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Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Muffins

These sourdough discard chocolate chip muffins are soft, fluffy, and absolutely loaded with chocolate chips! A perfect way to use up extra sourdough discard, they bake up with tall, golden muffin tops and a tender, moist crumb.
Print Recipe
sourdough discard chocolate chip muffins
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (125g) sourdough discard (unfed or active, stirred down)
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil (or neutral oil of choice)
  • ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk (room temperature)
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Coarse sugar, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, melted butter, vegetable oil, milk, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix! The batter should be thick and scoopable, not pourable. Fold in the chocolate chips, saving about ¼ cup to sprinkle on top if you like extra chips on the tops.
  • Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray. Scoop the batter into each cup, filling them all the way to the top. (An ice cream scoop works perfectly for even portions.) Sprinkle coarse sugar on top for that bakery-style muffin top.
  • Place the muffins on the center oven rack and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 12 - 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs.
  • Let the muffins sit in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes after baking, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Storage: Keep your leftover sourdough chocolate chip muffins fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently to bring back that fresh-baked texture.
  • Sourdough Discard Tips: You can use active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard in this recipe. Both work great! This is a fun and delicious way to use up extra sourdough starter. I like to use discard that’s less than a few days old for muffins.
  • Mixing Tools: This recipe is easy enough to mix by hand with a large mixing bowl and a whisk, no stand mixer or hand mixer required.
  • Bakery-Style Muffins: Remember, the secret to tall, bakery-style muffins is that initial high oven temperature. Keeping the muffins in the center position of your oven and lowering the heat after 8 minutes guarantees those high-domed, sugar-crusted muffin tops every time.
  • If you love chocolate like me, you'll love my Double Chocolate Sourdough Muffins!
  • You can ferment the batter overnight by covering it with plastic wrap and letting it rest in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, you can scoop the batter straight from the fridge. Just keep in mind it might need a few extra minutes in the oven (at the lower baking temperature) since the batter will be cold.
Servings: 12 muffins