The BEST Sourdough Oatmeal Muffins

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that’s probably true. Unfortunately for my husband and I, we tend to skip the most important meal of the day. Neither of us are morning people, so the thought of waking up extra early to make a nice breakfast before work is difficult for us. Because of this, I started trying to find some easy grab-and-go breakfasts that I could make in advance. Naturally, muffins were one of the first things I set out to make, and so these sourdough oatmeal muffins were born!

Now, I must be honest. I wasn’t always a huge muffin fan. Unless they were loaded with chocolate chips, they just weren’t my thing. The muffins I had growing up were always bland and dry. They were like the wanna-be cupcakes but without the delicious frosting.

So, when I set out to find and perfect the perfect morning muffin recipe, I knew that it needed to be moist and packed full of flavor. And let me tell you, these muffins are the absolute best. I now make them on a near-weekly basis, and my husband, especially, just flies through them. Full of oats, chia seeds, and nuts, these sourdough oatmeal muffins will keep you full up until lunchtime comes around!

Not only are they delicious and filling, but they are also a great way to use up any extra sourdough discard you may have! I try to use my sourdough every day, so recipes that call for discard are always a favorite in my house!

Equipment & Tools

Measuring Cups/Spoons: For measuring out the ingredients, of course!

Mixing Bowl(s): You will need two or three bowls for this recipe, depending on if you like to wash bowls as you work or save all of the dishes for the end, like me!

Whisk: A whisk helps to break down large chunks of flour or sugar, as well as blend everything together quickly.

Muffin Tin(s): This recipe calls for a standard 12-cup muffin tin.

Liners: Liners are completely optional, but I both love how easy it is to take the muffins on the go without worrying about getting crumbs everywhere and how easy it is to clean the tin afterward. These single-use liners are my personal favorite since they make muffins and cupcakes look pretty cute. If you want a reusable option, my sister loves these silicone liners because they’re dishwasher safe and have a convenient tab to make removing them from the tin and muffin a breeze. Another perk is they’re sturdy enough that using a tin is optional, though she likes the extra security of the tin!

Cookie Scoop: This is optional but makes dispersing the batter into the liners/tin so much easier than using a spoon.

Ingredients Needed

Oats: I typically use old-fashioned oats when I make these sourdough oatmeal muffins, but you can use instant oats, as well, if that’s all you have on hand. Oats are a great morning food, as they are full of carbs and fiber to help you feel full, as well as many vitamins and minerals to help get your body ready to start the day! (Healthline)

Milk: Milk is needed to help thin out the batter. You can also substitute buttermilk if you have any on hand. If you make your own homemade butter, this is a great recipe to use up the buttermilk that is created!

Sourdough Starter: Sourdough is a fermented flour and water mixture, commonly used in bread in place of yeast. I love the subtle tangy flavor that it helps to give the muffins, and sourdough is full of great gut-friendly fiber and plant compounds, which can help serve as food for the microbes in your stomach, among many other benefits! (GoodFood)

Butter: Butter helps to give these muffins a richer flavor. Unsalted butter is preferred, but if all you have is salted, simply leave out the salt in this recipe. Consider making your own homemade butter for this recipe!

Brown Sugar: You can use granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar, but I have found that the molasses added into brown sugar really helps to deepen the flavor of these sourdough oatmeal muffins.

Egg: Eggs act as a binder in baking and help to give structure to the muffins.

Vanilla: One of my all-time favorite ingredients to use in baking. It helps to balance and enhance the other flavors you are using, such as the butter, sugar, and spices, as well as bringing its own subtle flavor into the muffins. You can even kick your muffins up a notch by making your very own homemade vanilla, instead!

All-Purpose Flour: Because I keep a sourdough starter, I typically have unbleached flour on hand, as the chemicals in bleached flour can damage the sourdough culture. However, for this recipe, you can use either bleached or unbleached flour, as we aren’t needing the sourdough to ferment the batter. If, however, you wanted to let it ferment overnight in the fridge, then you would want to stick with unbleached flour to be safe.

Baking Powder: Baking powder works as a leavening agent to help make these muffins rise during baking.

Baking Soda: Baking soda also helps to achieve the rise.

Salt: Salt helps to give structure to the muffins, as well as enhance their flavor.

Spices: These are essential in this recipe. If you want sourdough oatmeal muffins that are packed with flavor, you need to add some spices. I typically use cinnamon and nutmeg, but feel free to make these muffins your own with whatever spices you want!

Chia Seeds: Because these muffins are primarily for breakfast in my house, I like to add as much nutrition as I can. Chia seeds are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, so adding them to these muffins helps ensure that we start our mornings with as many nutrients as we can! (Healthline)

Walnuts: I’m a huge fan of nuts in muffins, both for the texture and the flavor. I use walnuts, but feel free to use whichever nuts are your favorite, such as pecans or pistachios!

Chocolate Chips: My family loves chocolate, so I always add chocolate chips to my muffins! I typically use a darker chocolate so that the muffins aren’t too sweet.

How to Make Sourdough Oatmeal Muffins

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.

Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, milk, sourdough starter, melted butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk it well to combine everything. Set aside for the oats to soak in the mixture.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chia seeds. Make sure that it is thoroughly combined without any clumps.

Mix Ingredients Together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well to combine. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Add to Muffin Tin: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. I’ve found that a cookie scoop works well. The batter should come to the top of the tins.

Mix the Topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Using a fork or your hands, mix the butter with the other ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the topping onto the batter.

Bake the Muffins: Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Store the Muffins: These muffins should be stored in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for up to one week, or you can freeze them for up to three months. Because they freeze so well, it is easy to make a couple of batches and freeze what you won’t be using within the week.