Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Discard)
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My Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are moist, fluffy, and bursting with pumpkin spice flavor and melty chocolate chips in every bite. Made with simple ingredients, canned pumpkin puree, and extra sourdough starter discard, they are the perfect baked goods for this time of year.
This pumpkin muffin recipe is a great way to use up extra sourdough starter and makes a great muffin for make-ahead breakfast or an afternoon snack. If you love sourdough pumpkin muffins, try my Sourdough Pumpkin Bread or my Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins for more fall-inspired sourdough discard muffins.
Quick Look: Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Servings: 24 muffins
- Calories: ~191 kcal per muffin (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Moist and warmly spiced with pumpkin, cinnamon, and melty mini chocolate chips throughout. The perfect cozy fall treat!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix with no special equipment needed, and ready in under 30 minutes!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
- Packed with fall flavors: Pure pumpkin puree mixed with aromatic cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, then loaded with milk chocolate chips for a delicious way to enjoy autumn in every bite. You can also swap in pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts for a nut-topped version.
- Quick and easy, no mixer needed: Forget a stand mixer or even a hand mixer. All you need is a large mixing bowl and a whisk. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in a medium bowl, combine, fold in the chocolate chips, and bake. Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Moist for days and freezer-friendly: Pumpkin puree and melted butter keep these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins moist and fluffy for days on end. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for future use. For another muffin that stays moist just as long, try my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- White Flour – I used all-purpose flour, but you can substitute half for white whole wheat flour.
- Sugar – I used white sugar for this recipe, but you can substitute half of the sugar for brown sugar for a more caramel undertone.
- Leaveners – Since we aren’t using an active sourdough starter, these sourdough discard muffins need a little help to rise. Adding baking soda and baking powder will do the trick!
- Eggs – It is best that the eggs are at room temperature for the ingredients to mix properly and for the batter to rise to that perfect dome shape.
- Unfed Sourdough Starter – Sourdough discard that is less than two weeks old is best for this sweet sourdough treat.
- Vanilla – I used vanilla extract, but use what you have.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor of the muffin. My favorite brand is Redmond Sea Salt.
- Unsalted Butter – Reduce the salt amount by 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter
- Canned Pumpkin Puree – Be sure to use an entire can of pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling.
- Chocolate Chips – I love using Mini Milk Chocolate Chips so each bite has a bit of chocolate, but regular semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work as well.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees f.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set to the side.
- In a medium bowl add the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and unfed sourdough starter. Whisk until the ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix the batter, as this can lead to dense Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Either spray the muffin tin with cooking spray or place cupcake liners in each spot. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin until about 3/4 way full.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps the ingredients combine properly and allows the batter to rise to that perfect dome shape. I follow the same approach for my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins.
- Use an entire can of pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugars and spices that will throw off the recipe. I also recommend canned pumpkin puree over homemade pumpkin puree for consistent moisture levels. For another recipe that uses pure pumpkin, try my Sourdough Pumpkin Bread.
- Do not over-mix the batter once the wet ingredients are added to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to avoid dense muffins. A few lumps are perfectly fine. I use the same gentle folding technique for my Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
- Use sourdough discard that is less than two weeks old for the best results in this sweet recipe. Fresh discard keeps the tang subtle and lets the pumpkin and cinnamon flavors shine. For another sourdough discard muffins recipe, try my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins.
- Spray your muffin liners lightly with nonstick spray before adding the batter to prevent sticking. Fill each muffin tin well about 3/4 full for the best rise. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.
How to Store
Store leftover Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
These muffins also freeze well! Once cool, slice them into a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for future use!
Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins FAQs
You can give this recipe a cold-proof step to let the sourdough discard work its magic. Just mix the batter up (excluding the leaveners, your baking soda and baking powder), cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight for about 8 to 12 hours. The next morning, whisk in the leaveners right before scooping into the muffin tin and bake as directed. That way you get the health benefits of fermentation and keep the quick and easy workflow. I use a similar overnight method for my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins.
You can use an active sourdough starter, just make sure you use the same amount in grams. However, you will still need the baking soda in order for the muffins to rise properly while they bake. The leaveners are essential for getting that fluffy texture in a quick bake like this.
