Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Muffins (Print version)

Moist muffins featuring blueberry bursts, fresh lemon zest, and a crumb topping, made with sourdough discard for texture.

# Required ingredients:

→ Muffins

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
09 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Zest of 1 large lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Crumb Topping

15 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar
17 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - Pinch of salt
19 - Zest of 1/2 lemon

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sourdough discard, milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Gently fold blueberries into batter, preserving their integrity. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw beforehand.
06 - Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
07 - In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cold cubed butter, salt, and lemon zest. Use fingers or pastry cutter to blend until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
08 - Sprinkle crumb topping generously over each filled muffin cup.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center emerges clean and tops are golden brown.
10 - Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard gives these muffins a subtle tanginess that elevates them beyond the typical sweet breakfast treat.
  • They stay moist for days, making them perfect for meal prep or unexpected guests.
  • The crumb topping adds a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the tender crumb inside.
02 -
  • Don't thaw frozen blueberries—I learned this the hard way when a batch turned purple-grey from weeping juices; frozen berries stay intact and create cleaner crumbs.
  • Sourdough discard strength varies wildly depending on how often you feed your starter, so if yours tastes particularly sour, you might reduce the lemon juice slightly to balance.
03 -
  • Keep your butter cold and work quickly with the crumb topping—warm hands will create a paste instead of crumbs, and you'll lose that textural contrast.
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it in half for juice; it's faster and you'll get more fragrant zest with less effort.
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