Orange and dried cranberries come together with just a hint of spice in these cranberry oatmeal sourdough muffins. They are a perfect grab and go breakfast or fun healthier brunch treat.
Muffins are a great grab and go breakfast for busy mornings. They are also a quick and easy way to serve something tasty to overnight guests.
These muffins feature the classic flavor combination of orange and cranberry. They are a perfect way to use your sourdough discard to make quick and easy muffins that are more nutritious than most bakery style muffins, but still really tasty.
Are you looking for another great way to use your sourdough discard? Then you are in the right place!
Instead of throwing away extra starter, you can use it to make flavorful baked goods. This recipe takes discard or unfed starter straight from the refrigerator and turns it into muffins in almost no time at all.
They have the goodness of yogurt and oatmeal baked inside. You can use white whole wheat flour as well to really boost the whole grain goodness, though all purpose flour also works great.
The orange juice and dried cranberries combine to make the right amount of fruity zing. Together it all adds up to a delicious and fairly nutritious breakfast that still tastes like a treat.
Carlee’s Tips for Making Muffins with Sourdough Discard
This batter can be whipped up and baked in a matter of a few minutes, so it can certainly be made the morning of. However you can also make the batter the night ahead of time, give it a nice long ferment, and bake it in the morning.
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Just cover the bowl of batter and refrigerate it until morning. Then scoop it into your muffin tin and bake like normal.
When mixing muffin batter, or most any batter, stir until just combined. Over mixing causes the gluten to start to develop and results in tougher baked goods.
Possible Substitutions
Readers have had great success with substitutions in this recipe. Some have used honey in place of the brown sugar.
Others have said applesauce works well in place of the oil. I have used vanilla yogurt instead of plain several times and that works great.
You can add orange zest if you would like to add more citrus zing. Or toss in a handful of chopped nuts to get added crunch like that in the orange pistachio muffins.
Storage
These muffins can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for several days. For longer storage, place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
When you are ready, just microwave a frozen muffin for about thirty seconds. It will come out warm and delicious like it was just baked.
If your muffins start to dry out before you eat or freeze them, don’t despair. You can cut them into cubes and make croutons for a salad or turn them into bread pudding.
What kind of starter should I use?
Use your discard or unfed starter straight from the refrigerator. No advanced planning or feeding needed!
Orange Cranberry Sourdough Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup sourdough starter*
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- dash of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Stir together 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup plain yogurt and ½ cup dried cranberries right away and let sit while you gather up the rest of the ingredients and get ready. You want the oats and cranberries to have a chance to soften up a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
- Stir ½ cup sourdough starter* and ⅓ cup brown sugar into oats.
- Stir ⅓ cup oil and 1 large egg into oat mixture.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1½ cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, dash of nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Spoon into prepared muffin tin.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin tin and cool on wire rack.
Notes
- You can use sourdough starter fresh from the fridge or sourdough discard for this recipe. It does not need to be fed starter.
- Try using a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour if you would like.
- You can make the batter a day ahead of time and let it cold ferment in the fridge. Just cover it and chill it until the morning and then bake as directed.
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Instead of brown sugar I used 1/4 cup honey, 1 tsp. molasses, Saigon cinnamon, 50/50 whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, and these muffins came out wonderful! Very fluffy texture and oats disappeared like magic! I would love more orange flavor so will try using more concentrated orange juice next time. Thanks for all your amazing sourdough muffin recipes, this was sixth one I've tried!
That makes me so happy! I love the honey substitution. I am going to have to do that next time. We love using honey!
Love sourdough, love cranberries, love oats!
Perfect!
Love that there's oatmeal in these muffins!
Thank you! The oatmeal kind of melts away in this recipe and it just leaves you with a great texture and plenty of nutrition!
Most of them prefer not to eat at all than to take the time to prepare and eat healthy foods. electricsmokerzone
The most common excuse for this is a busy schedule.
Gorgeous! I like the idea of the sourdough in this. Bet they we tangy and delish!
It does give a nice flavor and a really great texture! Thanks!
I haven't ever had a sourdough recipe but this sounds delicious!
I love playing with my sourdough. I watched a documentary on sourdough and bread once and I got a starter started that night!
I've never used my starter for muffins. Now I have to try these!
It is a great way to use some up when it needs refreshed! I make a lot of sourdough muffins and pizza dough and an occasional loaf of bread. Maybe after Christmas I'll be able to expand my horizons a bit more… right now I'm in survival mode 😉
These muffins sound amazing! My goal this year was to get into sourdough. Well, I haven't done it yet! I think it's a carry over goal!
It really is pretty easy once you get started, but this is definitely a busy time of year to get going! January would be great 😉
I love that these have sourdough starter in them – must give them a try!
I have been loving making muffins when my starter needs refreshed and the texture turns out so good. I hope you love them, Caroline!
Another cranberry winner my love! I love sourdough and of course oatmeal so these look divine! Oh how I wish I could grab one through the screen to have with my coffee this morning!
I wish I could deliver! Thanks, Andrea!