Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins (Soft & Tangy)
These lemon poppy seed sourdough discard muffins are soft, lemony, and slightly tangy from the discard. Sourdough discard isn't just for bread, and these sourdough discard poppy seed muffins prove it. They make a great breakfast or snack, and they're quick, simple, and very satisfying when you're looking to use up discard. Bake them the same day, or start part of the batter the night before for an overnight sourdough version.
Plus, the optional glaze adds a touch of that extra dessert feeling without being overly sweet. Usually, when I'm making these as a snack or breakfast, I leave the glaze out, but when I make them as dessert muffins, a glaze is a must.
If you're looking for the "autumn" version of a delicious muffin, look no further than my spiced pumpkin and zucchini muffins. And if you'd rather have chocolate chips AND sourdough discard in a muffin, check out my chocolate chip banana muffins made with discard or my double chocolate zucchini muffins with sourdough!
Quick Look
- The muffins: Soft lemon poppy seed muffins with a gentle tang from sourdough discard.
- Starter: 120 g unfed sourdough discard. For the overnight version, use discard that's still active enough to ferment.
- Method: A quick same-day muffin batter with baking powder and baking soda, or an optional overnight ferment.
- Hands-on time: About 15 minutes.
- Plan ahead: Nothing for the quick version. For the overnight version, mix the flour, discard, and water 8-12 hours ahead.
- Baking: 375°F (190°C) for 18-22 minutes.
- Yield: 12 muffins.
- How I serve them: Without the glaze for breakfast or a snack, and with the lemon glaze for dessert.
Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
- Recipe Timeline
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Which Grains Can I Use?
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
- Other Delicious Recipes
- Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
- Other Sourdough Discard Muffin Recipes You'll Love
- Mixed German Rye Bread (Mischbrot)
- German Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust (Easy Käsekuchen)
- Milling Your Own Flour: A Simple Beginner's Guide
Important Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The base of our muffins, giving them structure and a soft, tender crumb.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tang from the sourdough and lemon.
- Poppy seeds: Provide a crunch and nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with lemon.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Help the muffins rise and stay fluffy, since we're using discard and not an active starter.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors.
- Lemon zest: Adds bright citrusy notes that make these muffins fresh and flavorful.
- Greek yogurt: Makes the muffins moist and adds a little creaminess.
- Sourdough discard: Brings a subtle tang and helps use up leftovers from your starter.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the batter and helps create that soft texture. Full fat is my preference. In the overnight version, water replaces the milk.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and buttery flavor.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add structure to the muffins.
- Lemon juice: The taste of lemons pairs beautifully with the zest and poppy seeds.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, sweet aroma to balance the tangy flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Citrus: Try orange zest and juice for a different citrus taste.
- Add a Crunch: Sprinkle raw sugar on top for a textured crust if you don't have time for the glaze.
- Dairy-Free: Substitute Greek yogurt and milk with non-dairy alternatives like almond yogurt and oat milk.
- Sweetener Options: Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
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How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a muffin tin by greasing or lining it with paper liners.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: Greek yogurt, milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Add the sourdough discard last and mix just until combined.
Step 4: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full.
Step 6: Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Optional Glaze: While the muffins cool, make the glaze by whisking ½ to ¾ cup powdered sugar with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or lemon juice as needed. Glaze the Muffins: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled muffins for an extra pop of sweetness and citrusy flavor.
Hint: Don't skip the lemon zest - it's responsible for the bright citrus flavor that makes these muffins so good and balanced. If you love lemon in your discard bakes, my lemon blueberry discard quick bread is another easy one to try.
Hint: I've recently started baking my muffins in these Lodge cast iron muffin pans (affiliate link), and I really think they're a gem. A regular muffin tin with paper liners works just fine, too.
Recipe Timeline
OPTION 1: Same-Day Variation (Quick Muffins)
- 9:00 a.m.: Preheat the oven and mix the batter.
- 9:15 a.m.: Fill the muffin tin and bake for 18-22 minutes.
- 9:40 a.m.: Cool, then glaze if you like.
OPTION 2: Overnight Variation (Long-Fermented)
- 9:00 p.m.: Mix 200 g flour, 120 g sourdough discard (preferably still active enough to ferment), and 120 g water. The water replaces the 120 g milk, so you're not adding extra liquid. Leave out the eggs, yogurt, and other dairy for now. Cover and leave at room temperature.
- 7:00 a.m. (8-12 hours later): Once the mixture shows signs of fermentation, mix in the remaining ingredients. Add the baking powder and baking soda at the very end.
- 7:15 a.m.: Divide into the muffin cups and bake right away at 375°F (190°C) for 18-22 minutes.
This version uses water instead of milk so the mixture can safely sit out overnight. It lets all the flour in the recipe go through an overnight sourdough ferment, but that doesn't guarantee the fermentation is chemically complete. The times are just an example, so shift them to fit your day.
