Blueberry season is one of my favorite times of year, and these easy Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins make the most of fresh berries and leftover sourdough starter. The discard adds a subtle tang that balances the blueberries’ sweetness, while the coarse sugar on top gives a bakery-style crunch.
“I had a lot of discard in my fridge and my husband buys a blueberry muffin every morning, so I made these for him. We both love them and I’ll make them again!”
– Sarah ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
View all comments
Why We Love These Sourdough Discard Muffins with Blueberries
- They have a balanced sweetness—never cloying—so the berries shine through.
- Using sourdough discard is an easy, zero-waste way to add flavor and texture to baked goods.
- They work with fresh or frozen blueberries, so you can bake them year-round.
- Demerara or coarse sugar sprinkled on top adds a pleasant crunch and a professional-looking finish.
- These jumbo, bakery-style muffins are perfect for breakfast or a brunch spread and freeze well for make-ahead mornings.
- Ready in under an hour from start to finish, including baking and brief cooling time.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure; weighing in grams gives the most consistent results.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter without overpowering the berries.
- Baking powder: Helps create a tall, bakery-style muffin top.
- Sourdough discard: Use ½ cup (about 130 g) of discard at room temperature for a gentle tang and added tenderness.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture and a bit of tang to the batter.
- Eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla: Standard wet ingredients that make the muffins tender and rich.
- Blueberries: Fresh are ideal, but frozen work fine—if using frozen, do not thaw before folding into the batter.
- Demerara sugar (optional): Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top to create a sweet, crunchy finish.
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and metric conversions.
How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Prepare a jumbo muffin pan with parchment liners or nonstick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Gently toss the blueberries in the dry mix to coat—this helps prevent them from sinking.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, vanilla, sour cream, milk, and sourdough discard until smooth.
Step 3: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently, mixing only until the flour streaks disappear—overmixing will make the muffins dense.
Step 4: Use a large scoop or spoon to fill 6 jumbo muffin liners about ¾ full. If desired, sprinkle demerara sugar on top for crunch.
Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes to set the tops, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Place the oven rack in the center for even baking and allow the oven to fully preheat so the initial high heat gives the muffins a good rise.
- Coat blueberries in a small amount of the flour mixture to reduce bleeding and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin.
- For consistent results, weigh flour in grams with a food scale; spoon-and-level works if you don’t have a scale.
- Mix just until combined—small lumps are fine and help keep muffins tender.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract to the wet ingredients and top with sliced toasted almonds for a blueberry-almond version.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest for a bright lemon-blueberry muffin.
- Swap in mixed berries or blackberries if you prefer a different fruit profile.
- Use chocolate chips instead of blueberries for a sweet, bakery-style chocolate chip muffin.
- To make regular muffins, distribute batter among 12–14 liners and bake at 375°F for about 13–18 minutes. For mini muffins, bake 24–28 at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
If you try other substitutions, note them when you bake so you can reproduce your favorite variations.
Storage
Room temperature: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3–5 days.
Freezer: Wrap each cooled muffin individually and store in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that gets removed when feeding the starter. It contains flour, water, and natural yeast and can be used in recipes like these muffins to add flavor and reduce waste.
Yes. You can substitute equal parts flour and water or use a plain mixture of yogurt or buttermilk for moisture, though the flavor and texture will differ slightly from the discard version.
Demerara sugar is a coarse, minimally processed sugar with large crystals that add a crunchy, caramel-like topping when sprinkled on baked goods.
Coating berries in a bit of flour helps suspend them in the batter so they remain distributed throughout the muffin rather than sinking to the bottom.
More Easy Recipes You’ll Love
Blueberry Muffin in a Mug-
White Chocolate and Blueberry Muffins
-
Lemon Blueberry Blondies with Icing
-
Glazed Blueberry Cake Donuts
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and by sharing a photo on social media—tag the account you follow for more recipes and baking tips.
Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Sourdough Discard Muffins
Equipment
- Jumbo muffin pan
- Muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons and cups or a kitchen scale
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (weighed if possible)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- ¼ cup (59 ml) whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (130 g) sourdough discard, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) demerara sugar, optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a jumbo muffin pan with parchment liners or grease the cups.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Toss the blueberries in the dry mixture to coat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, sour cream, vanilla, and sourdough discard until smooth.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined and the flour streaks are gone.
- Fill each muffin liner about ¾ full with batter. Sprinkle demerara sugar on top if using.
- Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F and bake an additional 15–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Total baking time is about 21–26 minutes. Cool in the pan 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Measuring flour: Weighing flour in grams yields the most consistent muffins. If using cups, use the spoon-and-level method.
Sourdough discard: Use discard that has not been recently fed. While fed starter can be used, it may change the flavor profile.
Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Regular muffins: For 12–14 standard muffins, bake at 375°F for 13–18 minutes.
Mini muffins: For 24–28 mini muffins, bake at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
Nutrition: Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
Nutrition Estimate (per muffin)
- Calories: 554 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 77 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Fat: 24 g
- Sugar: 38 g
These values are approximate and provided for reference only.
Weigh dry ingredients in grams for the most reliable results.
Fan Favorites
- Blueberry Donuts
- Banana Cream Pie
- Soft Sprinkle Sugar Cookies