Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

These sourdough blueberry muffins are made with sourdough discard and fresh-milled soft wheat for an extra-tender whole wheat crumb, with lots of juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor.

Tender, lemony, and packed with juicy blueberries, these sourdough blueberry muffins are made with sourdough discard and fresh-milled soft wheat for a fluffy, whole wheat crumb and a naturally crispy lid.

Starting the morning with a scoop of fermented grains in your muffin batter is one my favorite things (that, and generous amounts of coffee). But these muffins also make an easy, healthy snack to grab on the go. And if you’re craving something more indulgent, a teaspoon of raw cane sugar before baking gives each muffin a bakery-style crunchy lid that’s hard to resist.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

In my book, these are the perfect breakfast muffins: soft, bright and riddled with juicy berries. They’re just sweet enough to satisfy an early sweet tooth but wholesome enough, with sourdough discard and fresh-milled flour, to leave you feeling energized, not overindulged.

Fresh-milled soft wheat keeps the crumb tender and fluffy, while the sourdough discard and raw cane sugar in the batter give the perfectly domed lids a crunchy, cookie-like texture. They’re quick to stir together and bake up fast (in other words easy enough to pull off before coffee).

If you’re not a sweet breakfast person and want a more cake-like snack to enjoy on-the-go, a simple hack is to add an extra sprinkle of raw cane sugar for that crunchy lid.

Lemon and cinnamon is such a classic combo, but it’s often underrated. Just a touch of cinnamon rounds out the lemon’s brightness and adds depth of flavor. Your taste buds won’t even realize it’s there, so trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Why You Should Bake Muffins with Soft Wheat

Not all wheat behaves the same in baking. For muffins, cakes, and other tender bakes, the type of wheat matters just as much as how finely it’s milled.

In North America, most whole wheat flour is made from hard wheat. Its higher protein content forms stronger gluten bonds, which is ideal for bread but it’s also why whole wheat muffins and cakes can sometimes turn out tight, gummy, or overly dense.

Soft wheat behaves differently. It forms a weaker gluten network, which is exactly what you want for muffins. The result is a softer crumb and a lighter, more tender texture. In the U.S., this type of flour is often sold as whole wheat pastry flour.

If you’re baking in Europe and wondering what all the fuss is about, you’re very likely already using soft wheat. Most European wheat (whether milled at home or bought as commercial flour) is naturally suited to tender bakes like muffins and cakes.

If the flour (or grain) in your kitchen is simply labeled “wheat” and you’re unsure what type it is, here’s a practical way to think about it: In some countries, cake recipes traditionally stress folding flour in gently to avoid a tight crumb. That kind of guidance developed around harder, more gluten-forming wheat. In others, cake batters are commonly mixed without much concern, because the wheat itself stays tender. If the latter sounds familiar, chances are soft wheat has always been the default where you bake.

Tools You May Need

• Standard 12-Mold Muffin Pan
  I like to line mine with paper liners for easy removal and clean-up.
• Kitchen Scales (or Measuring Cups)
  Your kitchen, your call. Scales are more precise, but cups work well enough for muffins.
• Whisk & Spatula
• Medium & Large Bowl
  You can make this recipe in one large bowl if needed. Mixing the dry ingredients first is designed to distribute the baking powder and soda more evenly, but it won’t break the recipe if you skip this step.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Fresh-Milled Flour
Mill soft white wheat berries for a super tender muffin crumb with no signs of denseness or gumminess. If you’re not milling at home (yet), whole wheat pastry flour is the closest match in the U.S. In Europe, any whole wheat flour can be used in place of fresh-milled soft wheat.

Raw Cane Sugar
I prefer a finely granulated raw cane sugar for crunchier muffin tops, but granulated white sugar or coconut sugar work too. For an extra-crunchy sugar lid, sprinkle a little coarse raw sugar on each muffin before baking.

Lemon
We’ll use both zest and juice, so choose organic if possible.

Sourdough Discard
For the mildest tang, use fresh discard less than 24 hours old, or active bubbly starter. For a more noticeable tang, use discard from your fridge. Avoid overly sour discard or reset it first.

Blueberries
Fresh or frozen both work. Frozen berries may leave a few purple streaks in the batter.
If added to the batter frozen, add 5-ish minutes to the baking time.

How to Make Blueberry Sourdough Muffins (Step-by-Step)

Step 01

Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease each mold with softened butter. In a medium bowl, stir together fresh-milled flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix until well distributed.

Step 02

Melt butter in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk in sugar, salt, cinnamon, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the eggs and whisk again until fully combined. Whisk in sourdough discard until completely smooth.

Step 03

Gently fold in dry ingredients until there are only a few small streaks of flour visible. The batter will be very thick, like a cookie dough. Add berries and fold carefully until combined.

Step 04

Divide between prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each with ½-1 teaspoon raw cane sugar (optional).
Heat oven to 175°C (375°F) and let the muffins rest in the pan in the meantime.

Step 05

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out (mostly) clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, invert on a cooling rack and then cool to room temperature.