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Apple carrot sourdough discard muffins baked and ready to serve for an old-fashioned breakfast.

Old-Fashioned Apple Carrot Sourdough Discard Breakfast Muffins

These old-fashioned apple carrot sourdough discard breakfast muffins are soft, lightly spiced, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Fresh grated apple and carrot keep the muffins moist while adding natural sweetness and texture. Sourdough discard brings a gentle tang without a long ferment, making this an easy, no-waste recipe for busy mornings. Baked until tender with a golden top, these muffins are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or packing alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 250 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 g
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda 1.25 g
  • ½ teaspoon salt 1.5 g
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2.6 g

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs 100 g, room temperature
  • ½ cup light brown sugar 110 g
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 g
  • ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil, cooled slightly 113 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 g
  • 1 ½ cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots) 165 g
  • 1 large grated apple about 1 cup / 125 g, peeled or unpeeled
  • ½ cup sourdough discard 120g

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sourdough discard, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thickened.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined, don’t overmix! The batter should look thick but moist.
  • Fold in the grated carrots and grated apple.
  • Scoop the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are golden brown.
  • Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, honey, or your favorite spread.

Notes

Using Freshly Milled Wheat Flour (Soft White) for Apple Carrot Sourdough Discard Muffins

If you prefer baking the old-fashioned way, as I do, you can swap the all-purpose flour for freshly milled soft white wheat flour. Soft milled wheat flour can be used in this recipe at a 1:1 ratio by weight in place of all-purpose flour. Because freshly milled flour absorbs moisture differently, it helps to hold back 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour at first.
After mixing, let the batter rest for about 10 minutes so the bran has time to hydrate, then adjust if needed. This keeps the muffins moist while balancing the moisture from the apple, carrot, and sourdough discard. Soft milled wheat also offers the most nutrition when used soon after milling, along with a mild, slightly sweet flavor that works well in old-fashioned breakfast muffins.

Tips & Variations

  • Add a handful of chopped walnuts or raisins for a bit of texture.
  • Swap butter for coconut oil to make them dairy-free.
  • These freeze beautifully, just wrap individually and store in an airtight bag.