I love walking past a bakery case and seeing a pile of fluffy blueberry muffins, topped with a crunchy crumb topping. They are such a comforting treat and I grew up eating homemade blueberry muffins, so these hold a special place in my heart. This easy recipe for bakery style sourdough blueberry muffins combines the best of both worlds, with the addition of sourdough. The muffins have a tender crumb structure, each bite bursting with juicy blueberries. The crumb topping is sweet and a little crisp, adding a nice change in texture. They are easy for the whole family to make, store, and freeze. They can also be made ahead of time and left to ferment before baking so they are more gut healthy.
Sourdough
I love cooking and baking with sourdough. The complex flavor that both active starter and sourdough discard can add to a recipe never ceases to amaze me. I love tinkering with recipes to replace the yeast for sourdough and still get the same puffy baked good as the original recipe. Things like bread, donuts, and bagels are so fun make and they end up being better than what I could get in the store.
Then there is the discard. So much can be done with that to minimize food waste and make the baked goods gut healthy. I add it to everything! Tortillas, cake donuts, scones, coffee cake, muffins, quick bread, and crackers, are all a delicious way to enjoy leftover sourdough starter. When it is left to long ferment, even with discard, the flour will get broken down and the glycemic index changes, making it easier to digest. Be sure to check out the blog for some of my other sourdough discard recipes!
I was very overwhelmed when I first started with sourdough. There were people taking their bread with them in the car when running errands so it would be perfect. That seemed a little intense and more than I had time for at that season of life. After learning what needed to happen and what could be changed with sourdough, I wrote an e-book. It is the resource I wish I had when I first started, and it has been used to teach many others a simple and stress-free way to enjoy “The Art of Sourdough“.
Tools
Bowls – I like the many sizes in this set of glass bowls. I have been using them for years
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Whisk
Spatula or spoon
Muffin tin
Cupcake papers – pieces of parchment paper will also work and looks so cute!
Ingredients
Muffins
Butter: Adding melted butter into a batch of muffins makes for such a rich texture and flavor.
Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. I use organic and unbleached and when I want to buy it in bulk I get it from Azure standard.
Sugar: Organic granulated cane sugar is my go-to. There is nothing wrong with a little sugar when it is in moderation.
Baking powder: Because we are not relying on the sourdough to give these a rise, like we would want for a bread recipe, these need something else. The addition of baking powder as a chemical leavener gives these blueberry muffins a nice oven spring.
Salt: Even just a pinch of salt in a recipe helps to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
Sourdough discard: This is going to provide a subtle tang and depth of flavor that cannot be achieved any other way. It also a great way to use up extra sourdough discard to minimize food waste.
Milk: The addition of milk adds a bit of flavor and richness to the dough and keeps them soft and moist.
Vanilla extract: This lends some sweet flavor to the batter and makes them so tasty.
Blueberries: Fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries. Big berries, wild blueberries. (One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish…) Any and all work well in this recipe.
Crumb topping
Flour: A little flour helps the sugar and butter to not melt into the top of the muffin. All-purpose flour works great.
Brown sugar: The molasses in the brown sugar adds just a little bit extra flavor and a pinch of color to the topping.
Sugar: I think too much brown sugar can be a little overwhelming, so it does need to be balanced with some regular cane sugar. Organic and unbleached as always.
Cinnamon: I like the little bit of cinnamon for a touch of warmth in the crumb. If you do not like the pairing of cinnamon and blueberries, feel free to leave it out!
Cardamon: This one is totally optional. I worked at a bakery years ago, and the recipe for blueberry muffins called for over a teaspoon of cardamon in the muffins themselves. I thought it was a bit intense, but a little hint of it in the crumb topping? It just kind of works. It is a little warm, a little spicy, and sets these apart from “regular” blueberry muffins.
Butter: When the muffins bake, the butter will melt causing the crumb to set up a little bit so it doesn’t just fall off once the muffins cool. If the butter is softened when added into the other topping ingredients, it will yield a little bit more of a streusel topping.
Additional ingredients and substitutions
Oil: I like the flavor that melted butter gives to the muffins. I think they are richer and softer. However, oil can be used in a pinch. I do not recommend something like canola, vegetable, or soybean oil. They are just really unhealthy. High quality avocado oil is a much more neutral flavor than something like olive oil. When I am baking and need oil, my go to is MCT coconut oil from perfect supplements. It is a little bit more expensive, but it is clean, and healthy for me and my family.
