If you've got a jar of sourdough discard sitting in the fridge, these blueberry muffins are exactly what you should bake. My sourdough discard blueberry muffins have the most tender crumb and are so light and fluffy. The discard adds both a subtle tanginess and lots of fluffiness to these muffins. Each one is filled with fresh blueberries and topped with delicious, crunchy cinnamon streusel.
This recipe came out of my desire to always make good use of my discard that is piling up in the refrigerator. I've tested the recipe multiple times, adjusting hydration, bake time, and the number of blueberries. Now it's the recipe I've been making on repeat. These sourdough blueberry muffins turned out to be a family favorite, and I think they'll earn a spot in your round of favorites too. If you're looking for more ways to use up your discard, try my sourdough discard waffles next.
Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Ready In: 45 minutes
- Makes: 12 muffins
- Calories: about 250 kcal per muffin
- Add to Your Shopping List: fresh blueberries, 1 lemon, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sourdough discard, and vanilla bean paste
- Dietary Info: vegetarian - contains eggs, dairy and gluten
- Baker's Note: Make sure that your discard is at room temperature. So either use fresh discard from a recent feeding, or give the discard 30 minutes to warm up if its been stored in the refrigerator.
Summarize and Save This Content
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Substitutions and Variations
- Notes From My Test Kitchen
- Storage
- What to Serve With Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Discard Blueberry Muffins FAQs
- Recipes to Pair With Discard Blueberry Muffins
- 📖 Recipe
Key Ingredients
Sourdough discard - This recipe uses sourdough discard straight from the fridge (once it's had time to come to room temperature). You don't need an active, bubbly starter here.
Greek yogurt - Adds richness and structure to the batter, helping keep these muffins tender rather than dense. Full-fat is best here.
Buttermilk - Works alongside the Greek yogurt to add moisture and a subtle tang that complements the discard. Don't skip it - the combo of yogurt and buttermilk gives these muffins their fluffy texture.
Blueberries - Fresh blueberries are my first choice for this recipe, especially in summer when they're at their sweetest. Frozen will work, just be sure to toss them in a bit of flour before folding into the batter so they don't bleed into the muffins or sink to the bottom.
Lemon - Both the zest and juice brighten the batter and and balance the tang from the discard and buttermilk. Fresh lemons make a real difference here.
How to Make Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Make the streusel. Combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to work the butter into the dry ingredients. Chill the streusel while you make the muffin batter.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sourdough discard, melted butter, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined - don't overmix.
- Fold in the blueberries. Gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries.
- Fill and top. Scoop batter into a lined muffin pan, filling each cup to the edge, then add a tablespoon of streusel to each.
- Bake. Start at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and bake for 16-18 minutes more, until the edges are golden and the centers are set.
Substitutions and Variations
Greek yogurt: Sour cream or any other yogurt works as a 1:1 swap if that's what you have on hand - the texture will be just as rich and tender.
Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Make a quick substitute by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to ¼ cup of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Berries: Raspberries or blackberries work well in place of the blueberries - just toss them in flour the same way to prevent them from sinking.
Streusel: Want to switch things up? My streusel topping recipe has a bunch of customization options if you want to change the flavor profile - or leave the streusel off if you prefer a simpler muffin.
Notes From My Test Kitchen
I tested this recipe several times before landing on the right ratios of sourdough discard, yogurt, and buttermilk. Together, these three ingredients create the fluffy, tender texture I was after. Whisking the discard with the wet ingredients seems to activate it a bit and ensures it is well combined with the other wet ingredients. This is the same process that I use in my sourdough discard pancakes recipe.
I also played around with the streusel - at first, I tested the recipe with no streusel but then decided that everything is better with streusel. For the blueberries, a quick toss in flour before folding them in made a real difference. When I skipped this step, the berries all sank to the bottom.
It's fine to make the batter for sourdough discard muffins ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before baking.
Storage
Counter: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give the muffins 15-20 minutes to come to room temperature or warm slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Freezer: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
What to Serve With Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
A savory pairing: Balance the sweetness of the muffins with a slice of Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche for a brunch spread that will give lots of options on the table.
More blueberries: Double down with a spoonful of blueberry compote spooned over yogurt or oatmeal alongside these muffins, or swap in strawberry compote for a different flavor option.
Coffee or tea: These muffins are created for a slow morning - a strong cup or pot of coffee or tea pairs perfectly with these muffins.
Eggs: A simple plate of scrambled or fried eggs adds protein and turns this into a full breakfast.
Discard Blueberry Muffins FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of starter you remove and set aside before feeding, rather than throwing it away. For this recipe, discard works perfectly since we're not relying on it for rise. If you have or would rather use active starter, that works too! Your sourdough discard muffins may rise a little bit higher.
Yes! If you don't have sourdough discard on hand, try my Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins or my Mini Blueberry Muffins.
Yes, frozen blueberries work well here. Add them straight from the freezer without thawing first, and toss them in a bit of flour before folding them into the batter - this helps prevent the color from turning the batter purple.
Give it a quick smell test. Discard that smells fruity, tangy, or a little sour is exactly what you want. If it smells strongly of alcohol, it's best to toss it and start with a fresh batch.
I tested this recipe with just one or the other before landing on using both together. The Greek yogurt adds richness and helps keep the crumb tender, while the buttermilk brings extra moisture and lots of flavor. Together, they give these muffins their fluffy texture.
Recipes to Pair With Discard Blueberry Muffins
If you tried these Discard Blueberry Muffins or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Maple and Thyme.
Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin pan (12-cup)
- muffin liners
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- Small bowl (for melting butter)
- whisk
- Fork (for the streusel)
- Zester or fine grater (for lemon zest)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale (for weighing the sourdough discard and flour)
- cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
For the Muffins
- 1½ cups (200g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting berries
- ⅔ cup (160g ) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest about one large lemon
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup (120g) sourdough discard at room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt at room temperature
- ¼ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice use the lemon you zested
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
For the Streusel
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the softened butter and use a fork to work it into the dry ingredients until coarse, uneven crumbs with some larger clusters form. No dry flour should be visible.
- Chill the streusel in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.
For the Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl and let cool for a few minutes.
- Toss the blueberries with 1-2 tablespoons of flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sourdough discard, cooled butter, yogurt, buttermilk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined - don't overmix.
- Gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries.
- Scoop batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup to the edge.
- Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon of streusel.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375°F and bake 16-18 minutes more, until the edges are golden and the centers are baked through.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
Notes
- Make sure that your discard is at room temperature before using - cold discard can impact how it mixes into the batter.
- Don't overmix the batter - a bit of visible flour is fine and this helps to keep the muffins tender.
- If using frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer without thawing. Toss them in a tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
- Store any leftover streusel in the freezer - no need to waste it. You can toss it on another batch of muffins or on any quick bread recipe.
Amanda Smallwood says
These muffins are so light and fluffy, with the most perfect crisp streusel on top. Such a great way to use up sourdough discard.