MuffinsAmericanEasy

Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins

Name: Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder; ¾ tsp (4 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon (optional); 1 cup (227 g) unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration), stirred, cold or room temperature; ¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (113 g) honey; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon, finely grated zest (optional); 1½ cups (225 g) blueberries, fresh, rinsed and dried, or frozen (not thawed); 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour, for tossing with the blueberries; 2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sugar or turbinado sugar (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, honey-sweetened muffins with a gentle sourdough tang, a nutty whole wheat crumb, and plenty of juicy blueberries. A hot oven start gives them tall, domed tops, and they're a great way to use up unfed discard.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 12 standard muffins

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the muffins
1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
¾ tsp (4 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup (227 g) unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration), stirred, cold or room temperature
¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
⅓ cup (113 g) honey
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (2 g) lemon, finely grated zest (optional)
1½ cups (225 g) blueberries, fresh, rinsed and dried, or frozen (not thawed)
1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour, for tossing with the blueberries
For the topping
2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sugar or turbinado sugar (optional)

Equipment (9)

12-cup standard muffin tin (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml per cup)
12 paper or silicone muffin liners
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Digital kitchen scale
Measuring cups and spoons
Large ice cream scoop or two spoons (about ¼ cup / 60 ml)
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Use unfed sourdough discard at 100% hydration (equal weights flour and water), straight from the fridge or at room temperature. Stir it before measuring.
Take the eggs, yogurt and milk out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so the melted butter doesn't harden into clumps when mixed in.
If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and do not thaw, or the batter will turn gray-purple.
The batter rests 10 minutes before baking; preheat the oven during that rest.

1
Line the muffin tin
- Place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Line all 12 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
- Don't preheat yet; the batter rests first.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are lined and the tin is on the counter.
Tip: Paper liners can stick to low-fat muffins. If they do, lightly spray them with oil.
2
Coat the blueberries
- In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour until every berry has a light, dry coating.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Berries look dusty with no wet patches of flour.
Tip: The flour helps keep the berries suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.
3
Whisk the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, if using, for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: No streaks of baking soda or lumps remain, and the mixture is an even tan color.
4
Mix the wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and honey for 30 seconds until combined.
- Add the sourdough discard, yogurt, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest, if using, and whisk until smooth.
- Pour in the cooled melted butter and whisk until the mixture is uniform.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth and thick, with no visible streaks of honey, discard, or butter.
Tip: If the butter is hot, it can scramble the eggs. Let it cool until it feels just warm to the touch.
5
Fold into a batter
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients.
- Fold with a rubber spatula for about 15 strokes, until only a few dry streaks of flour remain.
- Add the floured blueberries and fold 4 to 5 more times to distribute them.
- The batter will be thick and scoopable.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and lumpy with just a few small flour streaks, and berries are evenly spread.
Tip: Stop mixing while the batter still looks a bit lumpy. Overmixing makes tough, tunneled muffins and bleeds blueberry color.
6
Rest the batterOven 400°F / 205°C
- Cover the bowl and let the batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- This gives the whole wheat flour time to absorb liquid, which makes a more tender crumb and a taller dome.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Ready when: The batter looks slightly thicker and the oven has reached 400°F (200°C).
Tip: Use an oven thermometer if you can. The high-heat start only works if the oven is truly hot.
7
Fill the cups
- Use a large scoop or two spoons to divide the batter among the 12 liners, filling each to the top, about ¼ cup (60 ml) or 80 g batter each.
- Sprinkle the tops evenly with the coarse sugar, if using.
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Ready when: Each liner is full and mounded slightly above the rim.
Tip: If a few berries land on the surface, press them in lightly so they don't scorch.
8
Bake at high heatOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the tin in the 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 5 minutes without opening the door.
- This blast of heat makes the batter spring upward and form tall domes.
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Ready when: The tops have visibly puffed above the rim of the liners.
Tip: Don't open the oven door during this stage; the lost heat will flatten the rise.
9
Lower heat and finishOven 350°F / 175°C
- Without removing the tin, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Continue baking for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the tin front to back after 8 minutes, until the muffins are deep golden and the centers spring back when lightly pressed.
- A toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding a berry) should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
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Ready when: Tops are deep golden and spring back when pressed; toothpick shows no wet batter.
Tip: A toothpick that hits a blueberry will look wet from the fruit, so test beside the berries.
10
Cool the muffins
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a wire rack.
- Cool for at least 10 more minutes before eating so the crumb sets and the berries stop being molten.
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Ready when: Muffins are warm rather than hot, and the liners peel away cleanly.
Tip: Don't leave the muffins in the hot tin for longer than 5 minutes, or steam will make the bottoms soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Measure flour by weight if possible. Packed cups of whole wheat flour can add up to 20% more and make dry muffins.
Frozen blueberries work well; keep them frozen and fold them in at the last second to limit color bleeding.
Discard that's been in the fridge for more than a week is more sour. For a milder tang, use discard that's 1 to 3 days old.
Fill the liners fully for bakery-style domes; the 5-minute high-heat start is what lifts them.

Make ahead

"The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours (the sourdough tang deepens). Bake straight from the fridge, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the second bake stage. Fold in the berries just before baking for best color."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, with a paper towel on the bottom to absorb moisture. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat room-temperature or fridge muffins in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Reheat frozen muffins from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or thaw overnight first."

Substitutions

honey → pure maple syrup. Use the same weight (113 g / ⅓ cup). The flavor is a little more caramel-like and the muffins brown slightly less.
plain whole-milk yogurt → sour cream or buttermilk. Sour cream swaps 1:1 by weight. Buttermilk (180 ml) makes a slightly looser batter, so rest it the full 10 minutes.
unsalted butter → neutral oil such as avocado or light olive oil. Use 75 ml (5 tbsp) oil. The muffins will be a touch moister but less buttery.
whole wheat flour → all-purpose flour. Use 125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour for a lighter, paler muffin. Ready after about the same bake time.