Warm spices, classic gingerbread flavors, and bakery-style texture make these sourdough gingerbread muffins perfect for this holiday season.
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Why make these Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
The holidays are the best time of the year for whole kitchen to fill with the aromas of warm spices from delicious gingerbread recipes baking away.
These sourdough gingerbread muffins are made with simple ingredients and just the right amount of sweetness to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or an easy to grab snack.
The difference between active sourdough starter and sourdough discard
Active Sourdough Starter
Active sourdough starter is when a sourdough starter has been fed and reaches its peak bubbliness and fermentation. This is the perfect state of sourdough starter when making an artisan sourdough bread loaf or a recipe where you want a nice rise in your bread.
Sourdough Discard or Unfed Sourdough Starter
From this point of peak rise of the sourdough starter, it starts to become less bubbly and die down a bit leaving sourdough discard.
These sourdough gingerbread muffins are great to use up excess unfed sourdough starter or discard since the leavening agent of a fully active starter does not matter for this recipe.
Equipment you will need for Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
Large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer
Hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment
Standard sized large muffin tin
Muffin liners or parchment paper to make liners with
Muffin scoop– 2oz. scoop, ice cream scooper, or spoon for scooping batter
Plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or tea towel
Tips for making Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
Sift dry ingredients
Sifting the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients allows for more air to form throughout the muffins making a delicious, moist, bakery-style muffin.
Room temperature butter and eggs
Using room temperature butter and eggs also helps with the perfect texture and moist crumbs we are looking for with these delicious sourdough gingerbread muffins.
Salted vs. Unsalted Butter
I always buy salted butter but if you prefer unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon more of salt to the recipe to help enhance the flavor profile.
Depth of flavors & substitutions
Dark brown sugar with the blend of rich molasses provides a rich depth of flavor in these sourdough gingerbread muffins but using light brown sugar and light molasses will work just as well.
If you would like to use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger, replace the 2 tsp ginger with 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger.
Making your own parchment muffin liners
If you do not have muffin liners you can make some with 5″x5″ squares of parchment paper, some scissors, and a small jar that fits inside your muffin tin. Such as a small 4-8oz. narrow mouth mason jar.
These muffin liners are very cute and will give you a tulip style bakery liner.
How to make parchment muffin liners
- Simply cut out your squares of parchment paper to a 5″x5″ dimension.
- Flip a jar upside down and center the parchment paper over the top of the jar.
- Press firmly around the crease as you make a cup over the bottom of the jar with the parchment paper.
- Remove from the jar and place in your muffin tin.
Recipe for Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
- Dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- Salted butter at room temperature
- Blackstrap molasses
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Large eggs at room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract
Gingerbread Spices
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Ground allspice
Topping
- Clear sparkle sugar
Other topping options:
Brown butter cream cheese frosting
- Cream cheese (softened)
- Melted browned butter
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Nutmeg
Directions for Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
First, add softened room temperature butter, sourdough starter discard, vanilla, brown sugar, and molasses to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. You can also use a large bowl with a hand mixer.
Then, cream the butter, molasses, sourdough discard or active starter, vanilla, and sugar together on medium speed until smooth.
Next, add in the salt and eggs. Mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
Adding the dry ingredients
After the wet ingredients are mixed, add your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and gingerbread spice mix) to a separate bowl.
For delicious bakery-style muffins, I like to sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. This makes for the best texture and tender crumb.
Next, set your sifter over the bowl of wet ingredients and sift the dry ingredients into the wet.
Then, mix together on medium speed until well incorporated and no dry bits remain.
Allow to ferment for the benefits of sourdough
After the ingredients are well mixed, place a lid, plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or wet tea towel over the top of your bowl.
Then, place the bowl of muffin batter in the fridge overnight or if you are comfortable with it, leave the batter covered on the counter for two hours while the sourdough starter works throughout the batter.
When ready to bake sourdough gingerbread muffins
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Then, line a standard muffin tin with large muffin liners.
Next, using a muffin scoop or spoon, fill each of the muffin liners just over halfway full.
If topping with sparkling sugar, top them generously with the sugar before baking.
After topping with sugar, bake the sourdough gingerbread muffins for 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean with no wet batter remaining.
Optional toppings
While the muffins are baking, assemble your toppings of choice. I like to use a simple clear sparkling sugar for a classic gingerbread cookie recipe look but these sourdough gingerbread muffins would be delicious frosted with this brown butter cream cheese frosting, or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a holiday dessert.
For the brown butter cream cheese frosting:
Browning Butter
- First, add the unsalted butter for the frosting to a small sauce pan on the stove top.
- Then, on medium heat, melt the butter and stir until it smells slightly toasty and darkens in color a bit. This should take 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- After the butter has cooled for 5-10 minutes, mix up the frosting ingredients using a hand mixer or beaters.
- I like to begin by sifting the powdered sugar to ensure that no clumps are formed and the frosting is smooth.
