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Some flavor combinations I just can’t get enough of and these maple pecan sourdough muffins are one of them. The texture of a soft maple muffin studded with pecans and then topped with a crumb topping (not to mention the maple glaze) – it’s just yummy! This sourdough muffin recipe is fast becoming one of our favorites to share with friends and family and I absolutely love that I can use up my sourdough discard.
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Why You’ll Love Maple Pecan Sourdough Muffins
- Texture and Flavor: You’ll love the combination of maple and nutty pecan, especially that crumb topping—it creates the perfect flavor and texture in these sourdough muffins, similar to my fan-favorite sourdough banana muffins.
- Sourdough Discard Recipe: These muffins can be made more or less tangy based on the age of your discard. This is a great way to use up some of that sourdough discard this fall!
- Seasonal Favorite: These maple pecan sourdough muffins are perfect for fall. Enjoy them for breakfast or as a yummy snack!
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard: Use discard straight from the refrigerator or bubbly sourdough starter. I use 100% hydration sourdough (equal parts of flour and water).
- Vegetable Oil: You can also substitute any neutral-flavored oil if you prefer.
- Unsalted Butter: I always bake with unsalted butter, as there is a variable salt content across different brands of salted butter.
- Buttermilk: Including buttermilk helps make these sourdough muffins light, fluffy, and moist.
- Maple Syrup & Granulated Sugar: I use a combination of pure maple syrup and white granulted sugar to sweeten these muffins. Make sure you are using pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Egg: 1 large egg is used in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: You can use imitation vanilla extract or the real stuff.
- Maple Extract: I love how the maple extract works with the other flavors in these sourdough muffins to give a delicious maple flavor.
- All purpose flour: All-purpose or pastry flour works best in this recipe.
- Cornstarch: Including cornstarch helps give these sourdough muffins their light and fluffy texture.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder works as a leavening agent in these muffins.
- Chopped Pecans: I love the texture added with chopped pecans in this recipe.
- Salt: Salt balances flavor—don’t leave it out.
- Pecan Crumb Topping: These muffins are topped with a yummy topping made of unsalted butter, brown sugar, flour, chopped pecans, and a pinch of salt.
- Maple Glaze: Finish these muffins with a sweet glaze made from unsalted butter, powdered sugar, pure maple syrup, maple extract, and a pinch of salt.
How to Make Maple Pecan Sourdough Muffins
Mix Batter
Combine wet ingredients by melting unsalted butter in a large liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Add vegetable oil and sourdough discard and whisk together until combined. Add buttermilk, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract and maple extract. Mix in granulated sugar and whisk together to combine.
Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
Pour in the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir gently until almost combined. Add in the chopped pecans and stir again until moistened – a few flour streaks are okay in your muffin batter!
Prepare Topping
Prepare the pecan crumble topping by mixing together melted butter, brown sugar, flour, pecans and a pinch of salt until a crumbly topping forms.
During this time, preheat oven to 425ºF and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners or cut pieces of parchment paper to the size of the muffin wells and use as liners. If you choose not to use liners, spray muffin wells with cooking or baking spray to coat so they don’t stick (I do this a lot!).
Scoop sourdough maple pecan muffin batter into the muffin tins, filling the tins about 3/4 of the way full. Top each muffin with pecan crumble topping.
Bake & Glaze
Bake sourdough maple pecan muffins for 5 minutes at 425ºF. This gives the muffins the best rise. Then decrease the oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for about 15-18 minutes until baked all the way through. The center of the muffins should spring back just a bit and a toothpick should come out clean with just a few crumbs when stuck into the center of a baked muffin.
While the muffins are baking, prepare the maple glaze. Whisk melted butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple extract and salt. Put glaze into a piping bag and set aside. Once muffins have cooled slightly, drizzle with maple glaze and enjoy!
Amy’s Recipe Tip
To long-ferment sourdough muffins, mix up the batter. Then cover it and let it sit in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. This will give the discard time to pre-digest some of the gluten in the batter. Preheat your oven and bake according to recipe directions straight from the refrigerator. You may need to add a couple extra minutes of baking time to account for the colder batter.
Substitutions
- Pecans: Substitute any favorite nut in this recipe or leave them out all together – though I do like something textured in this muffin (nuts or dried fruit).
- Buttermilk: In place of buttermilk, mix together equal parts/weights of sour cream and milk and substitute for the buttermilk in the recipe.
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil can be substituted for the vegetable oil.
- Cornstarch: Leave it out and substitute flour if you don’t have cornstarch on hand.
