Apple Streusel Sourdough Muffins

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These muffins are my new favourite. So moist, and that topping–I mean you can’t go wrong with butter and brown sugar crumble, right?!

I have a habit of buying rather a lot of apples, and then not using them up as quickly as I buy them (who doesn’t love a good sale on fruit in the middle of winter?!). So every few weeks I find myself with limited space in our fridge and have to do some creative cooking or baking so that I don’t waste anything as I “make room”.

This recipe used up 4 of my apple stash to make 24 delicious muffins!

And sourdough discard? The consistency of sourdough starter to muffin batter is so similar, that the amount of discard does not have to be spot on in this recipe. I like putting in a 3/4 cup, but any amount up to 1 cup of sourdough starter is just as tasty. Also, the fermented bonus of sourdough is so so good for digestion!

How to Make Apple Streusel Muffins with Sourdough Discard:

Supplies Needed:

Ingredients:

Wet Mix:

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2-1 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 cups peeled & grated apple (about 3-4 med size apples)

Dry Mix:

Topping:

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs, vanilla and sourdough discard and mix well.

3. Peel the apples and grate about 2 cups. Add to the wet mix and stir well.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon.

5. Add to the wet mix and mix together just enough so it is all combined. Try not to overmix as this will make the muffins less fluffy.

6. Grease muffin pans or use muffin cups. (I like using our silicone muffin cups, or just greasing our muffin pans with coconut oil!)

7. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. (I use a spoon to plop it in!)

8. For the topping, mix together in a small mug or bowl: melted butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.

9. In approximately 1 teaspoon amounts, spread the topping onto the muffins (it will continue to “ooze” a bit while baking).

10. Bake at 425℉ for 5 minutes, then (keeping muffins in the oven) turn the temperature down to 350℉, and bake for another 12-15 minutes (for medium sized muffins). Muffins will be firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

11. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

12. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Additional note: This recipe usually makes about 24 muffins. Whenever I make muffins, I usually freeze half of them and use up within a few months. Freeze in a freezer-ziploc bag, remove air. When ready to eat, thaw gently in the oven or microwave to freshen up!

Made this Recipe?

I’d LOVE to see your results!! Feel free to post to your social media account and tag Northbird using one of the links below or post in the comments!

More Desert & Snack Recipes:

Hi, I’m Jessie!

I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

Read more about my story HERE.

Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

Apple Streusel Sourdough Muffins

  • Servings: 24 Muffins
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Soft, moist, and with a delicious butter-sugar topping, this Apple Streusel Sourdough Muffin recipe is a favourite in our home!


By Jessica Burman © 2024 The Northbird Blog http://www.thenorthbirdblog.com

Ingredients

Wet Mix:

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2-1 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 cups peeled & grated apple (about 3-4 med size apples)

Dry Mix:

Topping:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425℉.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs, vanilla and sourdough discard and mix well.
  3. Peel the apples and grate about 2 cups. Add to the wet mix and stir well.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon.
  5. Add to the wet mix and mix together just enough so it is all combined. Try not to overmix as this will make the muffins less fluffy.
  6. Grease muffin pans or use muffin cups. (I like using our silicone muffin cups, or just greasing our muffin pans with coconut oil!)
  7. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. (I use a spoon to plop it in!)
  8. For the topping, mix together in a small mug or bowl: melted butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
  9. In approximately 1 teaspoon amounts, spread the topping onto the muffins (it will continue to “ooze” a bit while baking).
  10. Bake at 425℉ for 5 minutes, then (keeping muffins in the oven) turn the temperature down to 350℉, and bake for another 12-15 minutes (for medium sized muffins). Muffins will be firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
  11. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
  12. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Additional Notes:

This recipe usually makes about 24 muffins. Whenever I make muffins, I usually freeze half of them and use up within a few months. Freeze in a freezer-ziploc bag, remove air. When ready to eat, thaw gently in the oven or microwave to freshen up!

Nutrition


Per 1 muffin: 200 calories; 6.9 g fat; 36.9 g carbohydrates;
2.6 g protein.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe (With or Without Sourdough Discard)

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I love tried-and-true recipes like this one that are versatile and can be used either with or without sourdough discard. I’m always a fan of adding sourdough discard into most recipes that require baking, but sometimes I don’t have enough of it on the go to add in.

That’s why I like recipes like this one that I can easily add some discard in–or not!

