Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

These sourdough pumpkin muffins are a cozy breakfast or snack for Fall. The pumpkin spice and vanilla notes are delicious!

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Having pumpkin baked goods in the house is a tradition for us around our homestead. After an entire year of waiting, my family gets so excited when we start using pumpkin again! Making use of the pumpkins we grow from the garden makes growing them all worth it! I typically bake a loaf of sourdough bread about everyday. I enjoy using my sourdough starter to experiment with other recipes as well!

Pumpkin baked goods like our homemade sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls or pumpkin quick bread all are a part of the regular rotation around our home. Pumpkin muffins are nice to make because they freeze well and can be pulled out when needed another day. Sometimes, I will top them with add ins like chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds!

In this recipe you can use a fed sourdough starter or sourdough discard, since it uses baking powder as well. That makes it really handy to not let anything go to waste!

How the sourdough changes the taste

The sourdough starter, while subtle and nearly undetectable in taste. But it does make the texture softer and more fluffy.

These do not taste like traditional sourdough bread. You may not even know that there is sourdough in them. The benefits of adding sourdough starter to these pumpkin muffins is that there is improved texture and health benefits, if they are long fermented.

Tools you’ll need to make sourdough pumpkin muffins

• Mixing bowl
• Muffin tin
• Cooling racks

Ingredients you’ll need to make sourdough pumpkin muffins

• 1⁄2 cup melted salted butter 
• 1 cup dark brown sugar 
• 1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1⁄2 cup sourdough starter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon clove
• butter (for greasing muffin tin)

for the crumb topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 oats 
• 2 tbs flour 
• 4 tbs softened butter 
• 1 tsp cinnamon

How to make sourdough pumpkin muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Lightly grease a muffin tin with butter.
3. In a stand mixer or bowl, mix melted butter and brown sugar until combined.
4. Add in eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and sourdough starter. 
5. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove well in a medium bowl. Be careful not to overmix!
6. In a small bowl, add softened butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon and mix until well combined with a fork.
7. Add equal amounts of batter to each muffin well.
8. Top each muffin with crumble.
9. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes and transfer to a baking rack.

Sourdough pumpkin muffins tips

• Grease your muffin pan well! Even if you are using a non-stick muffin tin, you should still grease the pan. I prefer to use butter since we always have it on hand. Alternatively you could use cupcake liners or cooking spray.
• Do not overmix the batter! This will make the muffins less tender!
• For a more sour flavor, use sourdough discard that hasn’t been fed in a day or allow to long ferment. For a less sour flavor, use an active sourdough starter.
• All ovens are slightly different so keep checking your muffins so they do not bake too long. They should be lightly golden brown around the edges.
• You can substitute the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove for pumpkin pie spice.
• Make sure not to overfill your muffins. The muffin cups should be about 2/3 full.
• This muffins have an oat crumb topping but you can play around with different toppings to adjust to your taste preferences. Here are some variations below!

Variations for pumpkin muffins

These pumpkin muffins are great all on their own. If you are wanting to add something extra, these are some ideas for delicious add-ins that go well with this recipe:

• Make a cream cheese frosting instead of the crump topping
• Top with pumpkin seeds
• Add chocolate chips
• Try walnuts
• drizzle a simple glaze made from milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla

Commonly asked questions 

Why are my pumpkin muffins so dense?

Only mix the ingredients until they are combined! Overtaxing can develop the gluten too much and lead to a dense or tough muffin.

Do pumpkin muffins need to be refrigerated?

No! Pumpkin muffins only need to be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will be good for up to 3 days stored this way. If you want the muffins to last longer, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in the freezer for later.

How do I freeze muffins?

To freeze pumpkin muffins simply label a freezer bag and put them into the freezer. They will last for up to three months in the freezer.

What is the difference between sourdough discard and starter?

Sourdough discard is the sourdough starter that you remove when you feed your starter. It is called discard because it is often “discarded” during your starter’s feeding. “Fed sourdough starter is sourdough starter that has been fed flour and water hours before, and is currently active or doubled in size at the time that it is used.

Are sourdough muffins good for you?

Sourdough muffins can be better for gut health than regular muffins. However, keep in mind that muffins still contain sugar and butter. Added sugar is not typically a part of a “healthy” diet, but is sure makes for a delicious treat!

You may also be interested in:

Sourdough pumpkin bread

Garlic Scape Sourdough Bread

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Rosemary Sourdough Bread

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