Looking for an easy and delicious sourdough starter discard recipe? This is hands down the best recipe for sourdough pumpkin muffins out there! These muffins are so moist and flavorful, you won't even realize you are eating a healthier whole grain!
Keep reading to learn how to make these tasty fall inspired muffins, how to select the perfect flour and my very own breakfast muffin meal prep strategy!
ingredient notes for sourdough pumpkin muffins
These sourdough pumpkin muffins can be made with common pantry staples: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin puree, sourdough starter and pumpkin seeds. Fairly straightforward, but be sure to read the next section about selecting the perfect flour!
ingredients & substitutions
- flour | I am using a combination of All-Purpose and whole wheat flour for these muffins. The pumpkin puree and sourdough starter discard add such a softness to the texture, I don't think the whole wheat is noticeable at all! I might even go 100% whole wheat in the future.
- pumpkin pie spice | Pumpkin pie spice is just a blend of seasonings. If you want to make your own, use ¾ teaspoons of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of allspice and ¼ teaspoon of whole cloves.
- baking powder | Baking powder is used to lighten the texture of baked goods and increase the volume. Don't skip it!
- salt | French salt, sea salt, Himalayan salt. Use what you have, but I do NOT recommend using iodized table salt in baked goods if you have other options available.
- butter | Whole fat, unsalted butter. I have not personally tried this recipe with a vegan substitute, so I cannot give any tips or advice about how to do it.
- brown sugar | Is your pantry a little bare? No worries! Mix one tablespoon of pure molasses with one cup of regular sugar. Stir until well combined!
- sugar | If you like your muffins to be less sweet, cut down on this amount and adjust it to taste. For my kids, I think I could reduce by half and get away with it.
- egg | Choose a large egg and let it sit out for thirty minutes or so before baking to come to room temperature.
- vanilla | If you do not have vanilla, add a teaspoon of bourbon to the muffins.
- pumpkin puree | This recipe uses one 15.9 ounce can of pumpkin puree. If you have a larger can, measure out two cups of puree.
- sourdough starter discard | Active or hungry, it doesn't matter! I like to save my hungry starter in a mason jar in the fridge for recipes just like this one!
- pumpkin seeds | I chose shelled, raw and unsalted pumpkin seeds for this recipe. You could also use roasted and salted pepitas.
how to choose the perfect flour
When looking at the flour options at the store, it can feel overwhelming. Here is a quick guide for selecting the proper flour for the job! For muffins, suitable flour options include cake flour, bread flour, all-purpose flour, whole grain flour and freshly milled flour. Literally all of the flour options are appropriate!
The lighter the flour, the puffier and lighter the muffin. Examples of this would be sifted flour, bread flour or cake flour. A whole grain muffin made with freshly milled wheat or whole wheat flour will have a denser texture but be much more nutritious because the bran of the wheat berry is present.
Since each of these flour options has it's own pros and cons, I created this recipe to be the best of both worlds: whole wheat (I used freshly milled einkorn) and All-Purpose einkorn flour. Einkorn is a primitive grain that I have personally found to be easier to digest without feeling bloated or achy. Kamut (Khorasan) is also a great option if you are trying to be more aware of the nutritional value of grains.
Other whole grain recipes to try!
If you are interested in finding ways to consume healthier grains, baking sourdough bread has been a game changer for us. I have a guide called How to Bake a Perfect Loaf of Sourdough that will take you from making your own sourdough starter to baking an artisan loaf!
If you love muffins, be sure to check out my Einkorn Banana Muffins and Chocolate Banana Muffins. For more of a sweet brunch treat, my absolute favorite recipe are Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins.
how to make sourdough pumpkin muffins
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a muffin tin with either cooking spray and flour or parchment muffin liners. These muffins can make 12 generous and large standard muffins (increase the baking time) or 18 normal sized muffins.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the brown sugar, sugar and butter. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, stopping every thirty seconds to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat for an additional minute.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and sourdough starter discard. Stir until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and stir until just combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup to drop even amounts of batter into the prepared muffin tins. See recipe notes for suggestions on how much batter to put in the muffin cup and a variation for making this as two loaves.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the middle muffin comes out clean.
how to meal prep with muffins
Muffins are one of my favorite foods to keep in the freezer as a grab-and-go treat. The next time you bake muffins, make a double batch to bake once, eat twice! Let the extra muffins cool and then put them in the freezer for an hour. Once they have firmed up and almost fully froze, put them in a freezer bag or vacuum seal them. They can be frozen for up to three months.
Other meal prep recipes I try to keep in the freezer for busy mornings or meals are Venison Beirocks, Sourdough Bagels and Pizza Pockets. I treat them the same way as the muffins: bake, cool and pre-freeze and then package and store in the freezer.
helpful tips
These muffins are very flexible. Make it the first time as written, then make it your own! Reduce the sugar, add nuts or chocolate chips, play around with the flour combinations and just have fun!
Should I use muffin liners or baking spray?
Total preference. I use muffin liners to keep them a little easier to handle, but I still spray the pan and liner with baking spray. If you do not want to use a liner, just spray the muffin tin generously and the muffins will slide right out.
Can these muffins be made as a quick bread?
Sourdough pumpkin muffins make the most delicious quick bread! Prepare two standard sized loaf pans by lining with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins
Equipment
- muffin tin
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sourdough starter discard
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds hulled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a muffin tin with either cooking spray and flour or parchment muffin liners. See recipe notes for suggestions about muffin size and a quick bread loaf option!
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the brown sugar, sugar and butter. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, stopping every thirty seconds to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat for an additional minute.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and sourdough starter discard. Stir until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and stir until just combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup to drop even amounts of batter into the prepared muffin tins. See recipe notes for suggestions on how much batter to put in the muffin cup.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the middle muffin comes out clean.
Notes
- This recipe will make 18 standard sized muffins or 12 large muffins. To make a larger muffin (with a puffier domed top), preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure you've sprayed your muffin tin well. Instead of filling the muffin tin ⅔ full like a standard muffin, fill it completely full. Bake the muffins for ten minutes at 400 degrees until they puff up, then reduce the heat without opening the oven door and finish baking at 350 degrees for a total of 25-30m minutes.
- To convert this recipe into a quick bread, prepare two standard loaf pans or three medium loaf pans with parchment paper and cooking spray. Fill the pans ⅔ full with the batter and bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a loaf. It will come out clean when it is done.
- These muffins can be frozen for up to three months. Bake as normal, then let cool on the counter. Place the cooled muffins in the freezer to chill for 30-60 minutes, then package them in either freezer bags or vacuum seal.
- See the ingredients and substitutions portion of this post to make changes to the recipe.
Seanna Borrows
These pumpkin muffins are a cozy fall favorite. So delish!
Jessica Robinson
Absolutely loved these muffins. So moist and so flavorful, simple to follow directions.