Sourdough Honey Cornbread Muffins
You’ll fall in love with this recipe because it uses simple easy ingredients but delivers bakery-worthy muffins. They’re fluffy yet hearty, tender from the sour cream and discard, with that classic cornbread crumb kissed with honey. It’s a one-bowl batter, no mixer needed, and it holds beautifully overnight for a fermented boost to make them extra-gut healthy. Don't want to wait overnight? No problem! I have a quick bake option too!
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Parchment Muffin Liners
- Kitchen scale optional
- 2 oz scoop or 1/3 cup to measure batter for muffins
- Whisk or hand mixers
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowl
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Muffin Batter:
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (75g) honey
- 1/3 cup (75g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter or discard (100% hydration)
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt
- 2/3 cup (150g) whole milk
- 1/3 cup (72g) avocado oil
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) finely ground cornmeal
- 1 teaspon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Optional Mix-in's:
- 3/4 cup (85g) shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/3 cup (40g) chopped pickled jalapenos patted dry to remove excess moisture
- 1/3 cup (35g) cooked bacon crumbles
Instructions
Mix Muffin Batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together honey, sugar, sourdough discard, yogurt, milk, oil, melted butter, and eggs until smooth and fully combined with a whisk or hand beaters.1/3 cup (75g) honey, 1/3 cup (75g) granulated white sugar, 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter, 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, 2/3 cup (150g) whole milk, 1/3 cup (72g) avocado oil, 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 large eggs
- Add in the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups (175g) finely ground cornmeal, 1 teaspon sea salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Fold in cheddar, bacon, and jalapenos if using.3/4 cup (85g) shredded sharp cheddar, 1/3 cup (40g) chopped pickled jalapenos, 1/3 cup (35g) cooked bacon crumbles
Overnight Ferment Option:
- If you want to ferment your batter overnight, cover with plastic at this point and transfer to the refrigerator for 12-18 hours. Let the batter sit at room temp while the oven preheats the next day (about 30–45 minutes) before scooping. If you choose to skip this step, proceed with the recipe for same day baking.
Bake Muffins:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan or grease generously.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin cups — a heaping 1/3 cup per muffin. Fill each all the way to the top. This step is important for a nice rise on your muffins.
- You can garnish tops of muffins if you would like with additional shredded cheese or bacon crumbles at this time.
- Place the muffins in the oven and bake at 400°F for 6 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Best served warm with a pat of butter or a drizzle of hot honey. Enjoy your Sourdough Honey Cornbread Muffins!