Active sourdough starter: Starter can easily be used in place of discard. The only issue is that discard is thinner in texture than active starter. So, add a tablespoon or two of milk if using active starter.
Vanilla bean paste: Absolutely. This is a great substitute for vanilla extract. I personally love the look of little vanilla seeds speckled into my muffins, but maybe that is just a personal preference.
Let’s make sourdough blueberry muffins!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with muffin liners, or pieces of parchment paper. They can also be greased with butter instead of using paper liners which is what I did for the pictures for this recipe.
Making the batter
Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
In a separate large bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix until the mixture is smooth and no streaks remain.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until just combined. A few streaks of flour are ok since there is more mixing with the berries.
Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold in the blueberries until fully incorporated. Be very careful to not overmix. Stop as soon as the berries are mixed in.
Fill each muffin liner just over 3/4 of the way full of muffin batter.
Topping and baking
To make the crumb topping, take a small bowl and mix together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamon if using.
Add the cold butter into the mixture and break it up by hand until it resembles coarse sand.
Scoop crumb over the tops of the muffins.
Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven, then rotate the tin, and bake for another 7-12 minutes until the tops are lightly golden brown.
Allow them to cool for five minutes before removing them from the muffin tray. If desired, place them onto a wire rack once removing them from the tin so they cool evenly.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftovers covered for up to 5 days. I find they taste better if they are not in an airtight container. If they are in a bag, I will leave one corner slightly open or leave the lid of a glass container left cracked open.
Freezing
These muffins make for the best treat and are so great to have on hand. Once they are completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap. I find this helps with freezer burn and prevents them from sticking together. I usually wrap two or three together. Place them into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Long ferment sourdough muffins
While sourdough is great, it is not gut healthy if you add it to a recipe and immediately bake it. The yeasts need to have time to work their magic and break down the flour. To do this, make the batter as directed above, but do not add the blueberries. Cover the batter and place it in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, take the batter out of the fridge to come up to room temperature for 15 minutes or so. Preheat the oven, line the muffin tin, and make the strudel. Fold the berries into the batter and divide it into the prepared muffin tin. Top each unbaked muffin with crumb topping. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tin, and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Depending on how cold the batter was, and if frozen berries are being used, they may require a few additional minutes of bake time.
Tips for success
Over mixing: If muffins get mixed too much, they will be tough, the tops will be a cone shape, and there will be long air bubbles inside the muffins. To avoid these things, mix until things are just incorporated. For the best results, I like to leave just a little bit of unmixed flour in the bowl before I add my blueberries, since it will get mixed in with the berries.
Thank you
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It is always such a delight hearing about how much you enjoyed a recipe or what you think could be improved. So, thank you for leaving a comment! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making sourdough blueberry muffins. Thank you!
Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
Soft, tender, and every bite filled with juicy blueberries. What a wonderful way to start a morning. These muffins can be quick baked or long fermented so they are more gut healthy.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 3/4 cup Flour
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 3/4 cup Sourdough discard
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Milk
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- 2 cup Blueberries
Crumb topping
- 1/3 cup Flour
- 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. Ground cardamom (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. Butter -cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a muffin tin with muffin papers, or pieces of parchment paper. They can also be greased with butter instead of lined.
- Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix until the mixture is smooth and no streaks remain.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until just combined.
- Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold in the blueberries until fully incorporated. Be very careful to not overmix. Stop as soon as the berries are mixed in.
- Fill each muffin liner just over 3/4 of the way full of muffin batter.
- To make the crumb topping, take a small bowl and mix together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamon if using.
- Add the cold butter into the mixture and break it up by hand until it resembles coarse sand.
- Scoop crumb over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven, then rotate the tin, and bake for another 7-12 minutes.
- Allow them to cool for five minutes before removing them from the muffin tray. If desired, place them onto a wire rack once removing them from the tin so they cool evenly.
- Store any leftover muffins at room temperature for up to five days. I find the texture is better if the container is not fully airtight.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Long ferment muffins
To get the gut healthy benefits from these muffins, they need to be long fermented so the yeasts have time to work thier magic. Make the batter ahead of time according to the instructions above. If using frozen berries, leave those out while it is fermenting. Allow the batter to sit in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, take the batter out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature for about 15 minutes. Mix in the blueberries and divide the batter into a lined or greased muffin tin. Top each muffin with crumb topping. Bake for ten minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool for five minutes before trying to remove them from the muffin tin.
This recipe for sourdough blueberry muffins contains affiliate links. To learn more about how we use them, click here.
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