High-Altitude Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins

6,000 ft altitude | Yield: 12 muffins | Bake: 17–21 minutes

Moist pumpkin muffins with warm spices, made with sourdough discard.

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

150 g sourdough discard

225 g pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 large eggs

100 g unsalted butter, melted

120 g brown sugar

50 g granulated sugar

60 g whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients

200 g all-purpose flour

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

Optional additions

- 100–125 g chocolate chips or chopped pecans

Optional cinnamon sugar topping

25 g turbinado sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Mix wet ingredients. Whisk together pumpkin, sourdough starter, eggs, melted butter, both sugars, milk, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

4. Combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.

5. Add mix-ins. Gently fold in chocolate chips or pecans, if using.

6. Fill muffin cups. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.

7. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 375°F.

8. Continue baking for 12–16 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

9. Cool. Leave muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

High-altitude baking notes

The initial 400°F heat helps create tall, bakery-style muffin tops.

Avoid overmixing, which can make the muffins dense.

Pumpkin keeps these muffins moist and tender.

You can use unfed sourdough discard directly from the refrigerator; the baking powder and baking soda provide the rise.

Total baking time: Approximately 17–21 minutes.