- Sourdough Discard: Substitute ripe, bubbly active sourdough starter if you don’t have discard and want to make these muffins.
- Crumb Topping: Leave it off if desired.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover muffins can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for a couple days. After that stick in the freezer to preserve freshness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The combination of butter and oil gives the best flavor (butter) and the best texture (oil). I like using them both to make these muffins light and tender.
You don’t have to if you have good quality muffin tins. I like to spray my muffin tins with cooking spray if I’m not using muffin liners. You can also make liners from parchment paper by cutting them to fit the muffin well and scooping the batter on top of the parchment paper.
You can, but the maple extract adds that punch of maple flavor that tastes so good. If you don’t have maple extract, leave it out and expect the maple flavor to be more light and muted.
I think these would work well substituting half of the all-purpose flour with a soft white whole wheat flour.
We add sourdough discard to many recipes for good flavor, texture and to use it up! Read more about sourdough discard here.
Maple Pecan Sourdough Muffins
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Equipment
Ingredients
Maple Pecan Sourdough Muffins
- 75 grams unsalted butter, about 5 Tablespoons, melted
- 35 grams vegetable oil, about 2 Tablespoons
- 120 grams sourdough discard , about 1/2 cup, see recipe notes
- 85 grams buttermilk , shaken
- 50 grams pure maple syrup, about 2.5 Tablespoons
- 1 large egg , about 50 grams
- 4 grams vanilla extract , about 1 teaspoon
- 4 grams maple extract, about 1 teaspoon
- 120 grams granulated sugar, scant 2/3 cup
- 200 grams all purpose flour, about 1 2/3 cup
- 15 grams cornstarch , about 1.5 Tablespoons
- 10 grams baking powder , about 2 teaspoons
- 10 grams salt , about 1.5 teaspoons
- 120 grams chopped pecans, about 1 cup, see recipe notes
Pecan Crumb Topping
- 30 grams unsalted butter, about 2 Tablespoons, melted
- 50 grams brown sugar, about 1/4 cup
- 40 grams all-purpose flour, about 1/3 cup
- 30 grams chopped pecans, about 1/4 cup
- pinch of salt
Maple Glaze
- 55 grams unsalted butter, about 4 Tablespoons, melted
- 60 grams powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup
- 40 grams pure maple syrup, about 2 Tablespoons
- 2 grams maple extract, about 1/2 teaspoon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners or cut pieces of parchment paper to the size of the muffin wells and use as liners. If you choose not to use liners, spray muffin wells with cooking or baking spray to coat so they don't stick.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Pour in the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir gently until almost combined. Add in the chopped pecans and stir again until moistened – a few flour streaks are okay!
- Crumb Topping: Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, flour, pecans and a pinch of salt until a crumbly topping forms.
- Scoop muffin batter into the muffin tins, filling the tins about 3/4 of the way full. Top each muffin with pecan crumble topping. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425ºF. Then decrease the oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for about 15-18 minutes until baked all the way through. The center of the muffins should spring back just a bit and a toothpick should come out clean with just a few crumbs when stuck into the center of a baked muffin.
- While the muffins are baking, whisk together the maple glaze. Whisk melted butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple extract and salt. Put glaze into a piping bag and set aside. Once muffins have cooled slightly, drizzle with maple glaze and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These came out really good. I was looking for a sourdough muffin recipe where I could sub My home made prickly pear syrup into the recipe. It worked perfectly.
That sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for the review.
These came out beautifully! The drizzle is so delicious.
I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks for sharing!
These were so good. My fam loved them. They smell like a maple donut but are even better. Next time I would chop the pecans smaller but that’s my issue. The recipe was perfect. Will definately make again.
So glad you guys enjoyed this recipe!
Can you bake and freeze these ? If so do they stay moist
Yes! They freeze really well.
Yum! We have a new favorite muffin. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you loved this one!
These muffins are fantastic! Excellent maple flavor!
So glad you loved them!
Have you had success using apple sauce as a substitute for oil in sourdough baking – or best to stick with an oil? Thank you
Yes. I often substitute apple sauce for oil with good results.
My whole family loves this recipe. The texture and sweet maple flavor is really delicious. It’s a favorite for fall and winter time!
Can you use Einkorn AP flour in place of pastry flour?
I haven’t used it, so I can’t say for sure. I do think it’s worth a try – or maybe start by substituting half einkorn and half all-purpose.
Is it possible to ferment the dough to get the benefits of sourdough?
Yes. You can mix up the batter and stick in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before baking.