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Apr 25, 2016

Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffins

Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

These Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffins are perfect for bakers who keep a sourdough starter around for making bread.

One of the things about maintaining a sourdough starter is the requirement to discard some of it prior to feeding it. Unless you are a professional baker and make sourdough on a daily basis, you will have to eventually throw out a good portion of your starter when you double it with more flour and water. Otherwise, as anyone who is mathematically inclined and familiar with the term "exponential" will realize, the starter will eventually pretty much take over your house.


Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Fortunately, there are many ways to put the sourdough discard to good use, including waffles, pancakes, cakes, English muffins, crackers, and these muffins.

Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

These muffins are moist and tasty, and perfect for breakfast. The combination of the blueberries, cinnamon, and maple syrup, along with the crunchy cornmeal make them pretty tasty.

I used discard from my 100% (equal parts flour and water by weight) hydration sourdough starter and some extra large blueberries to make these muffins. If you don't have a sourdough starter, you can mix together a poolish of 4 ounces flour, 4 ounces water, and 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast, and let it sit covered for 24 hours, until bubbly.

After the recipe, check out what the rest of the #MuffinMonday bakers created.

Blueberry Cornmeal Sourdough Muffin Recipe

Makes 12 muffins, adapted from Sift, Spring 2016

Ingredients

1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup (4 7/8 ounces) yellow cornmeal
3/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (8 ounces) sourdough starter
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups (12 ounces) blueberries
Demerara sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degees F and line a 12 cavity muffin tin with paper liners. Spray the liners with spray oil. 
  2. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. In another bowl, combine the starter, milk, egg, oil, and syrup.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for about 20 seconds, until just combined. 
  5. Fold in the blueberries.
  6. Divide the batter among the 12 cavities of the muffin tin. 
  7. Sprinkle the tops with the demerara sugar. 
  8. Bake the muffins for about 25 minutes. 
  9. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. 
  10. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container. 



#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Here's what we made this month:
Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Would you like to comment?

  1. You know what, Karen, I knew you needed to feed a starter (I don't have one.) but it never occurred to me about what would happen if you were feeding it weekly without time to bake bread. It really would take over, wouldn't it? These muffins are the perfect answer! Beautiful, delicious and useful too.

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    1. I've got it down to a science Stacy, but I still have to toss out some of the starter, as much as it pains me!! Thanks so much.

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  2. I agree with Stacy - what a great way to deal with discarded starter! Also: YUM!

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    1. Thanks so much! I do my best not to throw out too much of it =)

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  3. What a fantastic way to use that starter - these look simply gorgeous!

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  4. I'm currently separated from my starter and have been itching to start a new one in the meantime. These muffins look so good bursting with blueberries! I know my mother would love these. As soon as I get my starter, I will make them.

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    1. Being separated from my starter would be painful!! =)

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  5. Wonderful idea Karen...you are one smart muffin er...cookie.

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  6. What a great idea! So imaginative. I have scheduled you for social media later today. Kelli!

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  7. Those are some great looking blueberry muffins. Gorgeous pictures. I've always wanted to try make a sourdough starter but the whole feeding/discarding thing sound so complicated. This is the first I've heard of putting the discarded portion to good use.

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    1. Thanks so much Vicky. I'm pretty neglectful of my starter and have managed to keep it alive for six years!

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  8. Karen,
    Requirement shmequirement.
    I am a renegade, I admit it. I mix fresh water and flour in with my starter, wait a few hours, then take some of it out. I can't really say I "discard" that part, since what I take out goes into my bread, but somewhere along the way I stopped removing starter *before* adding more water/flour and just mixed everything together. Can't say I really noticed much difference, actually, other than less of the PIA factor!
    Now, I am craving blueberry muffins and utterly willing to empty another bag from the freezer stash to make something. You're very inspiring.
    Thanks!

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    1. Thanks Kirsten! If you keep your basic level of your starter fairly small, you don't have to throw out much for sure. If you make it wish frozen blueberries, don't defrost them, and they will stay intact as you stir them in... but I'm sure you know that =)

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  9. I'm always looking for sourdough leftover usage, I hate the idea of just discarding it. I'll definitely try these lovely muffins.

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  10. These sound incredible, Karen! When I'm brave enough I'll have to try making them for myself. :)

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  11. I baked this muffin the other day when I got some organic blueberries.
    Very simple but delicious. It was the first time for me to know the difference between muffin and cupcake. I added this recipe to my favorite. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you Yuko! I'm so glad you liked this =)

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  12. Apologies if this posted twice. This is a solid recipe and a great way to use discard starter - thank you! I made a half batch and had to eyeball a lot of the measurements after the flour and starter because my 3 month old started crying. However, I aimed to reduce sugar (in my case honey) and fat by half because I prefer a leaner cornbread and usually reduce by that much with basic muffins. I also added half of a roasted jalapeno - this was great and next time I'll add a whole one for half batch. Will be making this again!

    Photo of effort: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/80853755795823145/activity/tried

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    1. Great photo! I love the idea of adding roasted jalapeño. Keep an eye out at the end of August I'll be posting another muffin with sourdough discard.

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