My sourdough double chocolate muffins are the kind of treat you make when you want something rich, comforting, and still incredibly simple to pull together. They use sourdough discard for extra moisture and depth, giving you a soft, chocolate-packed muffin without any extra effort.
These muffins are perfect for busy mornings, after-school snacks, or whenever you need a quick chocolate fix that feels homemade. They stay tender for days, making them a reliable, make-ahead option for your weekly routine.
With two kinds of chocolate, cocoa powder and melty chocolate chunks, each bite feels warm, cozy, and just indulgent enough. Whether you enjoy them with coffee, pack them in lunchboxes, or bring them to a get-together, they always disappear fast.
Sourdough chocolate muffins are great on cold winter mornings when you want something warm and comforting without much effort. They’re just as perfect on snow days when the kids are home and you need a simple treat that still feels fun.
They work well in school lunches because they stay soft for days and hold up nicely in lunchboxes. These muffins also make an easy after-school snack when hungry kids walk through the door looking for something sweet.
They fit naturally into brunch spreads, baby showers, and casual coffee dates because they’re familiar, homemade, and always welcome. Whenever you bring them to a gathering, they tend to disappear quickly because people enjoy a chocolatey bite that isn’t too heavy.
Sourdough chocolate muffins are also a solid choice for road trips and weekend getaways, staying soft and sturdy enough to pack without crumbling. They pair perfectly with a quiet morning coffee on a cabin porch or a simple weekend breakfast.
And during the holidays, they work especially well for Christmas morning when you want something festive without a lot of prep. They add a cozy, homemade touch to the table that makes the morning feel a little more special.
If you liked these sourdough chocolate muffins, you might also enjoy some of my other chocolatey and sourdough-friendly bakes. Try my sourdough banana bread muffins, or chocolate chunk banana muffins for more cozy, easy, family-friendly recipes.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients so that it is quick and easy to make any day you are craving them.
- Vegetable oil (can use melted coconut oil)
- Sugar
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Sourdough discard
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate chips
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You can easily whip these muffins up with one to two mixing bowls.
- Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. (oil, sugar, milk, eggs, sour cream, sourdough discard, vanilla extract)
- Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder)
- Step 3: Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Step 4: Divide the batter into a 12-muffin pan. Bake at 425F for 5 mins then 350F for 12-15 (thick batter, fill to the top)
Hint: Want even taller muffins? Chill the batter covered overnight for 8-12 hours. This will ferment your dough and also help it rise more! Be sure to add the baking soda and baking powder after chilling and before baking though!
Substitutions
Some of the listed ingredients do not work for you? Here are a few of my tried and true substitutes!
- Milk: Use high-fat non-dairy milk if you don't want to use dairy! I highly recommend Oatly oat milk (full fat or regular would be ideal).
- Butter: Use a non-dairy butter like Country Crock's plant butter. A neutral oil (like coconut oil) would work well here too!
Variations
- Extra crunch - Add chopped walnuts or pecans to give these an extra crunch!
- Espresso - Add 2-3 tablespoons of instant espresso to the batter with the dry ingredients.
- Berries - Add ½ a cup of chopped berries, such as strawberries to the batter. Toss in flour before mixing them in to prevent sinking.
See this sourdough discard lemon muffins recipe!
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- 12-muffin pan
- Muffin liners (or just butter the pan)
- Kitchen Scale (optional but HIGHLY recommended)
- Batter scoop (optional - you can use a spoon)
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Audrey's tip
Don't over-mix your batter! Over-mixing can lead to flat, sad muffins that don't rise.
FAQ
Yes! I do recommend using a weighted scale here especially to make sure you are adding the right amount (100g) of sourdough to the mix. Active starter has more air in it so 1 cup of it will inevitably weigh less than 1 cup of unfed discard.
Yes! See my "substitutions" section for my recommended non-dairy ingredients.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sourdough Double Chocolate Muffins
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- A whisk
- A spatula
- A 3-tablespoon cookie scoop
- A 12-muffin pan
- Muffin liners (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour 240g
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs room temp
- ¾ cup sour cream 185g
- ½ cup vegetable oil 120ml
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sourdough discard 100g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F and prepare a 12-muffin pan with muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. (oil, sugar, milk, eggs, sour cream, sourdough discard, vanilla extract)
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the large mixing bowl containing the wet ingredients. Whisk until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, divide the muffin batter through the prepared 12-muffin pan. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes and 350F for 12-15 minutes or until the muffins are domed and slightly firm to the touch. When changing the temperature of the oven, do not open the door.
Meaghan says
Wonderful recipe! They came out perfect. I cannot overstate how amazing these muffins are! The espresso powder is absolutely a must for a rich, decadent chocolate taste.
Audrey says
So happy you enjoyed them! I love adding espresso to my chocolate muffins, too!
Karisa says
Absolutely DELICIOUS! Exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
So glad you liked it!
Brelin says
I am LOSING MY MIND over these!!! I did a quick Pinterest search for something I could make with my discard tonight with ingredients I already had so I didn't have to throw my discard away. (iykyk) Holy cow, these muffins are everything to me. I made a few adjustments just based off of what I had handy... I have to eat gluten free, so my sourdough starter is gf. I used the same measurements in this recipe though for my discard and it was perfection. I also used King Arthur's Measure for Measure GF Flour instead of regular flour, but 2 cups was perfect for that too. I didn't have sour cream, so I used plain greek yogurt. And I was just curious how it would taste, so I used 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 of coconut sugar. Taste buds are exploding. Seriously, thank you for this recipe! My family loved it!!
Audrey says
Brelin! Thank you so much! You made my day. I'm glad your family loved the recipe!!
Stephanie says
These are my favorite muffins! I've made them 3 or 4 times and I always cold ferment them overnight. They freeze well and satisfy my chocolate cravings.