Make the dough: Whisk the whole wheat flour and yeast in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cooled milk until all the lumps are gone.
Set aside until the mixture becomes frothy, about 30 minutes.
Stir the butter, honey, and salt into the milk mixture. Add the bread flour and stir vigorously until you have a thick, sticky mixture, 1 to 2 minutes.
Shape the muffins: Flour a work surface and then dust it with cornmeal. Using floured hands, gently deflate the dough in the bowl, transfer it to the work surface, and shape it into a rough rectangle.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10x8-inch rectangle that’s about 3/8 inch thick.
Using a floured 3-1/2-inch round cutter, punch out 5 to 6 muffins.
Cook the muffins: Cook, flipping once with a spatula, until the tops and bottoms of the muffins are browned and firm but the edges remain soft, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the muffins to the baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
Allow each batch to cool on a rack for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a fork, perforate the muffins along their equators all the way around, and break open the rest of the way by hand. Toast, if you like, and serve warm.