Lemon Raspberry Sourdough Muffins
These soft, bakery-style lemon raspberry sourdough muffins are made with sourdough discard, fresh lemon zest, and juicy raspberries, creating a tender crumb and bright, fresh flavor in every bite.
Print Recipe
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour + 2 tablespoons 246g + 2T for coating berries
- 1 tablespoon baking powder double acting
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup butter salted, melted, and cooled (112g)
- 1 cup sugar granulated (231g)
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
- ½ cup sourdough starter/discard 133g
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed juice from 1 medium-sized lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest fresh from 1 medium-sized lemon
- 1 ½ cup raspberries fresh or frozen
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup all purpose flour or rice flour 55g
- ⅛ cup sugar granulated (25g)
- 2 tablespoons butter salted, cold (28g)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Melt Butter: Melt butter and let cool slightly. Whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sourdough discard. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. If baking the same day, whisk in baking powder. (If long fermenting, omit baking powder until baking day.)
- Combine: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Cover bowl.
- Long Fermentation Option: Refrigerate covered batter overnight. Before baking, let the batter sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F and let it fully heat for 20 minutes.
- Add Baking Powder & Berries: If omitted due to long fermenting in the fridge, sprinkle baking powder over batter and fold in gently. Toss raspberries with 2 tablespoons flour, then carefully fold into batter.
- Prepare Streusel: Mix flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in lemon zest if using.
- Fill & Top: Line muffin tin and fill liners 3/4 full. Top each with 1–2 tablespoons streusel.
- Bake: Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes. Reduce temp: After 8 minutes, without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F and bake 18–22 minutes more.
- Cool: Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before removing.
Notes
Storage & Freezing
Counter: 1–3 days in an airtight containerRefrigerator: Up to 5 days
Freezer (baked muffins or unbaked batter): Up to 3 months To freeze baked muffins, allow them to cool completely. Wrap individually or store in an air-tight container.
Freezer Batter Hack (My Favorite Meal Prep Tip)
This is one of my favorite make-ahead tricks. After mixing the batter, transfer it into a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Freeze flat. When ready to bake:- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator
- Snip the corner
- Pipe into muffin liners
- Bake as directed
Baker’s Schedule
Same-Day Bake (About 1.5 Hours Total)
8am Preheat oven and mix up batter8:15am Fold berries and fill liners
8:20am Bake 8 minutes at 425°F
8:28am Reduce to 350°F
8:50am Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool
Overnight Long Ferment Schedule
Evening (10 minutes active time)Mix batter (omit baking powder). Cover and refrigerate. Morning
7:45am Remove batter from the fridge and preheat oven to 425
8:15am Mix in baking powder, fold in berries and fill liners
8:20am Bake 8 minutes at 425°F
8:28am Reduce to 350°F
8:50am Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool
Troubleshooting Guide
Even simple recipes can have small hiccups. Here’s how to fix them. Muffins sank in the middle?- One muffin may have had too many berries.
- They may have needed a few more minutes baking.
- The batter may have been overmixed.
- Baking powder may be expired.
- Frozen berries were not coated in flour.
- Oven was not fully preheated.
- Oven door opened too early.
