will make your mornings brighter and better.
But make sure you buy the right ones, as not all English muffins are vegan-friendly. Read on to know your best vegan English muffins brands options.
But first, let’s quickly discuss…
Why are English Muffins Not Vegan?
English muffins are not always non-vegan. But they can often be, especially when made the traditional way. Traditional English muffin recipe calls for dairy (milk and sometimes butter, too). They can also contain eggs to achieve the perfect level of chewiness.
That being said, there are many vegan-friendly English muffin varieties on the market. Some of them are accidentally vegan, while others are specifically made dairy and egg-free for those on the animal-free diet. So, let’s talk about some of the best among them, shall we?
6 Vegan English Muffins Brands
You may find many vegan-friendly English muffin varieties online or in your nearest grocery store, but here are some of my favorite brands that I always reach out for:
1. Dave’s Killer Bread (LINK)
Dave’s Killer Bread may not have been around for a long time (it was established in 2005 only), but the brand has made a name for itself, especially among the healthy eaters’ community.
Named after its founder Dave Dahl, the company makes a variety of different kinds of organic, whole-grain bread, including English muffins and snack and protein bars.
Dave’s Killer Breads are certified USDA Organic, non-GMO, Whole-Grain, and Kosher. While the brand isn’t certified vegan, all its products except a few snack bars are considered vegan-friendly because they have no animal ingredients. I am not saying this; the brand says so:
When it comes to English muffins, Dave’s offers two options:
- Killer Classic English Muffins – Contain barley, millet, rye, spelt, and quinoa.
- Rockin’ Grains English Muffins – Packed with the nutrition of quinoa, millet, flax seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Both of Dave’s vegan English muffins are free of high-fructose corn syrup and bleached flour.
Dave’s Killer Bread is a great option not just for vegan English muffins but for anyone looking for healthier breads.
But, honestly, I was a little bummed to see that the brand offers just two English muffin varieties. I expect more options from a company that’s dedicated to making just breads.
Besides my slight disappointment for not having many options, Dave’s is a great brand. The breads (and muffins) are healthy, nutritious, and taste good, too.
2. Rudi’s Bakery (LINK)
Established in 1976, Rudi’s Bakery is known for its artisanal-style small-batch baking. The brand offers organic and gluten-free products, and while there is no distinct category for vegan items, most of its organic products meet vegan food criteria. Fortunately, this is the category that all its English muffin varieties fall in.
Rudi’s Bakery makes three different kinds of English muffins, and all of them are free of animal ingredients. Rudi’s organic items are also free of artificial preservatives, making them rank further high on the health scale. The options include:
- Whole Grain Wheat English Muffins
- White English Muffins
- Multigrain Flax English Muffins
Choose your favorite kind of Rudi’s organic vegan English muffins to give your days a delicious start. They are n
3. Food for Life (LINK)
Having been in the business for about 60 years (established in 1964), Food for Life is one of the OG’s in the bread industry. And they don’t just make breads; they make healthy ones with (in-house sprouted) grains and seeds to help their consumers meet their body’s nutrient needs.
Carrying the same mission over the years, the brand divided its product line into various categories to help people meet their unique dietary needs. At present, the brand offers yeast-free, diabetic-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan varieties of bread.
Food for Life makes eight different kinds of English muffins. And guess what? They are all vegan-friendly, making Food for Life the brand with the greatest variety of vegan English muffins.
Another factor that makes Food for Life stand apart from other brands is that it offers vegan gluten-free English muffins, too. No other brand does that (as far as I know).
Food for Life vegan English muffin options include:
- 7 Sprouted Grains English Muffins
- Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain English Muffins
- Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Flax English Muffins
- Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin Sprouted Whole Grain English Muffins
- Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Low Sodium English Muffins
- Genesis 1:29 Sprouted Whole Grain English Muffins
- Gluten-Free Brown Rice English Muffins
- Gluten-Free Multi Seed English Muffins
In addition to being vegan, Food for Life English muffins are also non-GMO, USDA Organic, and Kosher certified.