This recipe is similar to my other Oatmeal Cookie recipes, and variations have been used for many years both in our household here and in my childhood home.

The best part–butter. It must be made using butter. It really just doesn’t taste the same if you use margarine. (I also subbed in coconut oil one time in place of butter, and…well the kids loved it! I liked it, but totally missed the buttery signature taste, so not going to do that again haha)

How to Sub in Sourdough Starter Discard in this recipe?

Eggs. The secret to easily substitute the starter discard is to switch out the eggs.

This rule has worked for me for most baked items, and is one that several seasoned “sourdoughers” agree on. The general equation is as follows:

3 Tablespoons of Sourdough Starter Discard = 1 egg

So if you have a recipe that calls for 2 eggs, you will use 6 Tablespoons (or a 1/3 cup), and etc.

Why Sourdough? Here’s a few facts you might not have heard of:

  • Improves digestion
  • Sourdough gluten is easier to digest
  • Lowers chronic disease risks
  • Promotes healthy aging
  • Assists in stabilizing blood sugar levels
  • Helps with weight loss
  • Lower glycemic index
  • Has natural preservatives
  • Contains high levels of protein, fibre and nutrients

Interested in more info about Sourdough Starter? Click HERE

How to Make Northbird’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

Supplies Needed:

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cream together the softened butter and both sugars.
  3. Add the sourdough starter OR Eggs , and vanilla and mix until fully combined and smooth.

4. Add in the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until all combined.

5. Add in desired amount of raisins and stir until fully combined.

6. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets, and slightly flatten the cookie dough.

7. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes on middle rack of oven.

8. Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to a cooling rack.

9. Makes about 3 dozen medium sized cookies.

Note: This cookie dough freezes very well, so if 3 dozen is too much to enjoy all at once (!), you can simply put the extra dough amount in a sealed plastic container in the freezer until you are ready to bake it off. To thaw, simply put the whole container in a larger bowl of hot water until the dough becomes soft and palpable again.

I like to double this recipe, and then split up the dough into several leftover plastic yogurt containers and put them in the freezer. This makes it simple for baking off smaller batches of cookies without all the time it takes to mix it up!

Made this Recipe?

I’d LOVE to see your results!! Feel free to post to your social media account and tag Northbird using one of the links below or post in the comments!

More Desert & Snack Recipes:

Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

Hi, I’m Jessie!

I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

Read more about my story HERE.

Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe (With or Without Sourdough Discard)

  • Servings: 30 Cookies
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Delicious, buttery, chewy, and packed with raisins, this versatile recipe can be made with or without sourdough discard!


By Jessica Burman © 2025 The Northbird Blog http://thenorthbirdblog.com


Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (soft)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup sourdough starter discard OR 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups quick oats
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1-2 cups Raisins (Sultana are especially nice in this recipe!)

  • Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Cream together the softened butter and both sugars.
    3. Add the sourdough starter (OR Eggs) and vanilla and mix until fully combined and smooth.
    4. Add in the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until all combined.
    5. Add in desired amount of raisins and stir until fully combined.
    6. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets, and slightly flatten the cookie dough.
    7. Bake 10-12 minutes on middle rack of oven.
    8. Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to cooling rack.
    9. Makes about 3 dozen medium sized cookies.

    Additional Notes:


    This cookie dough freezes very well, so if 3 dozen is too much to enjoy all at once, you can simply put the extra dough amount in a sealed plastic container in the freezer until you are ready to bake it off. To thaw, simply put the whole container in a larger bowl of hot water until the dough becomes soft and palpable again.

    Nutrition


    Per 1 Cookie: 131 calories; 3.9 g fat; 20.9 g carbohydrates;
    2.5 g protein.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

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    Quick & Easy Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

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    Jump To Recipe Card

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    We love eating naan bread! We tend to have either a type of curry, stirfry or butter chicken with rice for dinner once a week, and this is our favourite pairing with it.

    In our home, my husband likes thin and extra buttery naan bread, while the kids and I enjoy it a little thicker. So whenever I make some, I try to roll some out a little thinner than others, so that everyone has some the way they like it best. And always lather with lots of butter…before and after frying!

    Feel free to adjust the thickness of this naan bread recipe to your preference! The instructions below are for a 1/2 inch thickness palm sized naan.

