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.
Love these! I’ve made them many times now and love how tender and moist they turn out. I have a dairy allergy and replace the sour cream with unsweetened coconut yogurt and use dairy free chocolate chips. Turns out wonderful! I tend to make these muffins jumbo- I fill them almost all the way up and bake at 425 for 8 mins and 350 for 18 minutes. Beautiful and delicious results every time!
I made 48 Mini Muffins, baked them at 425 for the first five minutes and at 350 for another 8-10 minutes.
Kids loved them!
Loved these muffins! How would the recipe be adjusted to add pumpkin?
Hi Heather, this recipe is coming soon! Stay tuned.
Absolutely delicious! I made them with coconut oil. Texture is fluffy with a slightly crisp muffin top!
these are so amazing! my first time baking with sourdough and turned out so good!
How long do I bake these as mini muffin size?
Hi Sierra, I would try 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then 350 for 8 minutes and then check them.
Wow! This muffin recipe is so good! I made a double batch and put some in the freezer. They thaw so nice and stay moist for so much longer then a regular non sourdough muffin. This recipe has graduated from my recipe book to my recipe tin because its a keeper! I cant wait til it gets cold enough so I can try all the other muffin recipes!
I LOVE these muffins!!! They are the best muffin recipe I have found PERIOD!! I make them almost every other week and these are my go-do discard recipe for my sourdough starter~ I brought them to my family for Easter this year and now they don't let me show up to family functions without them~!!
I was wondering - If I wanted to make them into mini muffins, how would I best change the time? I know we bake at 425 then transition to 350, would I still do this? Or would it be different because they would be smaller?
I have been making these almost every 10 days. My sons love them and so do I. I actually cut the sugar by half - I feel like we don’t need it and they are still so yummy.
these were so delicious! Can I substitute honey for the sugar and how much do you think? I don’t like that there is so much sugar in these muffins, but love that I can substitute Greek yogurt for protein for my kids.
Hi Kristy, yes that should be fine. I would cut it by at least a third though, since honey and maple syrup are much sweeter though.