Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

A soft, moist and tender sourdough muffin filled with mini chocolate chips and full of flavor between the brown butter, vanilla and chocolate.

A soft, moist and tender sourdough muffin filled with mini chocolate chips and full of flavor between the brown butter, vanilla and chocolate. Be sure to try one after they have cooled slightly. The melty chocolate and moist muffin make them next level. They also store so well too! I usually pop mine in the microwave for just a few seconds to soften up the chocolate but either way they are delicious.

Now the only question is do you want to ferment them or just use sourdough discard. I love doing both options depending on how much time I have.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe:

This recipe can be made as regular, jumbo and mini muffins. They are so good and with their tall muffin tops remind me of bakery style muffins…they just might be better! The baking times are included for each size of muffin. Not only are they simple to put together but they freeze well and the mini ones are great for kids! Be sure to sprinkle the granulated sugar on top before you bake these, it adds such a nice muffin top! Let’s bake some bakery style sourdough chocolate chip muffins! Here is what you need:

Ingredients for Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Butter: I use salted butter and brown it. You could also use unsalted butter
Sugar: Granulated sugar works well in this muffin recipe.
Large Eggs: I like using room temperature eggs for baking.
Sour Cream: This adds a nice texture to the muffins.
Vanilla Extract: You can also use vanilla bean paste. You can follow the guidelines or simply measure with your heart! Ha!
Sourdough Starter: You can use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter in this recipe.
All Purpose Flour: A good quality unbleached all-purpose flour works well!
Baking Powder: To help give the muffins a nice rise.
Sea Salt: To balance the flavors.
Whole Milk: For the consistency and texture of the muffin.
Mini Chocolate Chips: I love how well the mini chips distribute throughout the muffin. You could also use regular sized chocolate chips if you’d like but I wouldn’t use regular sized ones if you plan to make mini muffins. We prefer dark chocolate chips, but you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate too!

How to Make Brown Butter:

If you are like me brown butter is something I recently have started using so I wanted to include the how to with the recipe post to make it easier to find everything in one place.

In a light-colored pan (frying pan or saucepan) place butter that has been cut into roughly half tablespoon pieces. Then, on medium heat bring the butter to a simmer and cook through the frothy stage. After it has stopped frothing as much it will begin to darken.
DO NOT leave the pan at this point because it will brown very quickly. You want to remove it from the heat and to a heatproof bowl as soon as you see some of the fat solids on the bottom of the pan turning brown.
NOTE: Leaving it in the pan after it has browned will cause the butter to brown excessively burning your brown butter.

Tips for Success:

Do not overbake or you will have a dry muffin. Watch them closely when they get to the lowest suggested bake time.
Over mixing muffin batter can make a tough muffin. Remember to mix until just incorporated. Don’t overwork the dough. Why? Because overworking dough can lead to gluten development in the flour and this isn’t bread, so we DON’T want that.
I like my brown butter lighter than darker, so I try to take it off the heat just as it starts to turn.
A cookie scoop like the one listed in Helpful Tools helps to make getting the batter in the right spot without a mess.
Try reheating your leftover muffin in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It makes them super soft and gets the chocolate all melty again. They are good without doing this too.

Helpful Tools:

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge?

Yes! No need to let it come to room temperature. You should be able to take it straight from the fridge and add it to your muffin batter.

Can I use sourdough discard instead of active starter in muffins?

Yes! Both can be used. I would be sure to use a kitchen scale so that you get an accurate amount of starter or discard in the recipe. Discard is denser and weighs more in a smaller size than active starter (with all the bubbles) does.

Can I freeze sourdough muffins?

Yes! Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Do I have to use muffin liners?

No. They just make it easier to ensure that the muffins won’t stick. When I don’t use muffin liners, I just make sure to butter my muffin tins well.

Other Sourdough Muffin Recipes to Try:

Be sure to also try my Sourdough Chocolate Cookie Recipe!

