Old-Fashioned Applesauce Blackberry Muffins (Easy Sourdough Discard Recipe)
Apples and blackberries might just be my favorite fall flavor combination of all time. I’ve been foraging for many years, and while we lived in Britain, blackberries were one of our most treasured finds. We knew exactly where to look, and every August and September we’d come home from our foraging trips with scratched arms (wild blackberry bushes are thorny!), purple-stained hands, and buckets brimming with berries.
These applesauce and blackberry sourdough discard muffins capture that same feeling of late summer turning into fall. They’re moist, soft, and full of rich fruit flavor, with a buttery streusel topping that adds just the right crunch and makes them look extra special.
Why Blackberries & Apples?
Blackberries and apples are a classic British dessert pairing. The blackberries bring sweetness, flavor, and a gorgeous pop of color to these muffins, while the grated apples and applesauce keep them moist and rich.
Blackberries are wonderfully versatile—you can use them in cobblers, cakes, pies, muffins, ice cream, or jam (if you can keep the kids from eating them all fresh!). When we lived in the British Isles, I made blackberry jam every year from wild berries. It’s one of the easiest jams to make: no added pectin, a quick set, and the result is a glossy preserve with a deep purple-black hue that looks stunning on baked goods or ice cream.
If you’re preserving blackberries, the simplest method is to freeze them: spread the berries on a tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to zip-top bags. Just keep in mind that frozen berries slowly lose pectin over time, so if you plan to use them for jam, it’s best to cook them within a few weeks to ensure a good set.
Why Sourdough Discard in Muffins?
Sourdough discard is simply the portion of starter you remove before feeding it. If you never took any out, your starter would quickly grow to an unmanageable size. Regularly discarding also keeps the culture healthy and active.
Instead of throwing it away, you can add that discard to recipes in small amounts—it helps reduce waste, adds a subtle tangy flavor, and even boosts the nutrient content of baked goods. This muffin recipe uses a generous ½ cup of sourdough discard, which is typical for my baking. I like to save all my discard in a jar in the fridge and then use it up about every other week, before it gets too old and sour.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- I have added whole wheat sourdough discard to this recipe, but any type of discard is fine to use. Try to use discard that has not been sitting in the fridge for longer than 14 days so it is not super sour.
- I have used half whole wheat flour and half white flour to boost nutrient content. This does not make the muffins dense or heavy, and most people won’t notice these muffins are half whole wheat unless you tell them. Instead of whole wheat flour you could also use sprouted flour, or all white. Up to you.
- Instead of blackberries, you could use mulberries.
- Active sourdough starter can also be used in place of the discard.
Ingredients
For the muffins
You will also need a little coconut oil or butter to grease the muffin cups. Or use muffin liners.
For the streusel topping
How to Make the Muffins (Step-by-Step)
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). If you haven’t already, peel and grate the apples. Peeling is optional—leave the skins on if you prefer. Four small apples should yield just over 1 cup of grated apple.
Step 2
Next you need to cream together the softened butter and sugar. I like to use brown sugar or rapadura in most of my cake and muffin recipes as it adds more flavor than white sugar.
Step 3
After you have creamed the butter and sugar, add eggs, salt, cinnamon, and sourdough discard to the bowl. Mix well.
Step 4
Next mix in the applesauce.
Step 5
Add the flour and mix until the batter is smooth, with no lumps.
Step 6
In a small cup, mix together the soda and 2 tablespoons of hot water. Stir this into the muffin batter.
Step 7
Fold in the grated apples and blackberries, being gentle so the berries don’t get squashed.
Step 8
Grease the muffin cups generously with coconut oil or butter, then fill them 2/3 full with the muffin batter.
If you only have one muffin pan, you’ll need to bake the first batch, let the muffins cool, then wash and re-grease the cups for the second batch of muffins. I only have one pan so that’s what I always do.