You can place the muffin batter in the fridge overnight to long ferment. Just make sure that your baking powder is double acting so it activates again when the batter hits the heat of the oven. This gives you the health benefits of a longer fermentation while keeping the recipe simple. For another muffin with a long-ferment option, try my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins.
I have personally never tried this, but I would suggest sticking with canned pumpkin puree. The moisture between canned and homemade pumpkin puree can be slightly different, so I would use canned for consistent results.
If you tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
FULL RECIPE TUTORIAL
Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 200 grams white sugar 1 cup
- 10 grams baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
- 6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- 9 grams ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 150 grams eggs, room temperature about 3 large eggs
- 425 grams pure pumpkin puree, canned 15 ounces
- 113 grams unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup
- 260 grams sourdough discard heaping 1 cup
- 270 grams mini chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease or line with muffin liners a muffin tin. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set to the side.280 grams all-purpose flour, 200 grams white sugar, 10 grams baking soda, 8 grams baking powder, 6 grams salt, 9 grams ground cinnamon
- In a medium bowl add the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and sourdough discard. Whisk until the ingredients are combined and smooth.150 grams eggs, room temperature, 425 grams pure pumpkin puree, canned, 113 grams unsalted butter, melted, 260 grams sourdough discard
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix the batter, as this can lead to dense Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins.
- Finally, fold in the mini chocolate chips.270 grams mini chocolate chips
- Long Fermentation Tip: To long-ferment the batter, cover the batter and place it in the fridge overnight. The following day, pull the batter out and allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Or bake from cold, but you might need to add a minute or two to the bake time.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin until about 3/4 way full.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Feel free to omit the chocolate for a delicious sourdough pumpkin muffin or replace the chocolate with 1/2-3/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, oats, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans.
- The moisture between canned and homemade pumpkin can be slightly different, so I would stick with canned.
- Store leftover Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- These muffins also freeze well! Once cool, slice them into a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for future use!
These were a huge hit! What a great way to use discard. I doubled the batch and made half into jumbo muffins and the rest became mini muffins!
I’m so happy they were such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review, and happy baking!
Would love to try these with coconut sugar instead of white sugar.
I haven’t personally tested these with coconut sugar, but I think it would be worth experimenting with! You can generally substitute it 1:1 for granulated sugar. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I love these because they dont take long to make!
If I wanted the benefits of the fermentation/sourdough, how would I prepare this recipe to do a cold proof?
Great question! You absolutely can give this recipe a cold-proof step to let the sourdough discard work its magic. Just mix the batter up (excluding the leaveners — your baking powder and/or baking soda), cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight (about 8-12 hours). The next morning, whisk in the leaveners right before scooping into the muffin tin and bake as directed. That way you’ll get the fermentation benefits and keep the quick and easy workflow.
Hi! Any recommendations for omitting the added sugar? Thank you!!
Hi Kelsie! I have not tested the recipe without the sugar, so I am not 100% sure. Sorry! Wish I could be more helpful.
can i use a feed starter instead of discard and omit the baking soda
You can use active sourdough, just make sure you use the same amount in grams. However, you will still need the baking soda in order for it to rise while it bakes.
Perfect way to ring in fall flavors! So yummy! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Absolutely!
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
These are delicious! I did add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the recipe and used gluten free flour 1:1 and they turned out amazing!
Incredible! Thank you for sharing that gluten free flour works as well.
Sourdough semi-newbie here. How could I make these in a long ferment way?
Hi Ashley! You can place the muffin batter in the fridge overnight to long ferment! Just make sure that your baking powder is double acting.
Worked great with pumpkin pie filling and gluten free flour (a cup for cup substitute). I didn’t have any pumpkin pureee and was a little worried about making this work but it did! Since the pie filling is already sweetened. I only used 1/2 c sugar. Delicious and moist!
Yum! Thank you for sharing!
Love how moist these came out! I think next time I’ll add more cinnamon or some pumpkin spice to jazz them up a bit more. It was great to find a quick recipe to use my sourdough discard!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins! I can’t get enough of them, especially in the fall. Thanks for sharing!
These were good , fairly moist, maybe could have taken out 1 minute sooner. Definitely a keeper . I’m trying to be careful of the sugar so cut back a little.
These are a go-to during the fall. So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
I made this recipe with a leftover smoked sweet potato. They turned out close your eyes and softly moan good!
Smoked sweet potato? I have to try this!