    I’ve played around with adjusting this recipe for a while now and am finally ready to share the delicious results. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

    History of the Naan Bread:

    India. This country has long been on my bucket list to visit, a culture rich in traditions, history and especially in food! Naan bread, curries, spices, butter chicken, samosas, saag paneer, tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and biryani. All so so good!

    The word “naan” itself actually comes from the ancient Persian civilization meaning “bread baked on hot pebbles”. It is thought by some that naan bread started to become popular in India around the 1520s, after yeast arrived in India from Egypt. It was a delicacy reserved for the nobility, so think on that while you enjoy your dinner tonight, my noble friend!

    Make it with Your Kids!

    Any time I have something that involves using a rolling pin, or just dough in general, I love getting the kids involved in preparing it. They have fun rolling out and shaping their own naans. You could also get out the cookie cutters to cut out some fun shapes to fry up!

    These were sooo yummy to make!

    ♫ Music by Matthew Compton

    How to Make Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

    Supplies Needed:

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups all purpose flour (I have also made this with mixing in spelt and whole wheat flour, just add a few more tablespoons of flour to balance the dough consistency)
    • 1 teaspoon organic baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon white or raw sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/4 cup yogurt or whole milk
    • 1/2 cup sourdough discard starter
    • 2-4 Tablespoons water (add as needed, a little more if using yogurt)
    • Flour for dusting when rolling out
    • 1/3 cup melted butter
    • 1/2-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (can also use dried parsley, but fresh is best)

    Directions:

    1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together.

    2. Add olive oil, yogurt/milk, and sourdough discard. Mix well. Add 2-4 tablespoons of water as needed until it becomes a doughy consistency.

    3. Knead for 2-3 minutes until it is a soft dough. Dust with a little flour as needed.

    4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes-1 hour.

    5. Preheat skillet to medium heat. Melt butter in microwave or in a small pot.

    6. Finely chop the parsley and set aside.

    7. Form dough into a “log” and cut into 8 equal rounds.

    8. Roll dough piece out on a flour covered surface until it is 1/4 inch evenly thick.

    9. Brush melted butter and sprinkle with parsley on one side. Fry with the buttered side down on the pre-heated skillet. While it is starting to bubble and sizzle, brush the top side with more butter and sprinkle with parsley. It should take about 1-2 minutes until golden spots appear, then flip over for another 1-2 minutes until golden.

    10. Keep warm in tinfoil until ready to serve. The steam will keep them soft and prevent them from drying out!

    11. Makes 8 palm-sized naans. Store leftovers in sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.

    Additional Tips:

    *Make sure your pan is not too hot or it will just burn and not cook through.

    *The thinner you roll out the naans, the quicker it will cook.

    *Add as much butter as you want! (Before and especially after!)

    Serve with a curry, butter chicken, or other saucy and flavourful dish!

    Made this Recipe?

    I’d love to hear how your naan bread turned out! Feel free to tag Northbird using one of the links below if you are posting your tasty dinner to social media, or tell me in the comments below!

    Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

    Hi, I’m Jessie!

    I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

    Read more about my story HERE.

    Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

    Quick & Easy Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

    • Servings: 8
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Print

    A soft and buttery naan bread recipe using sourdough discard. One of our favourite pairings when we make a stir fry, curry or butter chicken!



    By Jessica Burman © 2024 The Northbird Blog. http://www.thenorthbirdblog.com

    Supplies Needed:

  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Skillet
  • Dish for melting butter
  • Cooking Brush
  • Spatula
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Rolling Pin

  • Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (I have also made this with mixing in spelt and whole wheat flour, just add a few more tablespoons of flour to balance the dough consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon organic baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon white or raw sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup yogurt or whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard starter
  • 2-4 Tablespoons water (add as needed, a little more if using yogurt)
  • Flour for dusting when rolling out
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/2-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (can also use dried parsley, but fresh is best)

  • Directions:

    1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together.
    2. Add olive oil, yogurt/milk, and sourdough discard. Mix well. Add 2-4 tablespoons of water as needed until it becomes a doughy consistency.
    3. Knead for 2-3 minutes until it is a soft dough. Dust with a little flour as needed.
    4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes-1 hour.
    5. Preheat skillet to medium heat. Melt butter in microwave or in a small pot.
    6. Finely chop the parsley and set aside.
    7. Form dough into a “log” and cut into 8 equal rounds.
    8. Roll dough piece out on a flour covered surface until it is 1/4 inch evenly thick.
    9. Brush melted butter and sprinkle with parsley on one side. Fry with the buttered side down on the pre-heated skillet. While it starting to bubble and sizzle, brush the top side with more butter and sprinkle with parsley. It should take about 1-2 minutes until golden spots appear, then flip over for another 1-2 minutes until golden.
    10. Keep warm in tinfoil until ready to serve. The steam will keep them soft and prevent them from drying out!
    11. Makes about 8 palm-sized naans. Store leftovers in sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.
    12. Additional Tips:

      *Make sure your pan is not too hot or it will just burn and not cook through.

