Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Spice up your breakfast with a batch of super soft and tender sourdough pumpkin muffins. The batter comes together in minutes, and the muffins rise tall and golden with sparkling cinnamon-sugar tops. A short how-to video is included in the original recipe for reference.

Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins

These sourdough pumpkin muffins are perfect for bakers who want to use up sourdough discard or work with an active starter. They deliver moist, tender crumb and a rich pumpkin flavor balanced by warm spices. The batter is mixed by hand—no mixer required—and an ice-cream scoop or spoon makes portioning quick and easy. Topping the muffins with a simple cinnamon-sugar before baking gives them a pretty, bakery-style finish.

What to Expect From This Recipe

• Appearance: Tall, domed muffin tops when divided into 10 liners rather than 12. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar before baking produces a golden, slightly crunchy top.
• Texture: Soft, moist, and tender inside with a delicate crumb—no dry or crumbly muffins.
• Taste: Pronounced pumpkin flavor with warm pumpkin spice and a subtle depth from the sourdough discard.
• Ease: Quick to prepare and forgiving. No stand mixer needed. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then fold gently until just combined.

Tip: If you prefer to use an active sourdough starter, stir it down first so the volume measures match the recipe. Using a kitchen scale for the starter and other ingredients helps with consistency.

Table of Contents

• Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins
• What to Expect From This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Sourdough Recipes to Try
• Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins Recipe (card)

Ingredients

Simple pantry staples and pumpkin puree are all you need. Below are notes on a few ingredients to avoid confusion.

• Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Pumpkin pie spice: A blend of warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. If you don’t have a blend ready, use a combination of these spices to taste.
• Sourdough discard: The unfed portion you remove before refreshing your starter. If using active starter, stir it down before measuring.
• Sugars: This recipe uses both granulated and light brown sugar for balance. Dark brown will work in a pinch and will yield a slightly richer flavor.
• Cinnamon sugar topping: A small mix of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon gives the muffins a pleasant sparkle and extra crunch.

For the full ingredient list and exact measurements see the recipe card below.

How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

1. Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. Whisk pumpkin puree, sourdough discard (or stirred-down starter), melted butter, granulated and brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk again.

2. Step 2: Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry mix into the wet ingredients with a spatula—stop when just combined to avoid overworking the batter.

3. Step 3: Portion and top. Divide the batter among 10 lined muffin cups for tall domes (or 12 if you prefer smaller muffins). Mix a tablespoon of granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the tops before baking.

4. Step 4: Bake and cool. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 17–19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins rest in the tin for about 7 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Sam’s tip: Portioning into 10 liners yields taller, bakery-style muffins. If you choose 12 liners, reduce the baking time by a minute or two and expect slightly smaller tops.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sourdough Recipes to Try:

Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Sourdough Pie Crust

Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies

Sourdough Cheddar Jalapeño Bread

Enjoy these muffins warm or at room temperature. They pair wonderfully with coffee or tea for a cozy breakfast or snack.

Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Super soft, tender pumpkin muffins made with sourdough discard (or stirred-down active starter). Ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 17 mins

Total: 27 mins

Servings: 10 muffins

Equipment

• Muffin tin
• Mixing bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree
• ½ cup (110 g) sourdough discard
• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon table salt

For topping:

• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
4. In a separate medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the 10 liners. For the topping, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over each muffin.
7. Bake on the center rack for 17–19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
8. Let muffins cool in the tin for about 7 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Storing:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze cooled muffins wrapped individually for up to 3 months.

Nutrition (per muffin)

Calories: 240 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 10 g

Nutrition information is an approximation.