Sourdough Discard Caramel Apple Muffins
Last Updated on July 16, 2025 by Jamie Saechao
These sourdough caramel apple muffins with streusel are bursting with the flavors of fall. These easy discard muffins taste like tart green apples and decadent homemade caramel.
These delicious sourdough apple muffins feature applesauce, vanilla, and tangy sourdough discard. They are drizzled with homemade caramel, and look just as impressive as they taste!
Sourdough discard is the flat, runny portion of flour and water that remains after your starter has used up all its “food” (fresh flour) and is hungry. Discard is perfect for adding a subtle sourdough tang to your fall treats.
Get the non-sourdough version of these apple muffins here. For more sourdough muffins: pumpkin sourdough muffins, blueberry sourdough muffins, chocolate zucchini sourdough muffins.
Recipe Tips
- You can substitute store-bought caramel for homemade to simplify the recipe.
- If making homemade caramel, keep an eye on it the entire time it cooks!
- After adding the applesauce to the wet ingredients the batter looks curdled- this is normal.
- Use a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon for making the caramel topping.
- Use discard that is anywhere from 1 day to 1 week old.
Ingredients
Muffin batter:
- Butter (at room temperature)
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Apple Sauce
- Vanilla Extract
- Sourdough discard (flat + runny)
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
Crumb topping:
- All purpose flour
- Cold butter
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
Caramel:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Heavy Cream
If you aren’t up for making homemade caramel, you can buy the sauce at the store and drizzle it over the top of the muffins.
How To Make Sourdough Discard Caramel Apple Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl on medium speed, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the applesauce and mix until combined, scraping down the sides if needed. The batter will look curdled.
Tip: you can use a stand mixer or a hand-held electric mixer for this recipe. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 2: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a bowl. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Add the discard and mix with a spatula until just combined.
Fill each muffin liners just below the top of the liner and rap the muffin tin on the counter a few times to remove bubbles.
Step 3: Crumb topping: whisk all purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Use a fork to mash in the cold butter, then pinch the butter with your fingers until a crumbled mixture with pea-sized crumbs forms. Fluff up the mixture as you go.
Step 4: Sprinkle lots of the crumb mixture on top of the muffins.
Bake the muffins for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 3-5 minutes than transfer to a wire baking rack.
How To Make Caramel Sauce
Get my full article on making 3 ingredient caramel here.
Add the sugar to a medium sized, light colored sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the sugar in the pan every 30-45 seconds until it melts and turns a deep golden brown color. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
As soon as the sugar caramelizes, turn off the heat and stir in the butter until melted, then add the cream. Whisk continuously. Remove from heat and let cool until thickened but still warm, then drizzle over the tops of the muffins.
Variations
- For extra texture and flavor chop up pecans and add them to the streusel.
- Add chopped apple chunks to the batter for delicious texture.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Freezing: wrap each muffin individually in wax paper or parchment paper. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Sourdough Discard Caramel Apple Muffins
Equipment
- 1 Stand or hand-held mixer
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 light colored stainless steel pot for the caramel
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
For Muffins
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard flat, runny
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter chopped into small pieces
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
For Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce and mix until combined.1 stick butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 cup applesauce
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the flour mixture and the sourdough discard to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Fill each muffin liners just below the top. Rap the muffin tin on the counter to remove air bubbles.2 cups all purpose flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 cup sourdough discard
Crumb Topping
- Whisk the all purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and ginger in a small bowl. Chop the cold butter into chunks and add it to the flour. Mash in the cold butter with a fork. Next, use your fingers to pinch the butter into pea sized pieces. Fluff up the mixture with your fork or fingers. Cover each muffin completely with crumb topping.1/2 cup all purpose, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup cold butter
Bake Muffins
- Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Caramel Topping
- Add the sugar to a medium sized stainless steel saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan every 30 seconds until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp salt
- Turn off heat immediately. Stir in the butter with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula until melted, then add the cream, whisking continuously. Remove from heat and let cool until thickened but still warm. Drizzle caramel sauce over each muffin.
Notes
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- Adding the applesauce to the wet ingredients will make the batter look curdled, but it’s okay!
- Use a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula for caramel.
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- Keep a close eye on the caramel as it cooks and do not leave the stove until it’s finished.
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- Do not over mix the batter! Over mixing muffins will make them tough, not tender.
