Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Muffins (Printable Version)

Tangy muffins with fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and a buttery streusel topping, ideal for breakfast or snack time.

# What You Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - Zest of 1 large lemon
07 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
10 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Streusel Topping

13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - Pinch of salt

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, milk, oil or melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Carefully fold blueberries into the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
07 - In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle streusel evenly over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and tops are golden brown.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally has a purpose beyond guilt.
  • One bowl cleanup instead of a kitchen explosion, and the results taste homemade-fancy without fussy techniques.
  • Fresh blueberries burst in your mouth, releasing little pockets of jammy flavor with every bite.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the batter once dry and wet meet, or you'll end up with tough muffins full of tunnels instead of a tender crumb.
  • Frozen blueberries won't turn the batter purple if you skip the thawing step and toss them in flour first, keeping the crumb a beautiful golden color.
  • Room temperature eggs and milk blend into the batter smoothly and help everything rise evenly.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester to get only the bright yellow part of the lemon skin, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together smoothly and create a more even, tender crumb than cold ingredients ever will.
  • Make the streusel topping while the muffin batter is resting so everything comes together in one flow, not rushed steps.
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