These chocolate chip sourdough muffins are a delicious and nutritious way to start your day. They are quick, easy and full of oatmeal and whole wheat goodness yet they are soft and yummy. Plus they are a great way to use your sourdough discard.
These oatmeal sourdough muffins are on the healthier side of the breakfast/muffin spectrum, but you’d never know it from tasting them. They are lightly sweet, really soft and the oatmeal almost melts right in.
The chocolate chips make them feel like a treat, but you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying one!
When I originally started my sourdough started a few years back, I had envisioned all of these beautiful boules of bread I’d be baking. But it turns out those boules take a lot of time and practice.
Time is not something I seem to find myself with an excess of often. Though I still do intend to really get into baking sourdough bread at some point.
I am proud to say, however, my original sourdough starter is still going strong. She has spawned a few children that have gone to live at my parents’ house and otherwise she is slowly bubbling away in our fridge.
Though she has only made a few loaves of actual bread, the discard that is created when I feed her is always put to good use. Most frequently it is used for sourdough pizza crust.
It makes such a delicious base for homemade pizza and I never get complaints when pizza is on the menu! But sometimes I kill two birds with one stone and quench my sweet tooth while also using the discard.
One of my favorite to do that is with quick muffins like these. I have made several variations over the years, but these chocolate chip muffins are a definite favorite.
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I originally posted them back in 2016, but I have been seeing so many of you post pictures of the muffins you have made on Pinterest that I had to make another batch myself. I figured the post could use a little sprucing up while I was at it, so here we are.
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
They are a great way to use your sourdough discard. They whip up in a snap. There’s no need for proofing or anything.
They have oatmeal, yogurt and sourdough starter in there and less sugar than most muffins. So they are more healthy than most normal muffins that are no more than a cupcake in disguise!
They freeze beautifully. Stick the extras in the freezer and take them out as you want. Just a few seconds in the microwave will have them back to fluffy and delicious.
Even though they have so many great ingredients in them, the middles are super soft. They aren’t dense like a lot of healthier muffins.
They really are delicious and there are so many ways to customize them if you want to. I hope you will give them a try.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sourdough starter discard or fresh from the fridge works great
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour can sub in all-purpose if you prefer
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or other neutral flavored oil
- 1 large egg beaten
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Stir together 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ cup plain yogurt right away and let sit while you gather up the rest of the ingredients and get ready. You want the oats to have a chance to soften up a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
- Stir ½ cup sourdough starter and ⅓ cup granulated sugar into the oat mixture.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup all purpose flour, ½ cup white whole wheat flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Stir ⅓ cup vegetable oil and 1 large egg into oat mixture.
- Then stir in dry ingredients until just mixed. Fold in ¾ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Spoon into prepared muffin tin.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin tin and cool on wire rack.
Notes
- You can also use vanilla yogurt. In a pinch, you can substitute milk, but the yogurt really makes the muffins extra good.
- Use any neutral flavored oil such as vegetable, canola, melted coconut oil or even melted butter. Some folks have subbed applesauce for the oil with good results as well.
- People have also subbed in brown sugar or honey for the sugar. The muffin base is very forgiving. So, feel free to experiment.
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Thank you for this recipe! Just made a double batch and wow. They are SO delicious!!
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed them! They freeze well too in case you don't polish them off quickly enough.
Do you use starter discard that has been left over but has been in the fridge for awhile and not been fed, or does it have to be starter that has been fed and is active – bubbly? I’m anxious to try this recipe but am wondering if I can use accumulated discard that is in the fridge.
straight from the fridge is perfect! That's what I usually use. I will try to clarify that better in the recipe. I hope you enjoy them!
Hi! So I thought this was supposed to be a recipe for sourdough discard. The recipe says to use sourdough starter. So which one do I use? I have a weeks worth of starter in my refrigerator that I need to do something with.
You can use unfed starter straight from the fridge or discard if you are feeding. Even freshly fed starter would work. The idea is that you don't have to feed and warm it first as there is added leavening from the baking powder and baking soda, so the starter doesn't have to be particularly active. It is there to add flavor, nutrients and I fully believe it helps with the texture.
They’re in the oven now. So excited.