💭Crucial Success Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: This helps everything blend smoothly, especially the melted butter and eggs.
- Use fresh poppy seeds: Old poppy seeds can taste bitter, so check the date on your package.
- Fold gently: Stop as soon as you can't see dry flour. Overmixing is a common reason muffins turn out dense or gummy.
- Don't overbake: Start checking with a toothpick at 18 minutes. Pulling them out on time keeps them moist.
Which Grains Can I Use?
These muffins are made with all-purpose flour. If you mill your own flour, fresh-milled soft white wheat and einkorn are the two grains I recommend for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour: The original recipe uses 200 g.
- Fresh-milled soft white wheat: Swap it 1:1 by weight (200 g) and mill it as finely as you can. Mix the batter without the baking powder and baking soda, let the flour hydrate for about 15-20 minutes, then fold them in. If the batter seems unusually thick, add about 15-30 g extra milk, a little at a time.
- Fresh-milled einkorn: Swap it 1:1 by weight (200 g), milled as finely as you can. Start with the original amount of liquid, since einkorn may not need any extra. Mix gently and don't overmix.
Fresh-milled muffins may have a slightly heartier texture than ones made with white flour, but they're still soft and moist. Making the overnight version? You can skip the separate hydration rest, because the flour has already soaked overnight.
Baking with freshly milled flour? My guide to fresh-milled vs. store-bought flour explains what changes and what to watch for. And if you'd like a muffin written for einkorn from the start, try my einkorn muffins with banana and apple.
Recipe FAQs
For whole grain muffins, I recommend fresh-milled soft white wheat or einkorn. Swap it 1:1 by weight for the 200 g all-purpose flour and mill it as finely as possible. Let soft white wheat hydrate for 15-20 minutes before adding the baking powder and soda, and add 15-30 g extra milk if the batter is unusually thick. Einkorn usually needs no extra liquid. Just mix it gently.
Sourdough discard adds a unique taste and some moisture, but you can substitute with equal parts Greek yogurt if needed.
Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin - if it comes out clean, they're ready!
The most common causes are overmixing the batter or taking the muffins out of the oven too early. Fold the dry ingredients in gently, just until no dry flour shows, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. It's also worth checking that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh, since they do the lifting here.
Yes. In the quick version, the baking powder and baking soda make the muffins rise, so the discard is there for flavor and moisture. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, so let it sit out for a bit if you can. For the overnight version, use discard that's still active enough to ferment.
Don't overbake them. Start checking at 18 minutes. The Greek yogurt and discard help keep the crumb moist, and once the muffins have cooled, store them in an airtight container.
How To Store Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, or warm them briefly in the oven. If you like them glazed, add the glaze after they've thawed.
Other Delicious Recipes
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Banana Apple Muffins
- Apple Millet and Farmer's Cheese Bake
- The Simplest Apple Millet Bake
- Fresh Milled Chocolate Banana Bread
If you tried these Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Discard Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 150 grams sugar
- 120 grams Greek yogurt
- 120 grams milk full fat is my preference
- 120 grams sourdough starter discard
- 60 grams unsalted butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 30 grams lemon juice
- 20 grams poppy seeds
- 8 grams baking powder
- 5 grams vanilla extract
- 4 grams baking soda
- 2 grams salt
- Lemon zest from about 2 lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease or line your muffin tin and set it aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the sourdough discard last, and gently mix just until combined
- Fold Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Gently fold until just combined-don't overmix!
- Fill the Muffin Tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake: Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Glaze: While the muffins cool, make the glaze by whisking ½ to ¾ cup powdered sugar with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or lemon juice as needed. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled muffins for an extra pop of sweetness and citrusy flavor.
Notes
- Don't skip the lemon zest-it's responsible for the bright citrus flavor that makes these muffins so good and balanced.
- Use room temperature ingredients: This helps everything blend smoothly, especially the melted butter and eggs.
- Use fresh poppy seeds: Old poppy seeds can taste bitter, so check the date on your package.
- Overnight (long-fermented) option: The night before, mix 200 g flour, 120 g sourdough discard (preferably still active enough to ferment) and 120 g water. The water replaces the 120 g milk, so don't add extra liquid. Leave out the eggs, yogurt and other dairy. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 8-12 hours, until it shows signs of fermentation. In the morning, mix in the remaining ingredients, adding the baking powder and baking soda last. Divide into the muffin cups and bake right away at the same temperature and time.
- Fresh-milled flour: Swap the 200 g all-purpose flour 1:1 by weight with finely milled fresh soft white wheat or einkorn. For soft white wheat, let the batter rest 15-20 minutes before adding the baking powder and baking soda, and add 15-30 g extra milk, a little at a time, if it's unusually thick. For einkorn, start with the original liquid and mix gently. The overnight version needs no extra hydration rest.
