1. 1. Prepare Your Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it thoroughly. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.

2. 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps, especially in the brown sugar.

3. 3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, melted and cooled butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth.

4. 4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine and will result in tender muffins. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.

5. 5. Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. You can use an ice cream scoop for easy and consistent portioning. Fill each cup about two-thirds full.

6. 6. Bake Until Golden: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.

7. 7. Cool Before Serving: Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and prevents them from getting soggy.