Sourdough discard blueberry muffins

Sourdough discard muffins give you a tender, slightly tangy crumb loaded with blueberries, and they bake in about 22 minutes at 200C/400F. You stir 200 g of unfed discard straight into the batter, fold in 200 g of blueberries, and fill a standard 12-cup tin. The lift comes from baking powder and soda, not from your starter, so the discard can be cold from the fridge. Its acidity sharpens the flavor and keeps the crumb soft. This makes 12 muffins.

Why discard works here

Muffins are a quick bread. They rise from chemical leaveners, so the starter does not need to be active or bubbly. That makes this one of the easiest homes for the portion you pour off when feeding your starter. The discard does two jobs: it adds moisture, and its tang reacts with the baking soda to give the tops a good dome. Cold discard from the jar is fine. Stir it down first if it has separated.

Ingredients

Weigh everything in grams if you can. A scale is faster and more honest than cups.

• 200 g sourdough discard (100% hydration, unfed)
• 240 g all-purpose flour
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs (about 100 g)
• 113 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 120 g milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 g blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar for the tops (optional)

Frozen blueberries work well and do not need thawing. Fold them in straight from the freezer or the batter will turn gray.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and discard until smooth.
4. Toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of the dry mix. This coats them so they stay suspended instead of sinking.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold with a spatula until just combined, then fold in the blueberries. Stop while a few flour streaks remain. Overmixing builds gluten and gives you tough, peaked muffins.
6. Divide the batter between the 12 cups, filling each nearly to the top. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops if you want a crunchy finish.
7. Bake for about 22 minutes. Start checking at 20. The tops should be domed and golden, and a skewer pushed into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
8. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift the muffins onto a rack. They firm up as they cool.

Timings are estimates. Tin color and your oven’s true temperature both shift the result, so judge by the domed tops and the skewer rather than the clock.

Tips and swaps

• For a higher dome, start the bake at 220C/425F for 5 minutes, then drop to 190C/375F for the rest. The blast of heat sets a quick rise.
• Swap 50 g of the flour for whole wheat for a nuttier crumb. The muffins bake a touch faster.
• Add the zest of one lemon to the wet mix. It plays well against the blueberries and the tang.
• Stored in a sealed tin, the muffins keep 2 days at room temperature. They freeze well for up to 2 months.

These come out a little tangier than a standard muffin, which is the point. For more ways to use up the jar, see the discard recipes hub.