These pumpkin sourdough donut muffins are soft, fluffy, and coated in warm cinnamon sugar, an easy fall bake combining cozy pumpkin spice flavor with the tang of sourdough.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and spray your muffin pan with a non-stick oil.
Next, warm the butter and milk in a small saucepan until the butter is melted, and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
Then, add the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the oil, pumpkin puree, sour cream or Greek yogurt, egg, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and sugar until combined.
To the same bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Then, divide the batter among the prepared muffin pan using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons.
Bake the pumpkin sourdough donut muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 3–4 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 8–10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before removing them, Loosen the edges with a small spoon or knife and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the muffins cool, melt the butter in one bowl and mix the cinnamon and sugar together in another.
Dip the tops of each sourdough donut muffin into the cooled melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture. This will give them that true cake donut taste!
Any leftover pumpkin sourdough donut muffins can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days or up to 1 week in the fridge.
Notes
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead? Yes! 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice can be used to replace the above spices.Sourdough discard: I recommend using sourdough discard that is no more than a week old to avoid any sour flavor in the muffins.Want regular sized muffins? Double the recipe to make 18 regular sized muffins!Can I long ferment the muffins? Yes! These muffins can be long fermented for deeper flavor and better digestibility.Here’s how: Overnight Refrigeration: Mix all ingredients cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning pull the batter from the fridge and let it get to room temperature, scoop into muffin liners, and bake as usual.