My Sourdough Blueberry Muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with juicy blueberries, making them the perfect bakery-style treat for breakfast or afternoon coffee. My family and I absolutely love these, and I can't wait to share them with you!
If you keep a sourdough starter, muffins are one of the easiest and most delicious ways to use up extra discard. The discard adds subtle tang and richness without making the muffins taste sour.
If you enjoy this recipe, I highly y recommend you try out my sourdough banana bread muffins and my sourodugh double chocolate muffins! Both are a a nice sourdough spin on classic muffins and they are well loved here at Kneaded That!
The batter comes together quickly in just one bowl, making it perfect for weekend baking or an easy weekday treat. The high-temperature start helps create those beautiful, tall bakery-style muffin domes.
Whether you serve them warm with butter or enjoy them the next day with coffee, these muffins are simple, cozy, and yummy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A perfect use for sourdough discard. The discard adds tenderness and depth of flavor.
- Soft, fluffy crumb. Buttermilk and oil keep the muffins moist and light.
- Bursting with blueberries. Each muffin is packed with juicy berries.
- Simple one-bowl batter. No mixer required.
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Best Seasons, Holidays, and Occasions
These muffins are perfect for spring and summer baking, when blueberries are at their sweetest and most abundant. Fresh berries create incredibly juicy muffins that taste bright and vibrant.
They’re also wonderful for weekend brunches and slow mornings at home. A warm blueberry muffin with coffee or tea is one of those simple pleasures that never gets old.
These muffins also make a lovely addition to Mother’s Day brunch spreads or casual spring gatherings. Their bakery-style domes and sparkling sugar tops make them feel a little extra special without requiring much effort.
Because they freeze well and hold their texture beautifully, they’re also great for meal prep breakfasts or quick snacks throughout the week.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Neutral oil
- Sourdough discard
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon zest
- Blueberries
- Coarse sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Sourdough discard
Discard adds moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the muffins. It also helps create a soft, tender crumb.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk makes the muffins extra fluffy and moist while adding a slight tang that pairs beautifully with blueberries.
Butter and oil
Using both butter and oil gives the muffins the best texture. Butter adds flavor while oil keeps the muffins soft for days.
Lemon zest
Lemon zest brightens the flavor of the muffins and enhances the blueberries. It’s optional but highly recommended.
Blueberries
Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well in this recipe. Frozen berries can be used straight from the freezer.
Four-Step Overview
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Mix the batter
Whisk the wet ingredients together, then gently mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 2: Fold in the blueberries
Add the blueberries and fold them into the batter with a gentle hand.
Step 3: Fill the muffin tin
Fill each muffin cup all the way to the top and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Step 4: Bake until tall and golden
Start baking at high heat to create domed tops, then finish baking until the muffins are golden and crackly.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix ¾ cup milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Sourdough Discard: If you don’t keep sourdough starter, replace the discard with an equal amount of plain yogurt or additional buttermilk.
- Butter: Melted coconut oil or additional neutral oil can be used in place of the butter.
- Oil: Any neutral oil such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil will work.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work well in this recipe. If using frozen, add them directly to the batter without thawing.
Variations
- Mixed Berry Muffins: Replace some of the blueberries with raspberries or blackberries for a mixed berry version.
- Blueberry Lemon Muffins: Increase the lemon zest to the zest of two lemons and add a simple lemon glaze after baking.
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins: Swap the coarse sugar topping for a buttery brown sugar streusel.
- Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the batter for a subtle warm spice flavor.
Equipment
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm slightly before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze muffins in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
Audrey's Tip
Start with a hot oven for tall muffin domes.
Beginning the bake at a higher temperature helps the muffins rise quickly and creates those beautiful bakery-style domed tops. Lowering the temperature after a few minutes allows the centers to finish baking without overbrowning.
Yes. Frozen blueberries work well and can be added directly to the batter without thawing.
If your berries sink, try tossing them in a small spoonful of flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay in place in the liquid batter. Smaller blueberries such as wild blueberries are also good at staying high in the muffin.
I also like to top the uncooked muffins with a few extra blueberries before baking to make sure the blueberries are visible.
The initial high heat helps the muffins rise quickly and creates tall bakery-style tops.
Related
Looking for other muffin recipes like this? Try these:
Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Sourdough Blueberry Muffin Batter
- 240 g all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 113 g unsalted butter melted (½ cup)
- 120 g sourdough discard ½ cup
- 180 g milk ¾ cup
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 200 g blueberries 1½ cups, fresh or frozen
Optional Crumb Topping
- 60 g all-purpose flour ½ cup
- 100 g brown sugar ½ cup
- 42 g melted butter 3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Prep the oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl whisk melted butter, sourdough discard, milk, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine batter: Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined.
- Fold in blueberries: Toss blueberries with a teaspoon of flour and gently fold them into the batter.
- Fill muffin cups: Divide batter between 12 muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.
- Add crumb topping (optional): Mix crumb topping ingredients and sprinkle over muffins.
- Bake: Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake another 15 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Do not open the oven during the temperature change.
- Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
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