Name: Sourdough Discard Vanilla Bean Muffins with Crumble Topping
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup salted butter (melted); 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt (room temperature); ½ cup buttermilk (room temperature); 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste; ½ cup sourdough discard (or active starter); ½ cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup granulated sugar; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk); 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

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Sourdough discard vanilla bean muffins are fluffy, bakery-style muffins! The buttermilk and Greek yogurt in the batter make for a moist, tender crumb. These muffins are topped with a crunchy and sweet crumble topping and vanilla bean icing for a sweet breakfast, brunch, or afternoon treat!

A closeup of one sourdough discard vanilla bean muffin with a crumble topping and vanilla bean icing. Several other muffins sit in the background.

Last week, I was grocery shopping with my kids when my daughter excitedly pointed out the muffins in the bakery section. “Can we PLEASE get these?!” she asked. “No way, I can bake them!” I replied. To which she declared (truthfully, if I’m being honest) that I haven’t baked muffins in SO long!

I took the hint and got to work on creating my own bakery-style muffin recipe! These guys pass the vibe check (are kids still saying that these days? Who knows). They are *perfect* to make on a chilly day when you want something sweet or to wow your family with for breakfast.

Looking for other delicious popular grocery store items that you can make yourself? You’ve got to try these sourdough oatmeal cream pies and sourdough pop-tarts!

This recipe makes 10 large muffins. I used active sourdough starter in mine, simply because that’s what I had readily available, but it doesn’t require active starter. The baking powder and baking soda act as the leaveners in this recipe, so use up some extra sourdough discard if you have it lying around.

Looking for other muffin recipes? Check these out!

Another closeup of the vanilla bean sourdough discard muffins with the crumble topping and sweet vanilla bean icing. The liner is removed from this muffin.

Ingredients

all-purpose flour – bread flour also works
baking powder – We use more baking powder in these muffins to give them their beautiful rise.
baking soda
salt
melted butter – I use salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
granulated sugar
eggs – room temperature eggs work best for fluffy, light muffins.
full-fat Greek yogurt – again, use room temperature Greek yogurt. Make sure it is full-fat. You can substitute the Greek yogurt for full-fat sour cream instead.
buttermilk – room temperature buttermilk here. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make it easily by following this post on how to make buttermilk.
sourdough discard or active sourdough starter – The leaveners in the recipe are baking soda and baking powder, so we don’t rely on the sourdough to be active. You can use sourdough discard or active starter interchangeably.
vanilla bean paste – the flavor of the vanilla bean paste is what makes these muffins vanilla bean-flavored! No vanilla extract is used in this recipe.

For the crumble topping:

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
melted salted butter
vanilla bean paste

For the vanilla bean icing:

powdered sugar
heavy cream
vanilla bean paste

Six vanilla bean sourdough muffins with crumble topping and vanilla bean icing sit on a wooden platter.

Step-By-Step Instructions

A glass mixing bowl sits with the dry ingredients needed for the sourdough vanilla bean muffins.

Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners, and for tall bakery-style muffins, place liners in every other cup so the muffins have plenty of space to rise.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

A glass mixing bowl sits with a whisk it in it. It holds the wet ingredients for the sourdough discard vanilla bean muffins.

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until smooth and glossy. Add in the eggs, whisking until fully combined. Next, stir in the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, vanilla bean paste, and sourdough discard until everything is well blended.

The vanilla bean sourdough discard muffin batter sits in a glass mixing bowl.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, folding gently with a spatula. The batter will be thick—this is exactly what you want. Be careful not to overmix.

A small bowl holds the crumble topping for the sourdough vanilla bean muffins.

To make the crumble topping, stir together flour, sugar, melted butter, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a small bowl. Use a fork to mix until crumbly.

A muffin tin holds the cupcake batter and crumble. The pan has every other hole filled and the cupcakes have liners.

Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling each one all the way to the top. Sprinkle a generous layer of crumble topping over each muffin.

The baked sourdough vanilla bean muffins with crumble topping sit in the muffin tin.

Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 425°F. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The vanilla bean icing sits in a small bowl.

Let the muffins cool completely. While they cool, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste to make the icing.

The baked muffins have cooled and have been iced with the vanilla bean icing.

Once the muffins are cool, drizzle the icing over the tops and enjoy!

Equipment Needed

Mixing bowls (large, medium, small)
Whisk & spatula
Standard or jumbo muffin pan
Paper muffin liners
Measuring cups & spoons
Cooling rack

Tips for Making the BEST Sourdough Vanilla Bean Muffins

Fill muffin liners to the very top. This is key for achieving that tall, bakery-style muffin look. Don’t be afraid to mound the batter.
Use every other muffin cavity. Leaving space between muffins helps them rise high without crowding each other.
Start with a hot oven. Baking at 425°F for the first 10 minutes gives the muffins a quick lift. Lowering the temperature ensures they bake through without drying out.
Keep the batter thick. A thick batter creates a sturdier structure, which supports the crumble topping and tall rise.
Don’t overmix. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can make muffins tough instead of tender.
Cool completely before icing. If the muffins are warm, the icing will melt and soak into the crumble instead of drizzling beautifully on top.

A sourdough vanilla bean muffin is split open in half so you can see the tender crumb. There are two other muffins in the background.

Storage

Room Temperature: Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: Keep in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Freezer: Wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and add icing after thawing if freezing without glaze.

These vanilla bean sourdough muffins are JUMBO, bakery-style muffins that are topped with a crumble topping and vanilla bean icing. My kids absolutely devoured them as an afternoon snack and for breakfast the next morning! If you make them, please let me know what you think of the recipe.

Sourdough Discard Vanilla Bean Muffins with Crumble Topping

Ingredients

Step-By-Step Instructions

Equipment Needed

Tips for Making the BEST Sourdough Vanilla Bean Muffins

Storage