Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Soft pumpkin muffins filled with cinnamon and warm autumn spice, with the option to add walnuts, chocolate chips, or a little of both.

This recipe works beautifully with cold, unfed discard straight from the refrigerator or fresh discard sitting on the counter. The discard adds moisture and a little depth of flavour, while the baking soda and baking powder give the muffins their rise.

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

• 1¾ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ cup melted butter or neutral oil
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ½ cup sourdough discard
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Up to ¼ cup milk, if needed

Optional Add Ins

Choose one, or combine them:

• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• ¾ cup chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup chopped walnuts plus ⅓ cup chocolate chips

A few extra walnuts or chocolate chips can be scattered over the muffins before baking.

Make the Batter

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

In a larger bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together. Add the eggs, pumpkin purée, sourdough discard and vanilla. Whisk until everything is well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Fold gently, just until no dry streaks remain.

The batter should be thick but easy to spoon. If it feels unusually stiff, stir in the milk, one tablespoon at a time. The amount needed will depend on the consistency of your discard and pumpkin.

Fold in the walnuts, chocolate chips, or both.

Bake the Muffins

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be almost full.

Scatter a few extra walnuts or chocolate chips over the tops, if desired.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.

A Little Something Extra

Before baking, sprinkle the tops with a little coarse sugar for a lightly crisp finish.

For another autumn variation, replace the chocolate chips with chopped dried cranberries, or add a spoonful of pumpkin seeds along with the walnuts.