Sourdough Cinnamon Muffins
Simple sourdough cinnamon muffins made with discard are the perfect fall breakfast. Topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar, they are easy to make and ready in 30 minutes.
Why you will love our sourdough cinnamon muffins recipe
- Sourdough cinnamon muffins are perfect for cold fall mornings. Brighten rainy fall mornings with a crunchy topping and warm cinnamon.
- They are super versatile. You can add your favorite inclusions, change the cinnamon ratio, or swap flours to create the perfect muffin recipe
- This recipe is great for meal prep. Make them in advance and freeze them to have a sweet breakfast ready to go.
Ingredient notes
Flour: All-purpose flour works best for this sourdough cinnamon muffin recipe. You don’t want to use bread flour because it contains more protein. You could use gluten-free flour, but we haven’t tried this ourselves.
Sourdough discard: To make this recipe, you only need the sourdough discard. This is great because you don’t have to feed your starter and wait for it to become active. If you don’t have one, you can buy one or make a sourdough starter from scratch in a few days.
Sugar: Sourdough cinnamon muffins have a rich, warm cinnamon flavor. Using brown sugar highlights the warmth that the cinnamon adds to the batter and adds a mild caramel flavor to your breakfast. You can use regular sugar instead, or use a combination of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of molasses. For the topping, use coarse sugar. This type of sugar won’t melt completely in the oven, creating a crunchy cinnamon topping.
Variations
Nuts and dried fruit: Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts to give your muffins a little crunch. You can also add dried fruits like raisins, figs, or cranberries!
Apple: Cinnamon and apple is one of our favorite flavor combinations. Add 1/2 cup of small apple cubes to the batter for a breakfast as good as apple pie.
Whole wheat: Replace half the flour with whole wheat flour and use a whole wheat sourdough starter to add extra nutrients and a mild, nutty flavor.
Different apices: we love cinnamon and nutmeg, but this is also a great recipe to make with speculaas spices or pumpkin spice. Use two tablespoons of your favorite spice mix instead of the nutmeg and cinnamon.
How to make sourdough cinnamon muffins
Always start by mixing the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls. This is important because you want to make sure everything is well distributed throughout the batter without having to mix for too long.
When you’re ready, pour the wet mixture into the flour and stir with a large spoon until combined. You don’t have to use a mixer for this step; it will only take a minute or so
Once your batter is ready, you can divide it over your liners. We always use a cookie scoop or two spoons to make sure all the muffins are the same size.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl and sprinkle a little bit on top of each muffin. Bake them in the center of the oven and let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.
Our tips for the best cinnamon sourdough muffins
- Don’t overwork the batter. If you overwork the batter, you’ll end up with dry, rubbery muffins. Stop mixing when everything is just combined.
- Use grams instead of cups. Measuring your ingredients on a kitchen scale will immediately improve your baking!
- Take the ingredients out of the fridge before you begin. Room-temperature ingredients make it much easier to incorporate them and create a smooth batter.
- Make your own muffin liners. Okay, you don’t have to do this, but making your own liners with parchment paper gives your muffins a rustic, bakery-style look.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Cover your bowl after mixing the batter and let it ferment in your fridge for 25-48 hours. Let it come to temperature before you begin for the best results.
I don’t see why not. We don’t rely on the starter as a leavening agent, but you could absolutely use a fed and active starter to make these sourdough cinnamon muffins.
Storage
Stored at room temperature, homemade sourdough cinnamon muffins will keep for three days. Wrap them in plastic wrap, put them in a bread bag to keep them fresh, and protect them from drying out. Don’t put them in the fridge because the cold will pull out too much moisture.
If you want to enjoy them later or majebthen as part of your meal prep routine, you can also freeze them. Frozen, they will last for up to six months. Let them thaw on the counter overnight, and you’ll have a delicious and quick breakfast to go.
More of our favorite sourdough muffin recipes
Sourdough Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients for the muffins in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl until you have a smooth mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and stir until just combined.
- Devote the batter over your lined muffin tin.
- In a small bowl, mix the coarse sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon sugar on top of each muffin.
- Place the muffins in the center of the oven and bake them for 22-25 minutes.
- Transfer the sourdough cinnamon muffins to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