Pin this for Later:

Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

½ cup (120g) butter, browned and mostly cooled (not melty)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 (100g) cup sour cream
2 tsp (6g) pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
¼ cup (60g) sourdough starter, active or discard
1 ¾ cups (240g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (3g) sea salt
2 tsp (6g) baking powder
¼ cup (60g) whole milk
1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips*
Granulated Sugar for the muffin tops

Instructions for Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins:

First, brown the butter see above for how to make brown butter.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees** (skip if doing the long ferment method) and line a muffin tin with muffin liners or spray well with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon or Danish dough hook, cream the brown butter, that has been cooled, and the granulated sugar for about 2 minutes.
Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing them well after each addition.
Next, add the sour cream and mix well.
Add the vanilla extract and sourdough starter at this point and stir until well combined.
When the wet ingredients are well combined, measure out the dry ingredients; flour, sea salt and baking powder and add those on top of the wet.
Just barely mix the dry ingredients into the wet and then add the whole milk. Finish mixing until it is just combined. Do NOT overmix or your muffins might turn out dense.
At this point you will either let the muffins ferment for 5 hours on the counter or 2-4 hours on the counter and the rest of the time overnight in the fridge. You can also just skip the long ferment and bake the muffins immediately.
The next morning, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (350 degrees for mini muffins) and finish the rest of the recipe.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Next, scoop the dough evenly between the 12 regular muffin liners, 6 jumbo muffin liners or 24 mini muffins depending on which ones you plan to make.

Finishing and Baking the Muffins:

Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with granulated sugar and place them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and finish the muffins for another 20-25 minutes for jumbo and regular. Bake until the spring back some with lightly touched and slightly golden brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE or you will have a dry muffin.
NOTE: For MINI muffins bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until they just start to turn light golden brown.
Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Yields: 12 regular muffins 6 jumbo or 24 minis

NOTES:

You can use a stand mixer for this recipe just take extra care not to overmix the muffins once you add the dry ingredients.
*I would only use mini chocolate chips if you are making the mini muffin size.
**If you are doing mini muffins preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
You can store these muffins in an airtight container for 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
To defrost take the muffins from the freezer and let them come to room temperature without removing them from their airtight container. If you are in a hurry, you can also defrost them in the microwave.

Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

A soft, moist and tender sourdough muffin filled with mini chocolate chips and full of flavor between the brown butter, vanilla and chocolate.

By: Mariah Nienhuis

Serving Size: 12 regular size muffins***

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup (120g) butter, browned and mostly cooled (not melty)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1/3 (100g) cup sour cream
2 tsp (6g) pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
¼ cup (60g) sourdough starter, active or discard
1 ¾ cups (240g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (3g) sea salt
2 tsp (6g) baking powder
¼ cup (60g) whole milk
1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips*
Granulated Sugar for the muffin tops

Instructions

Instructions for Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins:

First, brown the butter see above for how to make brown butter.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees** (skip if doing the long ferment method) and line a muffin tin with muffin liners or spray well with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon or Danish dough hook, cream the brown butter, that has been cooled, and the granulated sugar for about 2 minutes.
Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing them well after each addition.
Next, add the sour cream and mix well.
Add the vanilla extract and sourdough starter at this point and stir until well combined.
When the wet ingredients are well combined, measure out the dry ingredients; flour, sea salt and baking powder and add those on top of the wet.
Just barely mix the dry ingredients into the wet and then add the whole milk. Finish mixing until it is just combined. Do NOT overmix or your muffins might turn out dense.
At this point you will either let the muffins ferment for 5 hours on the counter or 2-4 hours on the counter and the rest of the time overnight in the fridge. You can also just skip the long ferment and bake the muffins immediately.
The next morning, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (350 degrees for mini muffins) and finish the rest of the recipe.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Next, scoop the dough evenly between the 12 regular muffin liners, 6 jumbo muffin liners or 24 mini muffins depending on which ones you plan to make.

Finishing and Baking the Muffins:

Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with granulated sugar and place them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and finish the muffins for another 20-25 minutes for jumbo and regular. Bake until the spring back some with lightly touched and slightly golden brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE or you will have a dry muffin.
NOTE: For MINI muffins bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until they just start to turn light golden brown.
Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

You can use a stand mixer for this recipe just take extra care not to overmix the muffins once you add the dry ingredients.

*I would only use mini chocolate chips if you are making the mini muffin size.

**If you are doing mini muffins preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

***Yields: 12 regular muffins 6 jumbo or 24 minis

You can store these muffins in an airtight container for 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

To defrost take the muffins from the freezer and let them come to room temperature without removing them from their airtight container. If you are in a hurry, you can also defrost them in the microwave.

It’s like a chocolate chip cookie and a muffin together and boy is it good! I can’t wait to hear how you like these Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins. You can comment below with your questions or leave a review of the recipe. Both are so helpful. Now I need to make another batch! Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Baking!

Mariah Nienhuis | TheFarmChicken

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11