Every Thomas' English Muffin Flavor, Ranked
Thomas' English Muffins have been an American breakfast staple since their creation in 1880 by Samuel Bath Thomas. Despite the name, they were created in the United States after Thomas immigrated from England several years before. However, this English muffin's claim to fame has always been its signature and trademarked "Nooks & Crannies," which describes those wonderful pockets inside every Thomas' English Muffin that holds the butter, jams, and sauces.
Before Thomas, there were, of course, similar bread goods floating around. The Welsh made something similar called a "bara mean.," and the old nursery rhyme "The Muffin Man" is said to actually refer to the short bready pucks we would think of as English muffins rather than the caky, sweet confections we more closely associate with the term in America. In addition, the muffin man would have brought crumpets, which are different from English muffins. Despite this rich history, it was Thomas who did not just popularize the food but even trademarked the term "English Muffin" years after sales took off.
With the stranglehold on the English muffin market, we, of course, had to put them to the test. So we tried every Thomas' English Muffin flavor available and ranked them. We looked at taste, texture, and whether or not each iteration lives up to the "Nooks & Crannies" promise.
8. Cinnamon Protien
This was a surprisingly low ranking for us. Once again, it feels like Thomas' is going for a specific health trend over something that actually tastes good. For the Cinnamon Protein variety, they first added cinnamon to their English muffin. Not a bad start. Then they threw a curveball, though, by adding whey protein crisps. This does add 8 grams of protein to the English muffins. But at what cost?
The costs, it turns out, were simple: taste and texture. We can appreciate including protein in a dish but adding it as chips provided an unsavory lumpy texture to the English muffins. This also interferes with the otherwise present nooks and crannies. Similarly, the whey protein added a noticeable flavor with a sour milk aftertaste. We assume that is why they paired it with cinnamon; however, no amount of cinnamon can block out the underlying flavor.
What the cinnamon does do, though, is make these English muffins impossible to pair with savory foods. It is a bold move to have a niche muffin that can only be paired with some toppings, and for us, it did not pay off. At least the Light Multi-Grain could be slathered in a wider variety of toppings.
7. Light Multi-Grain
The Light Multi-Grain English Muffin is made with a series of whole grains, including rye, millet, and brown rice. However, this is not what sets this English muffin apart from the rest. There is, after all, a Whole Grain Thomas' English Muffin. No, the company pitches this as its "healthier" option, as it has 8 grams of fiber, compared to the original's 1 gram, and has just 100 calories, compared to the original's 150.
We were initially concerned that this would mean a smaller English muffin. After comparing it to an original Thomas' English Muffin, we were happy to see that they looked to be the same. However, the pleasant surprises stopped there. The Light Multi-Grain English Muffin had an odd initial smell, almost fruity. One bite proved that the taste was similar. It has a bizarre tang and almost tastes like the inside of a freezer smells. We also found the texture to be a bit soft, and the nooks and crannies inside were not as pronounced. Simply put, we would not eat these again.
6. Original Made with Whole Grain
The simple Original Made with Whole Grains is slightly better than the Light Multi-Grain. This muffin features 9 grams of whole grains, although it only has 2 grams of fiber to show for it. It is made with enriched wheat flour, as well as whole wheat flour, but does not have the same assortment of grains as the Light Multi-grain variety. This is to its advantage.
The first thing we noticed is that these really do resemble the company's original English Muffins, both in color and with beautiful bubbles inside. These nooks and crannies could definitely hold some jam. The smell was earthy but not unpleasant. We did notice the texture was a little more crumbly and soft. It did not split all that easily and did not offer the chewy experience we would have liked. However, overall the texture was not unpleasant. The flavor was similar to the Thomas' Original variety but slightly nutty.
If this was all the store had in stock, we would probably pick up a pack, but we would never go out of our way.
5. 100% Whole Wheat
If you are looking for an English muffin with more whole grains, this is the one for you.
The 100% Whole Wheat English Muffin is made with only whole wheat flour. This gives the English muffin a noticeably darker color but also gives it a whopping 25 grams of whole grains per serving.