Step 9
To prepare the old-fashioned streusel topping, combine sugar, flour, oats, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Cut in the chilled butter, rubbing it in with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Step 10
Finish the muffins with a generous spoonful of crumb topping—about a tablespoon per muffin is just right.
Step 11
Place the muffin trays in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden-brown on top.
Step 12
Let the muffins cool slightly in the muffin pans, then gently remove them onto a cookie rack to finish cooling.
Baking Tips & Troubleshooting
How to get muffins not to stick
Grease the muffin cups generously with oil or butter so the muffins don’t stick, or line them with paper liners if you prefer. Let the muffins cool in the pan before transferring them to a cooling rack. Hot muffins are fragile, and if you try to remove them straight after they come out from the oven they may tear.
How to get muffins to raise high
- Make sure the baking soda you use is still fresh. To check, mix it with a little vinegar – if it fizzes, it is still good to use.
- Bake the muffins at the temperature I specified in the recipe, in a preheated oven – the blast of heat they receive as they are placed inside the oven will make them rise well.
- Make sure your batter is the right consistency. Do not add more applesauce than specified in the recipe, that will make the batter too runny and the muffins won’t rise as well.
Ensuring moist texture with applesauce and grated apples
I’ve added just the right balance of applesauce and freshly grated apples to keep these muffins moist and flavorful, while still allowing them to rise beautifully in the oven. Don’t add more applesauce or apples, or the batter may get too wet.
Serving & Storage
- These muffins are delicious served warm just as they are, or spread with some butter or whipped cream.
- You can store them in an airtight container with a couple of paper towels placed on the bottom of the container to absorb moisture. This way they can be kept at room temp for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5.
- These muffins also freeze beautifully once baked and fully cooled. They can be thawed at room temp or warmed in the oven if you like to eat them warm.
Final Thoughts
I hope you give these old-fashioned applesauce and blackberry muffins a try! They make a wonderful fall treat to keep on hand—or tucked away in the freezer. If unexpected company drops by, you can simply pull out a few, pop them in a moderately hot oven for about 15 minutes, and they’ll taste as if they were freshly baked.
You’ll also find plenty of sourdough dessert recipes here on the blog. Some use active starter for full fermentation and gut health benefits, while others are quick sourdough discard recipes for when you want something delicious without the wait.
More Sourdough Cake and Muffin Recipes for You to Try
Warm and Rich Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
Banana & Coconut Cake with Sourdough Discard
Old-Fashioned Applesauce Blackberry Muffins with Sourdough Discard
Equipment
- 2 x 12 cup muffin pans
Ingredients
For the muffins
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1½ cup brown sugar or rapadura
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp unrefined salt
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1¼ cup white flour
- 1 tsp baking soda + 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 cup grated apples
- 1 cup blackberries
- a little coconut oil or butter, to grease the muffin cups
For the streusel topping
- ⅓ cup cold butter, cubed
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup flour
- 3 tbsp rolled oats
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and the sugar.
- Add the eggs, salt, cinnamon, and sourdough discard to the bowl. Mix well.
- Next stir in the applesauce.
- Add the whole wheat flour and the white flour to the batter and mix until smooth, with no lumps.
- In a small cup, combine the baking soda with 2 tablespoons of hot water. Pour it into the batter and mix in well.
- Fold in the grated apples and blackberries, being gentle so the berries don’t get squashed.
- Grease the muffin cups liberally with oil or butter, then fill them 2/3 full with the muffin batter.
- To prepare the old-fashioned streusel topping, combine sugar, flour, oats, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the chilled butter, rubbing it in with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of the streusel topping.
- Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden-brown on top.
- Let them sit in the muffin cups until cool enough to handle, then gently transfer them to a cookie rack to finish cooling off.
- These muffins are delicious served warm with some butter or whipped cream.
Notes
- My preferred way to store this muffins is in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to place a paper towel on the bottom of the container to absorb any moisture. They can be kept this way for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze them in ziplock bags for up to 3 months.
