Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Muffins (Printable)

Tangy muffins with fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and a crunchy streusel topping, perfect for a tasty breakfast or snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - Zest of 1 large lemon
07 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
10 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Streusel Topping

13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, milk, oil or melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold blueberries carefully into the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
07 - In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle streusel evenly over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean and tops are golden brown.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that makes people ask what your secret is, and you get to smile mysteriously.
  • Blueberries burst in your mouth while the streusel gives you that satisfying crunch, like two textures conspiring to make breakfast feel fancy.
  • You're actually using something you'd normally throw away, which feels like kitchen magic and thriftiness at the same time.
02 -
  • Don't thaw frozen blueberries; the ice crystals actually keep them from breaking down and bleeding into your batter, which sounds counterintuitive until you taste the difference.
  • Room temperature eggs and milk mix into the batter more smoothly than cold ones, eliminating those frustrating lumps of sourdough that refuse to blend.
  • Overmixing is real, and it turns these muffins dense and tough instead of tender; mix until the flour just disappears, then walk away.
  • The streusel topping works best when the butter is genuinely cold; warm butter creates a paste instead of crumbs, and nobody wants a paste muffin top.
03 -
  • Add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to the wet ingredients if you want the lemon flavor to feel louder and more prominent throughout.
  • Make a double batch of streusel topping and store it in the freezer in an airtight container; you can then sprinkle it on future muffins, cakes, or even coffee cake without the fuss.
  • If your sourdough discard is very thick and sluggy, whisk it for a minute to loosen it slightly before adding to the wet ingredients.
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