Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins Recipe - Lynn's Way of Life (2024)

Published: Aug 27, 2021 · Modified: Dec 18, 2023 by Lynn Polito · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Full of cozy Autumn flavors, these Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins are an easy, make ahead breakfast for a chilly, Fall morning. Moist and tender, serve them for breakfast with a big bowl of fruit, or have them as a snack to satisfy your mid day hunger!

Don't be afraid to bake with your extra sourdough starter. For the longest time I was throwing out the extra starter that I wasn't "feeding". What was I thinking?? Now I know how amazing it is in all baked goods! Sourdough Discard Banana Nut Muffins, Apple Streusel Sourdough Muffins, and Cranberry Orange Sourdough Muffins are some other yummy muffin recipes you should try!

Why You Should Make This Recipe

• It's a great way to use up your extra sourdough starter.
• These muffins are full of warm, Fall flavors like pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
• There's a whole can of pumpkin puree in these muffins! That's a lot of veggies your family will be eating in these muffins. Just like these mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, muffins are a great place to hide veggies in your recipes!

I like to make a batch of delicious muffins on a Sunday morning, let my kids have a few for breakfast, and then save the rest for them to eat during the week. Have these muffins with a piece of fruit for a delicious, and filling breakfast!

What is Sourdough Discard?

When you have a sourdough starter, you "discard" a portion of it and "feed" the rest so it becomes active and bubbly to use for baking. The portion that you aren't feeding is called the "discard". That portion is still great to bake with! Keep it in a mason jar in the refrigerator and use it to add texture and moistness to baked goods.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

• Sourdough Discard- a half cup is enough
• Pumpkin puree- one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
• Brown Sugar- to add sweetness
• Spices- I used cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, add allspice and nutmeg instead. Just a little of each.
• Eggs- to add structure and a little bit of fat to the muffins
• Butter- if you don't have butter, coconut oil would be a great substitute.

See printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

Step by step photos

How To Make Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins From Scratch

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.
3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, butter, sourdough starter, and pumpkin puree. Mix that well with a whisk until everything is fully combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. It's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter.
5. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners. For my kids, I like to use these silicone ones that are reusable. They are fantastic!
6. Mix together ¼ cup of brown sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the muffins evenly.
7. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and it comes out clean. If the cinnamon sugar topping gets a little too brown, place a piece of aluminum foil over the muffins.
8. Allow the muffins to cool slightly and serve.

Adding the topping is optional. If you don't want to add anymore sugar to these muffins, leave off the cinnamon sugar crust. They will still be delicious with a smear of butter!

Canned Pumpkin vs. Canned Pumpkin Pie

When purchasing canned pumpkin, make sure it's pure pumpkin. Canned pumpkin pie has the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sugar already in it. The extra spices in the canned pumpkin pie would overpower the muffins and make them too spice forward. Stick with pure canned pumpkin.

Do They Taste Like Sourdough?

They don't! These muffins don't have the long fermentation process that a loaf of bread would have, so they don't taste like sourdough at all.

I don't have sourdough starter, what can I use?

If you don't have sourdough starter, feel free to use sour cream or buttermilk instead. The sourdough starter adds a little bit of acid to the batter in order to activate the baking soda. Sour cream or buttermilk would do the same thing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins

More Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you give these Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins a try? I’d love to hear from you! Give me a shout onInstagramorFacebook and share this recipe onPinterest! And don't forget to check out some other drool worthy recipes below! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and enjoy these delicious recipes!

• Peanut Butter and Banana Oat Bars
• Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Nutella Zucchini Bread
• Broccoli Cheddar Quiche with Tortilla Crust
• Spinach and Feta Egg Cups
• Instant Pot Peach Jam
• Light and Crisp Sourdough Waffles

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn small commission from qualifying purchases, however this is at no cost to you.

📖 Recipe

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