Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling—seriously, don’t get them mixed up)
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard (you can use active starter if you want an even tangier flavor!)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature is better for baking)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (oil makes them lighter; butter adds richness—your call)
- 1/4 cup milk (whole milk, almond milk, oat milk—it’s all good)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar (white, brown, or a mix of both for depth of flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or your own blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit (why not go wild?)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (you don’t want to skip this; baked goods need the right starting temp). Either line your muffin tin with paper liners or give it a light coat of nonstick spray.
- Mix your dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. This step matters; no one wants random clumps of cinnamon ruining their muffins.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin purée, sourdough starter discard, eggs, oil (or melted butter), milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth—it might smell a little tangy from the sourdough, and that’s totally normal.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Gently fold everything together with a spatula. Don’t overmix; a few lumps are okay and keep the muffins tender. (Overmixing leads to dense muffins—nobody wants that.)
- Add your favorite extras: If you’re going for chocolate chips or nuts, this is the time to stir them in. Be careful not to overdo it—half a cup total works like a charm.
- Fill the muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly. Each cup should be about 3/4 full. These muffins rise nicely, so don’t overfill. (Cleaning an overflowed muffin pan? No thanks.)
- Bake: Pop the tray into your preheated oven and bake for about 18–22 minutes. You can stick a toothpick in the center to check—if it comes out clean (or with just a crumb or two), they’re done.
- Cool and enjoy: Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. I highly recommend eating one while it’s still warm, though. Trust me, fresh-baked muffins at peak pumpkin-y glory are life-changing.
Notes
- Muffin tin (12-cup capacity)
- Paper liners or nonstick spray
- A mixing bowl (or two—you’ll want one for wet and one for dry ingredients)
- Whisk or fork
- Spatula (or wooden spoon if you’re old-school)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack (optional but super helpful)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 180-220
- Sugar: 12-15g
- Sodium: 150-200mg
- Fat: 6-8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 30-35g
- Fiber: 1-2g
- Protein: 3-4g
- Cholesterol: 20-30mg
Keywords: Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins