Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

If you love a muffin with a high dome, a tender crumb, and a sweet berry bite, this sourdough discard recipe is for you! These Sourdough Blueberry Muffins are bursting with blueberries, whip up quickly and have a rich, buttery flavor, all because of the brown sugar and sour cream.

The best part is that you can bake them the same day or ferment the batter overnight in the fridge and bake it the next morning. Just like my Sourdough Blueberry Buckle or Blueberry Scones, they’re a perfect weekend treat, but they work just as well for a quick weekday breakfast.

Quick Look: Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rest Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: ~340 kcal per muffin
Cook Method: Baked
Flavor Profile: Tender and buttery with juicy blueberries, a rich brown sugar crumble topping, and a subtle tang from sourdough discard. Perfect for breakfast or a weekend treat!
Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix with no special equipment needed, and ready in under an hour!

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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Better than bakery-style muffins: This sourdough muffin recipe gives you incredibly moist muffins that beat bakery muffins every time. The crumb topping packs a crunchy punch that makes every bite worth savoring. Unsalted butter keeps the muffins tender and moist, while sourdough discard adds a tangy flavor and some health benefits regular muffins miss. If you love bakery-style treats, you’ll also enjoy my Sourdough Discard Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls.
Same-day (quick) or long-fermented (overnight) recipe: You can whip up these amazing muffins quickly today or let the batter chill overnight for even richer flavor. Using leftover sourdough starter or discard keeps the muffins moist and full of taste. The easy, step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below make it simple to nail this sourdough blueberry muffin recipe. Once you’ve mastered this one, you’ll want to try my 100% Sourdough Blueberry Bagels or my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels for a quicker option!
Bursting with blueberries: I coated the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking, so they stay evenly distributed in every muffin. Fresh berries pop in every bite and make these delicious muffins an easy favorite for breakfast or an afternoon snack. The whole family gets that natural blueberry flavor every time. For more berry goodness, try my Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia and Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

ingredients for making sourdough blueberry muffins

Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this easy recipe.
Sugar: The combo of white and brown sugar makes for a slightly denser muffin, but it’s incredibly moist with a slight caramel-like flavor.
Sourdough discard: For sweeter recipes like these sourdough muffins, I prefer to use 1 to 2-day-old discard. You can use active sourdough starter, too, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
Sour cream: It keeps the muffins tender and super moist. You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt if needed.
Unsalted butter: I tested this recipe with 75 g (⅓ cup) of avocado oil versus 113 grams (½ cup) of butter, and I loved the flavor and texture of the muffins made with butter more! They were more tender, less gummy, and stayed just as moist! If you are using salted butter, reduce the salt in this recipe by 1 gram (¼ teaspoon).
Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this muffin recipe. If you are using frozen, do not thaw them first. They will likely bleed into the batter, turning it slightly purple. If you plan to long ferment this dough, I wouldn’t recommend using frozen blueberries, as they will thaw and release extra juices into the batter. You won’t get those juicy bursts of blueberry flavor unless you stick with fresh, sweet blueberries!

How to Make the Best Blueberry Muffins

The first thing to do when making this sourdough blueberry muffin recipe is to preheat the oven to 425°F. Then, line a 12-well muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the sugars, melted butter, eggs, sour cream, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth.

In a separate bowl, coat the blueberries in a little flour. This helps prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. Set aside.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until there are just a few streaks of flour left. Add in the blueberries and fold them into the thick batter. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

Long Fermentation Tip

To long ferment this muffin batter, cover and place in the fridge to cold-ferment overnight, then bake as usual the following morning.

In the meantime, prepare the crumble topping. In a bowl, add the sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Then pour in the melted butter and mix until small pea-sized pieces form.

blueberry muffins batter placed in a muffin liner

Once the batter has rested, scoop about 100 grams (5 tablespoons) into each muffin liner. The muffin tins will be full. Top with a few more blueberries and the crumble.

Bake for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Keep the muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing them to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

McKenna’s Helpful Tips

Don’t overmix the batter: When combining your wet ingredients and dry ingredients, mix with a wooden spoon just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can lead to tough, dense muffins instead of the light, fluffy texture I’m after. This same rule applies when making my sourdough apple cake.
Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure your eggs, sour cream, and active sourdough starter or discard are at room temperature before you start. This helps the muffin batter come together smoothly and ensures an even bake with the best results. I use this trick for all my baking, including my sourdough discard cinnamon rolls.
Coat your berries in flour: Tossing your blueberries in a little flour before folding them into the batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin tins. You’ll get perfect bursts of juicy blueberries in every single bite! This works whether you use fresh blueberries or frozen berries.
Swap in other mix-ins: This base recipe works beautifully with chocolate chips, lemon zest, or even coconut sugar instead of white sugar. If you love experimenting with sourdough muffins, check out my sourdough apple muffins for another fun variation.

How to Store

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Rewarm in a microwave or oven as needed.

Freezing’s simple too. Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then drop them into a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight or reheat in the microwave.

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins FAQs

Can you use frozen berries for this Sourdough Blueberry Muffins recipe?

Yes, you can absolutely use frozen blueberries, just don’t thaw them first or they’ll release too much juice. Some of that juice might bleed into the batter and give it a slight purple or grayish tint, but it won’t affect the flavor. If you plan to chill the batter overnight, use fresh berries to keep the muffins from getting soggy. If you have extra frozen berries on hand, you can also use them in my sourdough mixed berry cobbler.

Can I use avocado oil instead of butter in these Sourdough Blueberry Muffins?

You can, but expect a slightly different texture. I tested both, and while avocado oil kept the muffins moist, the butter version had a more tender crumb and richer flavor. If you’re going dairy-free, avocado oil works, but if you want the best texture, stick with unsalted butter.

Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard in these Sourdough Blueberry Muffins?

Yes! You can swap in an equal amount of active sourdough starter (by weight in grams) for the discard. The muffins may rise a touch more and have a slightly milder tang, but they’ll still turn out beautifully. I use active starter interchangeably with discard in many of my sourdough recipes, including my sourdough pancakes.

Can I use whole wheat flour in this Sourdough Blueberry Muffins recipe?

You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a slightly nuttier flavor and denser crumb. I wouldn’t recommend going 100% whole wheat, as it can make the muffins too heavy. If you enjoy baking with whole wheat, you’ll love my soft whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread which uses a blend of flours for the perfect texture.

More Sourdough Muffins Recipes

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins {Active Starter or Discard}

Sourdough Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe (Discard)

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Muffins Recipe

If you tried this Sourdough Blueberry 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!

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins Recipe

By McKenna Pulda

Yield: muffins

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Rest Time: 15

Total Time: 50

If you love a muffin with a high dome, a tender crumb, and a sweet berry bite, this sourdough discard recipe is for you! These sourdough blueberry muffins are bursting with blueberries, whip up quickly and have a rich, buttery flavor, all because of the brown sugar and sour cream.

5 from 9 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

190 grams all-purpose flour about 1 1/4 cups + 1 1/2 teaspoons
150 grams sugar 3/4 cup
50 grams light brown sugar 1/4 cup
8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
113 grams unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup
120 grams sour cream, room temperature 1/2 cup
110 grams eggs 2 large eggs
120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/2 cup
8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
300 grams fresh blueberries about 1 3/4 cups
10 grams all-purpose flour heaping teaspoon

Crumble Topping

50 grams sugar 1/4 cup
55 grams light brown sugar 1/4 cup
70 grams all-purpose flour 1/2 cup
57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
1 gram cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon
pinch of salt

Instructions

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, then line a 12-well muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.
Skip this step until the following day, if you plan to long-ferment the muffin batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
190 grams all-purpose flour, 8 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt
In another bowl, whisk together the sugars, melted butter, eggs, room temperature sour cream, room temperature sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth.
150 grams sugar, 50 grams light brown sugar, 113 grams unsalted butter, melted, 120 grams sour cream, room temperature, 110 grams eggs, 120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 8 grams vanilla extract
Save a few of the blueberries to top the muffin batter just before baking. Then, in a separate bowl, coat the remaining blueberries with some flour. This helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. Set aside.
300 grams fresh blueberries, 10 grams all-purpose flour
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until there are just a few streaks of flour left. With a rubber spatula, fold the floured blueberries into the thick muffin batter. Leave the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Long Ferment: To long ferment this muffin batter, cover and place in the fridge to cold-ferment overnight, then bake as normal the following morning.

Crumble Topping

In the meantime, prepare the crumble topping. To a bowl, add the sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until combined. Then pour in the melted butter and mix until small pea-sized pieces form.
50 grams sugar, 55 grams light brown sugar, 70 grams all-purpose flour, 1 gram cinnamon, pinch of salt, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted

Bake

Once the batter has rested, scoop about 100 grams (5 Tablespoons) into each muffin liner. The muffin tins will be full. This creates the most perfect muffin tops. Top each with a few of the saved blueberries from before and a generous amount of the crumble.
Bake for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 13-15 minutes more or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
Keep the muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients & Substitutions

- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this easy recipe.

- Sugar: The combo of white and brown sugar makes for a slightly denser muffin, but it’s incredibly moist with a slight caramel-like flavor.

- Sourdough discard: For sweeter recipes like these sourdough muffins, I prefer to use 1 to 2-day-old discard. You can use active sourdough starter, too, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.

- Sour cream: It keeps the muffins tender and super moist. You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt if needed.

- Unsalted butter: I tested this recipe with 75 g (⅓ cup) of avocado oil versus 113 grams (½ cup) of butter, and I loved the flavor and texture of the muffins made with butter more! They were more tender, less gummy, and stayed just as moist! If you are using salted butter, reduce the salt in this recipe by 1 gram (¼ teaspoon).

- Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this muffin recipe. If you are using frozen, do not thaw them first. They will likely bleed into the batter, turning it slightly purple. If you plan to long ferment this dough, I wouldn’t recommend using frozen blueberries, as they will thaw and release extra juices into the batter. You won’t get those juicy bursts of blueberry flavor unless you stick with fresh, sweet blueberries!

FAQ

Can I use avocado oil instead of butter?

Yes, you can. I tested both, and while avocado oil kept the muffins moist, the butter version had a more tender crumb and richer flavor. If you’re going dairy-free, avocado oil works, but if you want the best texture, stick with butter.

Can you use frozen blueberries?