Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins

These sourdough morning glory muffins make a delicious breakfast or snack. They are soft and filled with the flavors of apples, carrots, raisins, orange zest, shredded coconut, and walnuts. You've got to give this easy sourdough discard recipe a try!

 

Morning glory muffins are soft, slightly sweetened breakfast muffins that Chef Pam McKinstry created and served at the Morning Glory Cafe in 1978.

These muffins are not too sweet or dense. Cinnamon and a touch of ginger add a nice spiced flavor.

We've taken our spin on the original recipe by incorporating sourdough discard into the mix.

This is another delicious recipe to use your sourdough to discard instead of throwing it away!

This recipe makes 12 big muffins that can be enjoyed immediately or frozen later.

Step-by-step instructions

These sourdough morning glory muffins can be baked immediately or fermented overnight in the fridge before baking to get the most out of your sourdough starter.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners or grease generously to prevent sticking.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the add-ins, in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. 

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (If the batter is too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to help thin it down.)

5. Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffins. (At this point, you can bake immediately or allow the batter to ferment in the fridge overnight and bake the next day. See note below.)

6. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Turn the oven down to 350°F (176°C) and bake an additional 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

7. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Substitutions

• All-purpose flour: For added nutrition, feel free to use any ancient grain or whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Because these types of flour absorb more water, you will need to add extra liquid to the batter. After mixing, if the batter is too thick, add a small amount of water, a little at a time, until it comes to the right consistency.
• Raisins: Any dried fruit can be used in place of raisins. Dried cranberries, blueberries, or currants will work well with this recipe.
• Walnuts: Pecans, sunflower seeds,and pumpkin seeds are other good choices for morning glory muffins.
• Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream.
• Butter: A neutral-flavored oil, such as avocado oil or melted coconut oil, can be used in place of butter.

Tips for Success

• Check the expiration date on your baking soda and baking powder. These are ingredients that lose their strength over time and cause baking failures. Replace them every 6-12 months.
• Don't over-mix the batter once you've added the flour. Over-mixing at this phase can cause the muffins to be tough. Stir in the dry ingredients until "just" combined and no dry bits are in the bowl.
• Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter into the muffin tin liners for less mess!
• Don't have a kitchen scale to measure flour? Use the scoop and level technique to measure your flour.
  • To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag. Use the spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is heaped on top. Take a butterknife and level off the top. This should give you the most accurate measurement for flour.
  • Because flour is measured by weight in our recipes, if the flour is scooped straight out of the bag with the measuring cup, there will be more flour than called for in the recipe.