Interestingly, this muffin had no distinctive smell, unlike the Made with Whole Grains English Muffin. It cut easily enough, though we did notice it was a bit dryer and more crumbly. The nooks and crannies, while still there, were noticeably smaller. That being said, the flavor was much more pleasant than the other whole and multi-grain options. It did offer a noticeably earthy flavor, but it was not unpleasant and did not have a weird aftertaste, unlike the Light Multi-Grain. If you enjoy whole wheat bread, then the taste will not bother you at all. Plus, this flavor will pair well with sweet and savory toppings.
Do we love it? Not exactly. We want the smooth, irresistible chewiness that can only come with refined white flour. But if we had to have whole wheat, this one is not bad.
4. Original and King size
It is hard to beat the original. This is the classic English muffin that helped to build Thomas' English Muffins' delicious, carby empire. Thanks to these babies, Thomas' is the No. 1 selling English Muffin in the country. We can say pretty confidently that these are the best-sellers, based on the fact that our local grocery store had an entire shelf dedicated to just the Original when all the other flavors were packed into a different one. This flavor is so popular that it comes in a King Size, which is more bagel-sized than a traditional English muffin.
There is a lot to love about the Original English Muffin. It is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It has those nooks and crannies for days, holding so much butter, jam, or dippy egg yolk. We were happy to see the king size did not suffer from its enlargement. The texture is still there, and the bubbles are still there. It is everything we want from an English muffin, only made larger.
Our only complaint is that it is a little boring. It is basically just plain griddle-cooked bread. While this makes it a versatile addition to any breakfast, it is not necessarily going to elevate your morning meal.
3. Blueberry
Our first reaction to the blueberry was one of hesitation. There were two key things we were concerned about. The first was the color. The blueberries give these English muffins a noticeably purple color, which makes them look moldy at first glance. We know blueberries have a tendency to leak color, but the color leaching seemed intense.
The second was the fact these English muffins were both naturally and artificially flavored. So often, we find artificially fruit-flavored things can be overpowering, as well as simply not taste like the originally intended fruit.
Luckily, with one bite, both our concerns were assuaged. These muffins definitely taste like real blueberries. In addition to blueberry flavoring, they also offer dried blueberries which provide a pleasant burst of flavor. The inside has perfect nooks and crannies. Perhaps the best part, though, was that we did not even have to use a fork to open it; it just pulled apart. They were so soft and moist, yet chewy. The only downside is that as a sweet fruit-flavored muffin, it would not work with savory toppings.
2. Cinnamon Raisin
Honestly, the Cinnamon Raisin nearly beat out all the rest. Not only is this a good English muffin, but it is also a good cinnamon raisin product. They were the most fragrant of any of the muffins. We could smell them through the packaging, and it was heavenly. Each bite was a little sweet and had a cinnamon flavor. The raisins inside were soft and pump, not hard and chewy. It made eating easy and delicious. There were no plain or boring bites in these English Muffins.
They have a noticeable speckle of raisins in them, but the overall color was not affected, unlike the blueberry version. Also, unlike the blueberry variety, this product contains no artificial flavors. The ingredients simply include cinnamon and raisins. We really could have eaten these all day, which is part of why we like them. Not only are these good for breakfast, but as the company points out, they make an excellent quick and easy dessert. Toasted with a bit of butter melting into the pockets inside, and you have a delightful treat.
Once again, though, as a sweet English muffin, and one that is even sweeter than the blueberry one, we do not recommend savory toppings. That is a small price to pay to enjoy it, though, even if that does kick it out of the top spot.
1. Buttermilk
Finally, we have the Buttermilk English Muffin. This is a limited-edition choice, but we sure hope they make it part of the full lineup. They are made with real buttermilk, which you may not think would make such a difference, but oh boy, does it. One whiff of the Buttermilk English Muffin and the delectable scent of butter hits you. The color, texture, and nooks and crannies are the same as in the original, but the buttermilk adds a punch of flavor.
Much in the same way a biscuit is improved with buttermilk, so is this English muffin. Again, we get a creamy aroma and a tangy flavor. While the original acts as merely a vessel for other foods, this English muffin stands on its own. However, it will work paired with anything. Whether you want to go sweet or savory, the Buttermilk English Muffin is here for you. It gives flavor and nuance to an otherwise routine breakfast experience.