Yay! I hope you enjoy them!
Could I add banana? Would I need to change anything else or just add it,
I haven't tried it, but I am sure you could. Maybe add a bit of extra oatmeal to hand the added moisture?
Made these today with several changes and they were spectacular. Thank you for the recipe! Changes: 2 flax eggs instead of 1 real egg, to make them vegan; subbed oat milk; used 1 full cup starter discard and reduced the dry flour by half a cup; used a mix of white and wheat flour; made half of them into mini muffins (same temperature but half the bake time)
I love your substitutions! I am so glad you liked them!
Just pulled these out from the oven! This recipe is outstanding! I've been actively using sourdough for a few years now and these are the best muffins I've made with them to date. The way they bake up and look – visually they are gorgeous. But what really has me excited is the texture and flavor! And only 1/3 cup sugar – that makes me happy! My kids are loving them, too. I'm curious if you'd made other versions or varieties? Have you ever used this base for blueberry muffins? Also have you ever frozen a batch? I'd be curious if they retained their amazing texture. If so, I'm often in a situation where I have too much starter and would happily whip up a double or triple batch and then freeze them.
Yay!!! I am so glad you like them! I have done an oatmeal raisin version, an orange creamsicle version and one with dried cranberries. They are all here on the blog! I love freezing them too. Just a few seconds in the microwave and you have a grab and go breakfast. Of course nothing beats fresh from the oven, but we were really happy with the frozen ones too! I have been tempted to do a blueberry one, but haven't gotten to it yet. You'll have to let me know how it goes if you beat me to the punch!
Had to get back to ya! I've now made these several times switching up my add-ins a few times. I first tried your basic chocolate chip above, followed that by using your base for your orange cranberry muffins and adding in rhubarb, orange zest and ginger (no cranberries.) I've also used your chocolate chip base, added almond extract, dried cherries and slivered almonds on top. My most recent was this chocolate chip recipe with fresh strawberries in. (It is strawberry season after all.)
This recipe never fails!!! It is the absolute best!
And here's what has me really excited. I have a sister who has an allergy to wheat but can digest sourdough products, since they're more broken down due to the fermentation. The last batch I made, I made the dough/batter (it's kind of in between in terms of thickness), anyhow I made it up after dinner one evening, covered it and popped it into my fridge letting it gently ferment overnight. I baked them up fresh in the morning (super convenient, too) – they were just as amazing! And what's better is my sister ate them without issue. I love being able to make food that can be enjoyed by everyone! So thank you for this recipe! (My kids get so excited when they see these coming out of the oven – can't wait to continue experimenting with all sorts of flavor combinations.)
Oh my goodness! I love hearing that! You have definitely made my night. Now I want to experiment more too. I am definitely going to try the chocolate chips with cherries and almond idea. My dad would LOVE those! And fresh strawberries? Genius!! I love that you are enjoying it so much!
Glad to have done so – I feel like I owe you because this recipe is phenomenal. Everyone is always asking how I make such beautiful muffins, hahaha, the credit belongs to you! The chocolate, cherry, almond is outstanding! And the fresh strawberries didn't affect texture or shape or anything. I was concerned because I used very fresh juicy berries… my husband grabbed one on the way out the door and felt compelled to text me how good it was and that he wished he'd grabbed two! I want to try a carrot cake style, blueberry and for the fall a pumpkin cream cheese! I just finished frosting some sourdough sugar cookies for this special day (again so my sister can partake.) It was that recipe for the sugar cookies that gave me the idea for the overnight ferment in the fridge. Gotta love sourdough! Happy 4th of July!
When your husband likes them enough to text, you know they are winners! Now I am wanting to try those too! And I like what you are thinking with carrot cake and pumpkin cream cheese. I can't wait to tinker more too! I hope you had a great 4th of July!
Hi Carlee, we are happy to inform you that we featured this muffin recipe at our Monday Cooking & Crafting with J&J. Thanks and enjoy the week. 🙂
Julie xo
Thank you so much, Julie!
I love oatmeal muffins and the chocolate chips would make them great! Nice post.
Thank you!
Thank you! We are really loving muffins all of the sudden and these are a favorite!