- Then beat together until creamy.
- After the frosting is well combined and smooth, set aside.
After baking
After the muffins are baked through, remove the muffins from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Then, move the muffins from the pan and onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
Topping sourdough gingerbread muffins
After the muffins are completely cool, you can add the cream cheese frosting with a spatula or pipe through a frosting bag for a cup cake look.
My favorite way to enjoy these sourdough gingerbread muffins is warm out of the oven, sliced in half, with a spread of butter through the middle. So delicious.
Storing sourdough gingerbread muffins
These muffins store well in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or a week in the refrigerator.
Happy baking!
Tips
Food prep tip: My favorite tip for making muffins is make a double batch of batter, bake one half, and put the other half in a disposable freezer-safe bag.
Lay the bag flat in the freezer for storage space.
Next time you want some delicious sourdough gingerbread muffins, remove the frozen batter from the freezer and allow to thaw.
Cut the tip of the freezer bag and squeeze the batter into your muffin liners.
Bake as directed.
This is a great way to do a little meal prep for fresh baked muffins later on. The best part is, you only had to dirty the dishes once!
More gingerbread recipes:
This gingerbread sourdough discard loaf with brown butter vanilla spice cream cheese frosting is another delicious option for a sweet gingerbread holiday treat.
Did you make this sourdough gingerbread muffin recipe? What would be your topping of choice? Let us know in the comments below!
Other sourdough discard recipes you may enjoy
Sourdough Discard Maple Scones
Discard Lemon Berry Sourdough Muffin Recipe
Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
More holiday inspired recipes:
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Sourdough Gingerbread Muffins
Warm spices, classic gingerbread flavors, and bakery-style texture make these sourdough gingerbread muffins perfect for this holiday season.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 8 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Gingerbread Spices
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Topping
- Clear sparkle sugar
Alternative topping: Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 4 tablespoons melted browned butter
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- First, add softened room temperature butter, sourdough starter discard, vanilla, brown sugar, and molasses to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. You can also use a large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Cream the butter, molasses, sourdough discard or active starter, vanilla, and sugar together on medium speed until smooth.
- Next, add in the salt and eggs. Mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
- After the wet ingredients are mixed, add your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and gingerbread spice mix) to a separate bowl. For delicious bakery-style muffins, I like to sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. This makes for the best texture and tender crumb.
- Set your sifter over the bowl of wet ingredients and sift the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Then, mix together on medium speed until well incorporated and no dry bits remain.
- After the ingredients are well mixed, place a lid, plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or wet tea towel over the top of your bowl.
- Place the bowl of muffin batter in the fridge overnight or if you are comfortable with it, leave the batter covered on the counter for two hours while the sourdough starter works throughout the batter. Baking immediately works as well, you just won't get as many fermentation benefits from the sourdough starter.
- The next day or when you are ready to bake, preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Then, line a standard muffin tin with large muffin liners.
- Using a muffin scoop or spoon, fill each of the muffin liners just over halfway full.
- If topping with sparkling sugar, top them generously with the sugar before baking.
- Bake the sourdough gingerbread muffins for 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean with no wet batter remaining.
Optional toppings
While the muffins are baking, assemble your toppings of choice. I like to use a simple clear sparkling sugar before baking for a classic gingerbread cookie recipe look but these sourdough gingerbread muffins would be delicious frosted with brown butter cream cheese frosting, or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a holiday dessert.
For the brown butter cream cheese frosting:
Browning Butter
- Add the unsalted butter for the frosting to a small sauce pan on the stove top.
- On medium heat, melt the butter and stir until it smells slightly toasty and darkens in color a bit. This should take 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- After the butter has cooled for 5-10 minutes, mix up the frosting ingredients using a hand mixer or beaters.
- I like to begin by sifting the powdered sugar to ensure that no clumps are formed and the frosting is smooth.
- Beat together until creamy.
- After the frosting is well combined and smooth, set aside.
Cool & Enjoy
- After the muffins are baked through, remove the muffins from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Then, move the muffins from the pan and onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
- After the muffins are completely cool, you can add the cream cheese frosting with a spatula or pipe through a frosting bag for a cup cake look.
My favorite way to enjoy these sourdough gingerbread muffins is warm out of the oven, sliced in half, with a spread of butter through the middle. So delicious.
Storing sourdough gingerbread muffins
These muffins store well in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or a week in the refrigerator.
Happy baking!
Notes
Food prep tip: My favorite tip for making muffins is make a double batch of batter, bake one half, and put the other half in a disposable freezer-safe bag.
Lay the bag flat in the freezer for storage space.
Next time you want some delicious sourdough gingerbread muffins, remove the frozen batter from the freezer and allow to thaw.
Cut the tip of the freezer bag and squeeze the batter into your muffin liners.
Bake as directed.
This is a great way to do a little meal prep for fresh baked muffins later on. The best part is, you only had to dirty the dishes once!
