Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
Transform your sourdough discard into tall, bakery-domed muffins with a soft, tender crumb and juicy bursts of blueberry in every bite. This easy recipe uses the high-low oven method for perfect coffee shop-style tops every time.
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin - Heavy-gauge aluminum recommended for even heating
- Muffin tin liners - Or non-stick baking spray
- Large mixing bowl - For dry ingredients
- Medium mixing bowl - For wet ingredients
- Kitchen scale - Recommended for accuracy, especially for sourdough discard
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Ice cream scoop or muffin scoop - For even portioning
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour - 190g
- 1 cup granulated sugar - 200g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter - 113g, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup sourdough discard - 105g, unfed (room temperature or cold from fridge)
- ¾ cup sour cream - 180g, room temperature; plain full-fat Greek yogurt works too
- 1 large egg - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups blueberries - 210g, fresh or frozen (do not thaw if frozen)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour - For tossing the blueberries
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or demerara sugar - For topping, optional but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place rack in center position. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick spray.
- Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl until lightly coated. Set aside. This prevents sinking and absorbs excess juice from frozen berries.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Make a well in the center.
- In a medium bowl, whisk melted butter and sourdough discard until combined. Add sour cream and whisk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, whisking until fully glossy with no visible streaks.
- Pour wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined and flour streaks disappear. Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy — do not overmix.
- Gently fold in flour-coated blueberries with 4 to 5 slow strokes. Press any stray berries into the batter without over-stirring.
- Divide batter evenly among 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full and mounding slightly in the center. Sprinkle tops generously with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 425°F for exactly 5 minutes without opening the oven door. Reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 16 to 20 minutes more, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Remove muffin tin from oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins directly to the rack to cool completely. Do not leave in pan longer than 10 minutes to prevent softening from trapped steam.
Notes
- Do not overmix: Fold only until the flour streaks disappear. Lumpy batter is fine. Overmixing develops gluten, making muffins tough and rubbery.
- Room temperature ingredients matter: Cold sour cream or egg won't incorporate smoothly, affecting texture. Bring to room temperature for best results.
- Weigh your discard: Half a cup of thick discard differs significantly from half a cup of runny discard. Weigh 105g for consistency.
- Keep oven door closed: The first 5 minutes at high heat are crucial for the dome. Opening the door lets cold air in and may cause flat tops.
- Frozen blueberries work great: Do not thaw them. Tossing in flour prevents bleeding and keeps the batter from turning grey-purple.
- Fill cups properly: Under-filling gives flat muffins; over-filling causes spillage. Fill to about ¾ full, mounding slightly in the center.
- Check doneness carefully: Muffins may look done on top but be underbaked in the center, especially with juicy fruit. Use a toothpick to test.
- Dairy-free adaptation: Substitute sour cream with full-fat coconut yogurt or dairy-free sour cream alternative. Replace butter with melted refined coconut oil or dairy-free butter.
- Storage: Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Microwave 15-20 seconds from room temperature, or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. From frozen, microwave 30-45 seconds.