Save to Pinterest These moist and tangy muffins blend fresh blueberries with a subtle sourdough touch. The batter combines all-purpose flour, sugar, and leavening agents with a sourdough starter, eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract for a balanced flavor. Gentle folding prevents overmixing, while lemon zest adds brightness. Baked until golden and tender, these muffins offer a perfect breakfast or snack option packed with freshness and a hint of tang.
The smell of blueberries bursting in a warm oven takes me back to my tiny first apartment where the kitchen was basically a closet with a stove. Id bake muffins on Sundays just to make the whole place feel like home, even when I barely had two nickels to rub together. Those early baking experiments taught me that humble ingredients could create something that felt like a proper hug.
My friend Sarah once walked in while I was folding blueberries into batter and laughed at how carefully I was treating each berry like it was precious cargo. She was right to tease me but those gentler hands meant fewer squished berries and more pockets of jammy goodness throughout every bite. Now I fold with intention and think about that afternoon every single time.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The structure builder here, though swapping in some whole wheat adds lovely nutty depth
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens just enough without overpowering the blueberries natural sugars
- Salt: The unsung hero that makes all other flavors pop
- Baking powder and soda: Work together for that beautiful dome rise we all want in a muffin
- Sourdough starter: Active or discard both work, bringing tang and tenderness to the crumb
- Eggs: Bind everything together while adding richness
- Melted butter: Cool it slightly so it doesnt cook the eggs when they meet
- Whole milk: Creates tenderness though any milk you have works fine
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla is worth the extra pennies here
- Fresh or frozen blueberries: Frozen ones need to stay frozen until they hit the batter
- Lemon zest: Optional but holy moly it brightens the whole experience
Instructions
- Get your oven ready:
- Preheat to 375°F and line that muffin tin like youre preparing a cozy bed for each one
- Whisk the dry team:
- Combine flour sugar salt baking powder and soda in a big bowl until theyre one happy family
- Blend the wet squad:
- Whisk sourdough starter eggs melted butter milk and vanilla until completely smooth
- The gentle fold:
- Pour wet into dry and fold just until you dont see flour anymore overmixing makes tough muffins
- Add the jewels:
- Gently fold in those blueberries and zest being careful not to burst them all open
- Fill and bake:
- Divide batter filling each cup three quarters full then bake 22 to 25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean
- The patience part:
- Cool in the pan five minutes then move to a wire rack or theyll get soggy bottoms
Save to Pinterest These became my go to breakfast when I started my first real job grabbing two every morning and eating them on the commute. Something about starting the day with something I made with my own hands made the corporate world feel less cold.
Making Them Your Own
The beauty of this base recipe is how it welcomes whatever fruit is in season or whatever you have languishing in the freezer. Strawberries raspberries even chopped peaches work beautifully here.
That Bakery Style Crumble
Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top before baking and you get that irresistible crunchy sweet lid that makes bakery muffins so special. Its two seconds of effort for a whole lot of wow factor.
Storage and Sharing
These freeze exceptionally well so I always double the batch and stash half for those mornings when baking anything feels impossible. Wrap individually and they reheat like a dream in the microwave.
- Room temperature muffins last three days in an airtight container
- Frozen ones stay good for three months if wrapped tightly
- Reheat frozen muffins at 350°F for 10 minutes to refresh them completely
Save to Pinterest Theres something deeply satisfying about turning sourdough discard into something so many people love to eat. Happy baking friend.
Recipe FAQs
- → Can frozen blueberries be used?
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Yes, frozen blueberries can be added directly to the batter without thawing, preserving their shape and preventing excess moisture.
- → What does sourdough starter add to these muffins?
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The sourdough starter imparts a subtle tanginess and depth of flavor while also helping with the texture, creating moist, tender muffins.
- → Can whole wheat flour be substituted?
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Part of the all-purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour to add nuttiness, but too much may affect texture and rise.
- → How can I make the muffins crunchier on top?
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Sprinkling turbinado sugar on the batter before baking creates a sweet, crunchy crust.
- → What is the best way to prevent overmixing?
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Fold the wet and dry ingredients gently until just combined, leaving some lumps for a tender crumb.
