Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
This is the BEST sourdough chocolate chip muffin recipe with leftover sourdough starter discard. The muffins are quick, easy to make, and packed with decadent, melty chocolate chips.
Moist, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, they’re just like the ones from the bakery!
Just like our crowd-favorites double chocolate sourdough muffins and sourdough blueberry muffins, these delicious muffins are made with sourdough discard and a handful of wholesome, simple ingredients.
These muffins are perfect for breakfast, a midday pick-me-up, or even a decadent dessert. They hit the spot anytime.
This recipe yields 16 generously sized, bakery-style muffins that are sure to impress!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a classic choice, but you can also use milk, dark, or white chocolate chips.
- Oil: We love avocado oil for its neutral flavor, but you can swap it with melted butter or coconut oil (make sure the coconut oil is melted, not solid, for smooth mixing). Vegetable oil also works if that's what you have on hand.
- Sour cream: Sour cream is our favorite for a tender crumb, but full-fat plain Greek yogurt is an easy substitute.
- Milk: We use whole milk to thin the batter, but skim or plant-based milk will do.
- Sourdough Starter: This recipe uses ½ cup of unfed sourdough starter, making it perfect for your discard. If your starter is active, that works, too—you will still need to use baking soda and baking powder for the muffins to rise.
- Flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for the best texture; avoid whole wheat or bread flour.
- Eggs, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Salt: The eggs give the muffins structure, while the baking soda and baking powder ensure they rise beautifully—a pinch of salt ties all the flavors together.
- Add-ins: Toss in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch.
How to make sourdough chocolate chip muffins
Preliminary Note: This recipe yields about 16 muffins. Since most muffin pans have 12 wells, you can use two or bake 12 muffins first, then bake the remaining 4.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Line a muffin pan with paper muffin liners.
Step 1
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Use a whisk to combine the oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and sourdough starter discard. Mix until the ingredients come together and are smooth.
Step 3
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix the batter until it just comes together. Do not over-mix the batter.
Step 4
Fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula until they are evenly distributed in the batter.
Step 5
Use an ice cream scooper to fill the liners. The batter should come to the top of the liner for more oversized muffins.
Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each one.
Step 6
Bake the muffins for the first 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) in the preheated oven. Then, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C) and bake for 15-18 minutes.
Carmyn's Tips
Don’t overmix the batter: Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the muffins light and fluffy. Overmixing can make them dense.
Fold in chocolate chips gently: Use a spatula to fold the chocolate chips into the batter to avoid overworking it.
Fill muffin cups generously: For that classic domed top, fill the muffin cups almost to the top.
Add a chocolate chip topping: Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin before baking for a bakery-style finish.
Customize: Don’t be afraid to mix in extras like nuts, shredded coconut, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freeze: Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer-safe container to avoid freezer burn. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
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Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 ½ cups (355 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 g) avocado oil (any neutral-flavored oil, NOT olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter (fed or discard)
- ¾ cup (185 g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60 g) milk (whole, skim, or any plant-based milk)
- 2 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preliminary Note: We highly recommend measuring the ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. Please note that if you use measuring cups, the taste and texture may differ.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Line a muffin tin with paper liners (*see notes).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Use a whisk to combine the ½ cup (120 g) avocado oil, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 eggs, ¾ cup (185 g) sour cream, ¼ cup (60 g) milk, 1 tablespoon (15 g) vanilla extract, and ½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard. Mix until the ingredients come together and are smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix the batter until it just comes together. Do not over-mix the batter. Using a spatula, fold in 1 ½ cups (355 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Use an ice cream scooper to fill the liners. For bigger muffins, the batter should come to the top of the liner. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each one if you want even more chocolate flavor!
- Bake the muffins for the first 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) in the preheated oven. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C) and bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes. When they are done, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the muffin tin.
Just made these muffins. They are great! Very tender and tasty. I did not have avocado oil so I made them with olive oil. I really can't taste the olive oil.
I will definitely make these again.
Awesome and easy to make!
These were delicious! I was lazy and just filled 12 muffin cups all the way to the top and they turned out perfect. This was my first time using my sourdough starter for a different recipe and it didn't disappoint.
This recipe is fantastic! We are curious if we could add cocoa powder and make them double chocolate!
could yogurt be substituted for the sour cream?
Yes, we recommend a full fat yogurt which helps gives the muffins their tenderness.
These muffins were a fan favorite in my house. They were so soft and flavorful. I made them exactly the way your recipe called for. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!
currently baking! 👌 I had bananas I needed to use so subbed those for the oil, used whole white wheat flour(cause I don't use all purpose usually), subbed cottage cheese for sour cream, and measured in Grams! so hoping for a good muffin still we shall see 🤣👌
So far so good, I ended up making larger muffins in large silicon muffin molds, they turned out wonderfully, my children demolished them. All in all I baked them for about 30 mins due to them being larger. I also used half semi-sweet mini chips and then half milk chocolate chips.
Hi Megan, we're so thrilled to hear you loved the muffins!
They are delectable! And they've got such a strong sourdough tang that I'm always craving! Bookmarking this one to make again and again.
Hello! What is your recommended bake time for mini muffins? Thank you!
Hi Thanh, I would bake for 10-15 minutes and add more time if needed.
Oh my gosh, you guys! I originally made these muffins just for one of our daughters...she had friends over last night and loves chocolate chip pancakes, so I figured… why not? I just tried one, and WOW. They are SO, SO GOOD. Like, new favorite. Shame on me for not giving chocolate chips a second chance outside of cookies. I’m 100% saving this recipe because it’s seriously the best! I only had half a bag of mini chocolate chips, so I subbed in regular ones to make up the amount. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.
Thank you for sharing this, LSF!
Online oive oil is listed as a substitute for olive oil. Why not for this recipe?
Hi Virginia, olive oil has a very strong taste, and you will taste it in these nufffins.