These sourdough discard pumpkin muffins are a quick and easy treat to make. They’re perfect for using sourdough discard and sourdough bakers will appreciate the tang that the discard gives these muffins!

I’m a huge pumpkin spice fan. I actually love to make pumpkin baked goods all year round. I made a batch of these pumpkin muffins recently and gifted some extras to my neighbors and I was surprised to know that I’m not the only one (at least the only one in my neighborhood) who likes pumpkin any time of year!
These sourdough discard pumpkin muffins are a slightly sweet muffin that go great with hot coffee or tea. My kids loved eating them for breakfast!
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👩🏻🍳 Ingredients needed
To make these muffins, you will need:
- Flour: The base of the muffin batter.
- Brown sugar: To sweeten the muffins. This recipe uses all brown sugar which I think helps bring out the pumpkin flavor.
- Baking soda: To help the muffins rise.
- Salt: You’ll need just ½ of a teaspoon of salt.
- Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: To give the muffins some spice.
- Canned pumpkin: Be sure to use canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. If you want to use an entire can of pumpkin, simply double the recipe.
- Sourdough discard: You’ll need ½ of a cup of unfed sourdough discard.
- Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: If you can, I recommend using pure vanilla extract.
- Milk: I used regular milk, I haven’t tested this recipe with almond or coconut milk. If you do try a milk alternative, please leave a comment and let me know how it turns out.
- Vegetable oil: You can also use safflower oil or another neutral oil.
⏲️ How to make these muffins
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger).
Next, add in the wet ingredients (pumpkin, vanilla extract, eggs, milk, oil, and sourdough starter).
Mix with a hand mixer until everything is well combined. Pour into a lined cupcake tin about ⅔ full. Be careful not overfill or the muffins will spill over while baking.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
🧾 Tips
- If you have an entire can of pumpkin to use, you can double the recipe.
- Baking times can vary oven to oven so I recommend checking the muffins around 16 minutes.
♨️ Variations
You can add some chocolate chips or nuts into these muffins. About one cup of either works great with this recipe.
Other sourdough recipes that you might like:
If you tried this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins or any other recipe on my site, please leave a ⭐ rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I would love to hear from you!
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
- ½ cup sourdough starter unfed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil or other neutral oil such as safflower oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger).2 cups all purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger
- Next, add in the wet ingredients (pumpkin, vanilla extract, eggs, milk, oil, and sourdough starter).1 cup canned pumpkin, ½ cup sourdough starter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup milk
- Mix with a hand mixer until everything is well combined.
- Pour into a lined cupcake tin about ⅔ full. Be careful not overfill or the muffins will spill over while baking.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
Kate
This is an amazing recipe! I think these muffins were the best I have ever made! I used 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour & 1 cup all purpose flour, plus my starter is a whole wheat starter. And then I also subbed oatmilk for the milk. And they turned out so good. Usually when I make even partially whole wheat muffins, they’re a bit dense or dry. These were perfect and soft. This will definitely be a recipe I keep around! Thank you!! 🙂
Audrey
So glad you liked it!!