Go Back
A stack of freshly baked apple crumb muffins drizzled with sweet glaze, next to green apples.

Sourdough Discard Apple Fritter Muffins

Turn your unfed sourdough discard into a delightful treat with these apple fritter-inspired muffins. Tender, spiced apple chunks are baked into fluffy muffins, then drizzled with a sweet vanilla glaze for a perfect breakfast or snack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Filling
  • 2 medium apples e.g., Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji; peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Muffins
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 cup sourdough discard unfed, 100% hydration, straight from the fridge
  • 1/2 cup milk whole or 2%
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk any kind
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Standard 12-cup muffin tin
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Wire Rack

Method
 

Prepare for Baking
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it thoroughly.
Prepare Apple Filling
  1. In a small bowl, combine the diced apples, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir well to coat the apples evenly. Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Mix Wet Ingredients
  1. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the large egg, sourdough discard, 1/2 cup milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), and 1 tsp vanilla extract until well combined.
Combine and Bake
  1. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  2. Gently fold in the prepared apple filling into the batter.
  3. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
  4. Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown.
  5. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare and Glaze
  1. Once the muffins are completely cool, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and drizzle-able. Add more milk if the glaze is too thick, or more powdered sugar if it's too thin.
  2. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled muffins. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

For best results, use sourdough discard that is unfed and straight from the fridge. The longer it's been in the fridge, the more sour it might be, which adds a lovely tang to the muffins. You can use any firm apple variety you prefer. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For a little extra crunch, sprinkle some chopped walnuts or pecans on top of the batter before baking.