Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Muffins (Printable)

Tangy lemon and juicy blueberries meld in moist muffins topped with a flavorful crumb.

# Components:

→ Muffins

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
09 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Zest of 1 large lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
14 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Crumb Topping

15 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar
17 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
18 - Pinch of salt
19 - Zest of 1/2 lemon

# 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 all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, sourdough discard, milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
05 - Gently fold blueberries into the batter, preserving their shape.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
07 - In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cold cubed butter, salt, and lemon zest. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle crumb topping generously over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean and the tops are golden brown.
10 - Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That sourdough tang cuts through the sweetness in the most elegant way, making these feel less like dessert and more like a reason to get up early.
  • The crumb topping shatters when you bite down, giving you texture and richness without overcomplicating the batter.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the silent killer here; fold gently even if you feel like you're not mixing enough, because the dry ingredients will hydrate as the muffins bake and everything comes together perfectly.
  • Frozen blueberries are your friend because they stay whole and distributed throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom or bleeding purple everywhere.
03 -
  • Microplane your lemon zest and do it right over the dry ingredients so you don't lose any of those fragrant oils to the cutting board.
  • Keep your butter truly cold for the crumb topping by cubing it and even chilling it in the freezer for five minutes before working it in.
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