These Sourdough Apple Muffins with a crunchy streusel topping are an ideal treat for crisp autumn mornings. They use sourdough discard and come together quickly, so you can have warm muffins ready for breakfast or brunch in under an hour.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This recipe is quick and simple, with only about 15 minutes of hands-on time. Warm muffins are ready in under an hour—perfect for a relaxed weekend morning.
- Easy to adapt: swap apples for pears, add nuts, or mix in dried fruit to suit your taste.
- Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg give these muffins a cozy, comforting fall flavor.
- The streusel topping adds sweetness and crunch, but the muffins are excellent even without it.
Ingredients
You only need a few staples to make these muffins. See the full recipe section below for exact measurements and step-by-step directions.
- Sourdough discard: Use unfed discard at room temperature. This recipe is designed for a starter fed at a 1:1 flour-to-water ratio; if your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust liquid or flour slightly.
- Apples: Gala works well, but Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith are all fine. Small dice or shredding gives the best distribution through the batter.
Full ingredient list and amounts are provided in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
This batter adapts easily. A few ideas:
- Pears: Swap apples for pears or use a mix for a slightly different, delicate flavor.
- Nuts: Fold in up to ½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds with the diced fruit.
- Dried fruit: Add ½ cup dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots for extra texture and sweetness.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Apple Muffins
These muffins come together in a few straightforward steps. The full recipe with precise measurements and baking times is at the bottom of this page.
- Step 1: Mix together the streusel ingredients and set aside.
- Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- Step 4: Combine the wet ingredients — sourdough discard, eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla — until smooth.
- Step 5: Add the dry and wet mixtures to the creamed butter and mix until nearly combined. Fold in the diced apples, taking care not to overmix.
- Step 6: Spoon batter into a lined muffin pan about two-thirds full. Top with streusel and an optional sprinkle of turbinado sugar. Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use liners: Muffin liners make removing muffins easier. If you skip liners, grease the pan well.
- Small dice or shred apples: This ensures even distribution so every bite has fruit. No need to peel the apples.
- Streusel is optional: It adds texture and sweetness; if you omit it, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top before baking for a bit of crunch.
- Portioning: A cookie scoop gives uniform muffins. Fill cups about two-thirds full to avoid overflow.
- Don’t overmix: Stir until ingredients are almost combined. Overworking the batter can make muffins tough.
Storage
Room temperature: Once cooled, store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave to warm them.
Freezer: Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of your starter that is removed when you feed it. Instead of throwing it away, you can use it in baked goods like these muffins to add flavor and texture.
Yes. Apples and pears work especially well. Small diced or shredded fruit integrates best into the batter.
Muffin liners are recommended for easy removal. If you prefer not to use them, grease the pan thoroughly.
No. Leaving the peel on is fine and adds texture and color. Dice or shred the apples so they distribute evenly.
More Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes
-
Sourdough Sweet Potato Waffles
-
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins
-
Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
-
Sourdough Discard Pancakes
If you try these Sourdough Discard Apple Muffins, please leave a star rating and a comment to share how they turned out. Happy baking!
Sourdough Apple Muffins
Equipment
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Kitchen scale
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12-cup muffin pan
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Muffin liners
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3-tablespoon cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard, unfed and at room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or another neutral oil
- 2 Tablespoons yogurt (dairy or non-dairy), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups diced apple (about 1 large apple)
For the Streusel Topping (optional)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
Make the Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup oats, 3 Tablespoons melted butter, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mix until crumbly and set aside.
Make the Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and both sugars with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix the sourdough discard, eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and the wet mixture to the creamed butter and stir until almost no dry spots remain. Fold in the diced apples gently.
- Fill the lined muffin cups about two-thirds full with batter. Sprinkle the tops with streusel and turbinado sugar if using.
- Bake for 30–32 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely or serve warm.
Notes
Using active starter: If you prefer to use active sourdough starter, substitute 200 g active starter for the discard without making other changes.
The streusel is optional. If you skip it, a sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking gives a pleasant crunch and shine.
Nutrition
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 11 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 20 g