No matter the time of the day, a batch of Sourdough Apple Muffins feels like pure comfort. They're soft, moist, and filled with chunks of juicy apple and a hint of warm cinnamon. Best of all, they make clever use of that extra sourdough discard sitting in your kitchen, turning it into a bake that's both practical and irresistible.
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Why Add Sourdough Discard To Muffins?
Adding discard to quick bakes like muffins is one of the best ways to reduce waste while adding depth of flavour. Even though this is not a long-fermented recipe like sourdough bread, the discard works wonders in your muffin batter:
- Reduces food waste. No need to throw away your extra sourdough starter.
- Adds a gentle tang. The tanginess of sourdough balances the natural sweetness of apples.
- Creates a tender crumb. The acidity helps soften gluten for beautifully moist muffins.
- Extends shelf life. Discard slows staling, so your muffins stay fresher longer.
Apples: Cubed or Grated?
The apples are the best part of this recipe, so choose wisely! Here's how to get the best texture and apple flavour:
APPLE TYPE: Tart Granny Smith apples give a sharp bite, while Pink Lady apples or other sweet apples bring more natural sweetness. Feel free to use a combination of apple types for balance. Crisp apples work best, as softer varieties can disappear into mush.
PEELING: It's a good idea to peel if your apples have tough skins, but you can leave skins on for extra fibre and colour. Just make sure to chop finely.
CUBING VS GRATING:
- Cubed apples (small dice, around 0.5 cm) give you lovely pockets of juicy apples in the crumb.
- Grated apples (using a box grater) distribute more evenly through the flour mixture, making the muffins extra moist but with less apple bite.
All the simple ingredients for these Sourdough Discard Apple Muffins are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Love the combo of discard and apples? Try our Sourdough Apple Fritters next! Or go for an amazing no-oven sourdough dessert - our Slow Cooker Sourdough Apple Cobbler!
Step-By-Step Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease your muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin liners / cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: plain flour (a.k.a. all-purpose flour), brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Stir in the chopped apples.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sourdough discard, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Slowly pour in melted unsalted butter.
5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a wooden spoon, mixing gently until no streaks of flour remain (don't overmix, or you'll get tough muffins).
6. In a small bowl, rub together flour, sugar, salt, and cubed cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs - this is your streusel topping.
7. Spoon the muffin batter into prepared muffin cups using a cookie scoop. Fill nearly to the top for tall muffin tops.
8. Sprinkle streusel over each muffin, pressing gently so it sticks without flattening the batter.
9. Bake 22-28 minutes until the top of the muffins is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
10. Cool briefly in the muffin tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully (although we love them slightly warm).
Recipe Tips For Best Results
To get these delicious muffins right every time, keep these tips in mind:
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold eggs or yogurt can cause the butter to firm up and the batter to seize.
- Don't use discard that's too old. If it's forming hooch, it may add bitterness. Active sourdough starter also works, as the batter is not long fermented.
- Mix and bake straight away. The baking soda reacts as soon as it hits the wet ingredients. Waiting too long can mean flat muffins.
- Press streusel gently. Make sure it adheres to the top of the muffins, but don't compact the batter beneath.
- Avoid overmixing. Stir only until the flour mixture is combined, or you'll end up with tough muffins instead of light, fluffy ones.
- Add more texture: stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans or pumpkin or sunflower seeds into the streusel topping mixture.
Storage
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
To freeze, wrap individually in plastic wrap (cling film), then store in a freezer bag. Thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave.
For an autumn breakfast, try splitting one in half, warming it, and spreading with apple butter - the perfectly delicious recipe for cosy mornings.
More Sourdough Muffins
Love these sourdough apple cinnamon muffins? Try our Cranberry Orange Sourdough Muffins and Raspberry Pistachio Sourdough Muffins next. You'll find plenty more inspiration here - from sourdough banana chocolate chip muffins to citrusy bakes that make the most of your leftover sourdough starter. Muffins are such a great way to experiment with sourdough beyond bread. Discover more sourdough discard recipes below:
Sourdough Apple Muffins With Streusel Topping
Equipment
- Muffin Liners
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 240 g (2 cups) plain flour a.k.a. all-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cups) granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 100 g (⅓ cups) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda a.k.a. bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 230 g (8.11 oz) apples finely chopped
- 120 g (4.23 oz) butter melted
- 2 eggs large
- 125 g (½ cups) sourdough discard at 100% hydration
- 50 g Greek yogurt
For Streusel Topping:
- 70 g (½ cups) plain flour a.k.a. all-purpose flour
- 70 g (½ cups) granulated or caster sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 50 g (3½ tablespoon) butter cold, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line your 12-hole muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, both types of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the chopped apples and mix to combine.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sourdough discard and yoghurt, using an electric handheld mixer.
- Slowly pour in the cooled, melted butter and continue beating until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently to combine, taking care not to overmix.
- In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. Add the cubed butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Spoon the sourdough apple muffin batter into the muffin cases, filling them almost all the way to the top.
- Divide the streusel mixture over the top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for 22-28 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean (I bake regular muffins for 22 minutes, but if I make 8 tall muffins in tulip cakes (as photographed), it takes about 27-28 minutes).
- Remove the muffins from the tin and let them cool down to room temperature.
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Gina says
These muffins were such a cozy bake. The apple pieces stayed juicy, the cinnamon came through beautifully, and that streusel topping made them feel extra special with coffee.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you, Gina — juicy apple pieces and that streusel are exactly what turn a good muffin into a proper cosy one. Glad they paired well with your coffee!