      *The thinner you roll out the naans, the quicker it will cook.

      *Add as much butter as you want!

    Nutrition


    Per 1 serving: 322 calories; 19.7 g fat; 38.1 g carbohydrates;
    3 g protein.

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    Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Sourdough Discard

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    Every once in a while we do a purge and inventory of our freezers, and guess what we find?! Lots and lots of frozen bananas. Sometimes when our food order arrives off the train, the bananas look less than appealing. Especially if they’ve not been packaged properly (slightly squashed) or left in a cold area (slightly frozen). I really dislike wasting food, so as long as the bananas aren’t outright rotten, I’ll usually throw them into one of the freezers to be used later in baking.

    This recipe was created from one such time, when we realized we were desperately running out of space in the fridge freezer, and also had an abundance of sourdough discard that I didn’t want to just toss out.

    The amount of sourdough discard in this recipe is flexible, based on what you have available. That’s the beauty of muffin recipes: the batter consistency is usually not too different from a sourdough discard consistency, so anywhere up to 1 cup of sourdough discard would blend into this muffin batter quite well in my opinion. I have made it several times with varying amounts of discard and they all turn out great and tasty!

    How to Make Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Sourdough Discard)

    Supplies Needed:

    Ingredients:

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
    2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together

    3. In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together. Whisk in the eggs and add vanilla.

    4. Add the mashed bananas, sourdough discard, and applesauce to the wet mixture and mix well together.

    5. Make a “well” in the flour mix, and add the wet mixture to it. Mix until fully blended together, but do not “overmix” so that the muffins stay fluffy. Fold in the chocolate chips.

    6. Grease muffin pans or use muffin cups. (I like greasing our muffin pans with coconut oil, works beautifully every time!)

    7. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and sprinkle more chocolate chips on the tops.

    8. Bake at 425 F for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 until muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. For large muffins this takes me about 12-15 minutes.

    9. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack or inverting in the pan.

    10. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to 6 months.

    Additional note: This recipe usually makes about 30 muffins, half of which we like to freeze and use within a few months. Freeze in a freezer-ziploc bag, remove air. Thaw overnight and pop in the oven or microwave to freshen up!

    More Desert & Snack Recipes:

    Hi, I’m Jessie!

    I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

    Read more about my story HERE.

    Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

    Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

    Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

    • Servings: 30 Muffins
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Print

    This is a great way to use up an excess of sourdough starter/discard and also those spotty bananas (or if you are like me, a stash of frozen ones!!)


    By Jessica Burman © 2024 The Northbird Blog http://www.thenorthbirdblog.com

    Ingredients

  • 2 + 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 medium bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 + 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3/4 cup sourdough starter discard
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (plus more for the tops)
  • Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
    2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
    3. In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together. Whisk in the eggs and add vanilla.
    4. Add the mashed bananas, sourdough discard, and applesauce to the wet mixture and mix well together.
    5. Make a “well” in the flour mix, and add the wet mixture to it. Mix until fully blended together, but do not “overmix” so that the muffins stay fluffy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    6. Grease muffin pans or use muffin cups. (I like greasing our muffin pans with coconut oil, works beautifully every time!)
    7. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and sprinkle more chocolate chips on the tops.
    8. Bake at 425 F for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 until muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. For large muffins this takes me about 12-15 minutes.
    9. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack or inverting in the pan.
    10. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to 6 months.

    Additional Notes:

    This recipe usually makes about 30 muffins, half of which we like to freeze and use within a few months. Freeze in a freezer-ziploc bag, remove air. Thaw overnight and pop in the oven or microwave to freshen up!

    Nutrition


    Per 1 muffin: 179 calories; 5.8 g fat; 31 g carbohydrates;
    2.6 g protein.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

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