Sourdough Discard Chocolate Muffins are irresistibly moist and deliciously indulgent. Whether served at a special occasion brunch or as a fun dessert, these easy-to-make treats deliver an intense chocolate flavor that will have everyone asking for your secret recipe.

sourdough chocolate muffins with shiny chocolate chips on a countertop

I love a serious double chocolate fixation as you can tell by my Fudgy Chocolate Cookies and Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies. It was only a matter of time until I married this flavor profile with my passion for sourdough.

If you have some extra starter or discard to spare, this is a great way to use it up!

Brand new to sourdough? This complete guide to sourdough baking is a great place to get started. Then once you're up and running, come on back for this and my other discard recipes like my Sourdough English Muffins.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Tips & Tricks
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Muffins
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Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder - Hershey's is my go-to
Baking Soda
Salt
Chocolate Chips - I used Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet, but you can use any type you like
Eggs
Full Fat Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt - Full fat is important to help make these tender and moist
Olive Oil - I love using olive oil in baking for the extra flavor, but if this weirds you
Whole Milk
Sourdough Discard
Vanilla Extract

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Let's make our double chocolate muffins in six easy steps. Only equipment you'll need are mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, muffin tin and paper muffin liners.

dry ingredients combined with chocolate chips

Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients and chocolate chips

Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients including the sourdough discard

wet and dry ingredients combined to make a batter in a large mixing bowl

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry to form the batter. Avoid overmixing!

batter scooped into a a 12-muffin tin with extra chocolate chips on top

Step 4: Bake at 475F for 5 minutes then reduce the oven temp to 350F for another 15 to 16 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

muffins in a muffin tin after being baked

Step 5: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes after coming out of the oven,

a sourdough chocolate muffin with a bite taken out

Step 6: Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container to enjoy later.

The high initial baking temperature helps create those perfect domed muffin tops!

Tips & Tricks

There are two reliable methods to determine when your muffins have reached perfect doneness:

The Classic Toothpick Test: Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it, your muffins are ready to be removed from the oven.

The Precise Temperature Method: For more accuracy, use an instant-read thermometer. Simply insert the probe into the center of a muffin. When it registers 200°F (93°C), your muffins are perfectly baked.

Both techniques ensure you'll achieve muffins with ideal texture!