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Sourdough Muffins

This simple, easy recipe for sourdough muffins is a great way to use your sourdough starter discard and add in any flavors, fruits, or toppings you want! This recipe makes a dozen (12) muffins and takes about 40 minutes to mix and bake.

A sourdough muffin full of chocolate chunks

Here’s the thing about sourdough baking–it’s addictive. Just visit any online sourdough page to find thousands of obsessives talking about hydration levels, folding techniques, and their starter baby’s name (Mine is Lawrence, in case you were wondering).

And while I LOVE a good artisan loaf, I also love getting creative with my starter. I also hate the feeling of wasting food with the daily discard. And easy recipes like these sourdough muffins help me do exactly that–reduce food waste in my kitchen.

Because you’re using discard, the sourdough starter doesn’t really act as a rising agent–that’s where the baking powder comes in. But the starter does add a lovely, slightly tangy flavor to the muffins.

And no matter how you slice it, this easy sourdough muffin recipe is a win! It uses your discard, you can add any flavors you wish, and it’s so simple and delicious. I’ve included a list of ideas for what to mix in to your sourdough muffins.

A basket of sourdough muffins

Other Recipes for Using Sourdough Discard

You can see a whole list of recipes using active starter or discard by clicking here.

I think you get the idea–the options for using up that discard are endless and delicious, and these muffins are no exception!

A jam filled Sourdough Muffin

How to Make Sourdough Muffins

  1. Begin by lining your muffin tin with liners, or greasing each cup very well. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the very soft butter and 1 cup of sugar until well combined.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Stir in the buttermilk, sourdough starter, and vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
  6. Stir in any mixins you want–see the list below.
  7. Divide the batter into the muffin cups.
  8. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
  9. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then remove them from the muffin pan and let them cool completely.
  10. Store the muffins in an airtight bag or container.

Muffin Mix In Ideas

Just a few ideas for flavors you can create with this sourdough muffin recipe!

  • Blueberries
  • Chocolate chips or chunks
  • 2 tsp. poppy seeds & 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/2 fresh raspberries & 1/2 chocolate chunks
  • 1 tsp. jam pressed in the center of each muffin
  • A streusel crumble
A sourdough muffin bursting with blueberries

Equipment for Making Sourdough Muffins

  • This 12 cup muffin tin makes perfect muffins!
  • And liners keep your tin clean so you don’t have to scrub out each and every cup #worstjobever
  • This is my favorite mixing bowl for making muffins.
Sourdough Muffins with different mix ins

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

A pile of sourdough donuts covered in chocolate ganache and white sprinkles, powdered sugar, or glaze.
Sourdough Donuts
Chocolate Blackberry Muffins
Sourdough Pancakes
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A sourdough muffin full of chocolate chunks

Sourdough Muffins


  • Author: Rebecca Neidhart
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 1214 muffins 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This simple, easy recipe for sourdough muffins is a great way to use your sourdough starter discard and add in any flavors, fruits, or toppings you want!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup/114 grams) softened butter
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (8 oz.) buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup (2 oz.) sourdough discard (see notes)
  • 2 1/2 cups (306 g) cake flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 11 1/2 cups mix-ins (see notes for ideas

Instructions

Begin by lining your muffin tin with liners, or greasing each cup very well. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the very soft stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar until well combined. Add the two eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the 1 cup of buttermilk, the 2 tsp. of vanilla extract, and the 1/4 cup of sourdough starter.

In a separate bowl, stir together the 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

Stir in any mixins you want. Divide the batter into the muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then remove them from the muffin pan and let them cool completely.

Store the muffins in an airtight bag or container.

Notes

  • While I always recommend baking with weight rather than cups, this is especially true if your starter isn’t completely flat. Any extra lift will add volume, and 1/4 cup of active starter will not have as much as a completely flat starter.
  • I used Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour. This post/recipe isn’t endorsed by them, just wanted you to know what worked best for me!

Mix In Ideas

  • Blueberries
  • Chocolate chips or chunks
  • 2 tsp. poppy seeds & 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/2 fresh raspberries/1/2 chocolate chunks
  • 1 tsp. jam in the center of each muffin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Breakfast and Brunch

Keywords: sourdough muffins, muffin recipe, blueberry muffins

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