Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Muffins (Printable)

Tangy lemon and blueberry muffins feature a tender crumb and sourdough-enhanced texture.

# What You Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup (125g) whole wheat flour
03 - 1 cup (200g) 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 (4 fl oz) vegetable oil or melted butter
09 - 1 cup (240g) sourdough discard, unfed
10 - 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Zest of 1 large lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 1/2 cups (225g) fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Crumb Topping

15 - 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
16 - 1/3 cup (65g) light brown sugar
17 - 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
18 - Pinch of salt
19 - Zest of 1/2 lemon

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, granulated 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 the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - Gently fold in blueberries, preserving their shape if using frozen berries.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared 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 your fingertips or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle the crumb topping generously over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are golden brown.
10 - Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Whole wheat flour sneaks in without making these feel heavy or wholesome-tasting in that boring way.
  • A buttery crumb topping transforms simple muffins into something you'd actually order at a cafe.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter creates tough, dense muffins that taste nothing like what you're imagining, so fold gently even when your brain says to mix thoroughly.
  • Using cold butter for the crumb topping and not softened butter changes the entire texture from mushy to genuinely crumbly.
  • Frozen blueberries are your secret weapon because they won't bleed purple throughout the batter or sink to the bottom.
03 -
  • Don't thaw frozen blueberries because they'll bleed color into your batter and sink to the bottom; frozen berries stay whole and distributed throughout.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly and create better texture, though honestly, cold eggs straight from the fridge won't ruin anything if you're in a hurry.
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