4. Trader Joe’s (LINK)
Known for its interesting selection of products, which also includes an extensive variety of vegan items, and low prices, Trader Joe’s has a whole separate fan base. Taking pride in offering the best value for money, Trader Joe’s offers two varieties of muffins, which is saddening.
I expected better from Trader Joe’s. But that’s not it. What’s even sadder is that only one of those two options is vegan-friendly. And that is their Classic English Muffin.
The other variety is the gluten-free English muffin, and it contains eggs.
The fact that there is only one vegan English muffin option at Trader Joe’s can be a bummer for many, but it’s the most affordable variety on the market. Trader Joe’s vegan English muffin costs less than two dollars for a pack of three. It can’t get any better than this.
If you’re looking for affordable vegan English muffin options, Trader Joe’s is your best bet. Sure, you won’t have the option to choose, but you will save a good amount of money. It’s particularly an ideal option if you’re hosting a breakfast or brunch at your place and inviting lots of people.
5. Ener-G (LINK)
While the logo on top of their website only says that it’s a 100% gluten-free bakery, if you scroll down a little, you will also see that Ener-G Foods is also a certified dairy-free brand. It also holds a bunch of other certifications, including non-GMO, soy-free, nut-free, preservative-free, and Kosher/Parve.
In addition to these certifications that apply to all Ener-G items, the brand also offers separate lines of products for people with other specific dietary needs. These include low-protein, yeast-free, keto, organic, and plant-based/vegan items.
There are several items in Ener-G’s vegan line, but only one English muffin variety. Called Ener-G English Muffins, these are the classic version but made without eggs or any type of dairy.
Ener-G English Muffins’ key ingredients include tapioca flour, rice, and the brand’s own vegan egg alternative called Egg Replacer. The muffins are also sugar-free; they are sweetened with apple sauce.
6. Franz Bakery (LINK)
If you’re looking for an English muffin brand that gives you greater variety and more freedom to choose, Franz Bakery is your second-best option after Food for Life. But it may be your number one option in terms of quality.
With over 100 years of experience in bread-making (the brand celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006), you can trust them to offer the best kinds of bread.
Franz bakery offers seven types of English muffins, of which five are vegan-friendly. These include:
- Original English Muffins
- 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins
- Sourdough English Muffins
- Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins
- Extra Crisp English Muffins (my favorite kind)
Franz non-vegan English muffin varieties include the Keto English Muffins and Buttermilk Outback Toaster Biscuits. While the ingredient lists of both these items do not show any animal ingredient, they do not carry the vegan label like others, so there must be something in there that makes them unsuitable for vegans.
Non-Vegan English Muffins Brands
While none of the brands we have discussed above is 100% vegan, here are a couple of popular brands that do not carry plant-based English muffins:
- Thomas
- Bays (even their sourdough muffins are non-vegan)
English Muffins Brands FAQs
· Are McDonald’s English muffins vegan?
English muffins available at McDonald’s in the US are vegan-friendly.
· Are Great Value English muffins vegan?
Great Value Original Fork Split English muffins are not vegan. They contain milk.
· Does Thomas’ English muffins have dairy?
They do. According to the ingredients list, Thomas’ English muffins contain whey, which is a type of protein extracted from milk.
Conclusion – Things to Consider When Buying Vegan English Muffins
Grocery shopping for vegans can quickly turn into an investigative trip with lots of label reading and Google searching if you don’t know your options beforehand.
The purpose of giving you the list of best brands for various products is to save you that time and effort and make your grocery shopping trips as quick and convenient as they are for those not on a special diet.
Sticking to the options I have shortlisted is your best bet when shopping for vegan English muffins. However, if you are considering other options, here are a few things you should look for:
- Vegan certification
- Allergens – Most ingredient labels (if not all) mention allergens separately, and dairy and egg are some of the most common allergens. If a product contains any of these items, it will likely be mentioned on the label as an allergen. This will save you from reading the whole list of ingredients.
- When in doubt, read the entire list of ingredients or make your own. Check out the following video for a simple vegan English muffins recipe…
While we are discussing English breakfast, it’s only wise to talk about baked beans. Check out my article Are Baked Beans Vegan to know if you can enjoy this English breakfast staple.
