These Sourdough Apple Muffins are made with sourdough discard, grated apple, and unsweetened applesauce to create the softest, most tender, and moist muffins you'll ever taste.

Five sourdough apple muffins on a piece of parchment paper on a wooden counter.

Growing up in New England, I've always loved apples, especially in the fall. But when it came to baking with apples, I used to struggle.

Desserts like sourdough apple pie or apple crisp were no problem, but getting apples to work in muffins, cakes, and quick breads was a challenge. They always seemed to turn out dense and gummy - no thanks.

But as a sourdough recipe developer and blogger, I was determined to make this sourdough apple muffin recipe work. So, I decided to try grating the apples instead of dicing them. And it turned out beautifully!

The small bits of apple melt into the muffins and evenly distribute their moisture, leading to soft, perfectly textured muffins that won't dry out.

Today, I’m walking you through how to make the best sourdough apple muffins, including which ingredients to use, tips for success, and how to store them properly.

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Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

Sourdough Discard- This recipe was made with my 100% hydration whole wheat sourdough discard. You can also use active sourdough starter. New to sourdough? Check my guide on making sourdough starter from scratch.
Grated Apple- Peel the apple and grate it using a box grater for best results. Diced apple doesn't blend as nicely or distribute its moisture as evenly in the muffins.
All-Purpose Flour- For the most accurate results, weigh the flour or use the spoon and level method. You can swap up to ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour if you like.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda- Leavening agents to help the muffins rise.
Kosher Salt- Enhances the flavor of the muffins and balances the sweetness. If substituting for table salt, use half the amount.
Spices- A mix of cinnamon and ginger adds a warm, cozy flavor to these muffins.
Canola Oil- Keeps muffins moist and tender even after cooling. Substitute with any neutral oil of your choice.
Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar- Adds sweetness and moisture to the muffins.
Eggs- Binds ingredients together and provides structure to the muffins.
Unsweetened Applesauce- Adds moisture and a little sweetness, and reduces the need for extra oil.
Vanilla Extract- Enhances the overall flavor of the muffins with a subtle hint of vanilla.

🌱 Sustainability Tip: Make these muffins using locally grown apples to reduce transportation pollution. Additionally, making your own applesauce from scratch not only reduces packaging waste but also adds to the fun of cooking.

The ingredients to make sourdough apple muffins. Each ingredient is labeled with text. They include canola oil, spices, eggs, applesauce, salt, apple, sugar, baking soda, sourdough discard, baking powder, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour.

Tips for Success

Measure the flour accurately. I always recommend measuring flour by weight (grams) instead of by volume (cups) to avoid dry muffins. If you don't have a food scale, measure the flour by gently spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it.
Use grated apple. Grate the apple for these muffins instead of chopping it into chunks. Grated apple blends better into the muffin batter and distributes its moisture more evenly.
Don't overmix the batter. Fold the batter together until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins with large tunnels.
Keep an eye on the baking time. Start checking for doneness around the 15-minute mark and remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean to prevent them from drying out.

How to Make Sourdough Apple Muffins

Here is how to make these easy sourdough discard apple muffins.

Step 1: Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it with cooking oil to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Mix dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

Sourdough muffin dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 3: Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the canola oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until well combined. Incorporate the sourdough discard, applesauce, and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.

Sourdough muffin wet ingredients in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Gently fold in the grated apples until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Sourdough apple muffin batter in a glass bowl.

Step 5: Fill muffin wells. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups in the prepared tin.

Step 6: Bake the muffins. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool the muffins. Once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sourdough discard apple muffin batter in paper-lined muffin tin wells.

Baked sourdough apple muffins in a muffin tin.

How to Store

Store cooled apple muffins in an airtight container or plastic storage bag at room temperature for 2-3 days.

For longer storage, freeze muffins in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 3 months. To prevent them from sticking together in the freezer, flash-freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet before transferring them to a storage container.

A sourdough apple muffin split in half to show the texture.

Let's Connect!

Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].

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