Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins with Crumble Topping (Made with Discard!)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.
Are you looking for a delicious way to use up your sourdough discard? These sourdough pumpkin muffins are about to become your new favorite fall recipe!
They’re incredibly moist, packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor, and topped with a sweet, buttery crumble that makes them taste like they came from a fancy bakery. The best part? You can whip up a batch in just 35 minutes, and they’re perfect for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert.
If you’ve been feeding your sourdough starter and wondering what to do with all that extra discard, this pumpkin muffin recipe is your answer. The sourdough adds a subtle tangy flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and brown sugar. Plus, baking with sourdough discard means you’re reducing waste while creating something absolutely delicious!
What Makes These Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins Special
These aren’t your ordinary pumpkin muffins. The addition of sourdough discard gives them a unique depth of flavor that regular pumpkin muffins just can’t match. The tangy notes from the sourdough starter complement the warm spices beautifully, while the crumble topping adds a delightful crunch that contrasts with the soft, tender crumb inside.
The secret to getting those tall, bakery-style muffin tops is starting them at a high temperature (425°F) for the first 5 minutes, then lowering the heat to finish baking. This technique creates a beautiful dome and a slightly crispy top while keeping the inside perfectly moist.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
For the Muffins:
- All-purpose flour – This creates the perfect texture. Make sure to measure correctly by spooning flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Pumpkin puree – Use plain pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has added sugars and spices that will throw off the recipe.
- Sourdough discard – This is unfed starter from your jar. If you want even more rise, you can use an active sourdough starter instead.
- Pumpkin pie spice – You can buy this pre-made or make your own by mixing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves like we do.
- Oil – Vegetable, canola, or melted coconut oil all work great. Oil keeps these muffins extra moist.
- Both white and brown sugar – The brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper flavor.
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs for better mixing.
- Milk – Any milk works, including dairy-free options like almond or oat milk.
For the Crumble Topping:
- Melted butter – This binds the crumble together. You can use salted, unsalted butter, or dairy-free butter if needed.
- Flour and sugars – These create that perfect crumbly texture everyone loves.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
Making these sourdough discard pumpkin muffins is super easy, even if you’re new to baking! Here’s how to do it:
Prep Your Pan Preheat your oven to 425°F and line your muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe makes 24 muffins, so you’ll need two standard 12-cup muffin pans.
Mix the Dry Ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
Add eggs- Add Discard
- Add pumpkin
Combine the Wet Ingredients. In another bowl, mix the oil with both sugars until well combined. Add your eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Then stir in the sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until you have a smooth mixture.
- Fold in dry ingredients
- Mix until smooth
Bring It All Together: Add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Mix just until everything is combined – don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough!
Make the Crumble. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, and pumpkin spice for the topping. Pour in the melted butter and stir until it looks like coarse crumbs.
Fill and Top Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to fill your muffin cups. Top each one with 1-2 tablespoons of the crumble mixture.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I'd like to receive more tips and recipes from Hostess At Heart!
Bake to Perfection Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. This prevents soggy bottoms!
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, try these fun twists on your pumpkin sourdough muffins:
Chocolate Chip Version – Fold in ½ to ¾ cup of chocolate chips to the batter for a sweeter treat. The chocolate pairs wonderfully with pumpkin!
Nutty Pumpkin Muffins – Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for extra crunch and nutty flavor.
Cream Cheese Swirl – Mix 4 oz softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and swirl it into the batter before baking.
Maple Glaze – Drizzle cooled muffins with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Streusel Instead of Crumble – Make the topping chunkier by using cold butter instead of melted for bigger crumble pieces.
How to Store Your Pumpkin Muffins
These sourdough pumpkin muffins stay fresh and delicious when stored properly:
Room Temperature: Keep muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They’ll stay nice and moist!
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is great if your kitchen is warm.
Freezer: These muffins freeze beautifully! Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature for an hour or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed these pumpkin sourdough muffins, try these other sourdough discard recipes:
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chewy and delicious
- Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts – Another great way to use discard!
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls – An overnight recipe for an amazing breakfast treat
- Sourdough Pancakes – Perfect for weekend breakfasts
- Easy Sourdough Blueberry Muffins – A fruity alternative
- Sourdough Cheese Scones– A cheesy option
- Discard Coffee Cake – For coffee lovers
- Sourdough Pumpkin Bread – Great for slicing.
Ready to Bake?
These sourdough pumpkin muffins are calling your name! They’re the perfect way to use your sourdough discard while creating something your whole family will love. The combination of warm spices, tender crumb, and crunchy crumble topping makes these muffins absolutely irresistible.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a comment below and rate this recipe with 5 stars if you loved it. Your feedback helps other bakers and makes my day! Don’t forget to share a photo of your beautiful muffins on social media and tag @hostessatheart so I can see your creations!
Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
Crumble
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- ¼ cup salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
- Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each addition. I use a Danish dough whisk, but a hand mixer can also be used.
- Add the sourdough discard. Mix well.
- Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla and mix until you have a smooth, even batter.
- Add the flour mixture, alternating with milk. Mix until all ingredients are just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Set aside.
- Make the crumble. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, and pumpkin spice.
- Add the melted butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Use 1-2 tablespoons of the crumble to cover each pumpkin muffin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 °F for 20-22 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Add chocolate chips to the batter (½ to ¾ cups)
Chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts,…)
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
