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Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

these fluffy, tender, hearty, good-for-you muffins are your favorite chocolate chip muffins ELEVATED. The sourdough, buttermilk and sour cream give amazing tang that balances beautifully with the vanilla, chocolate and chunky sugar topping!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats rolled or old fashioned, not quick-cooking*
  • 1 cup buttermilk or sub whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp. sour cream or sub plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter active and recently fed
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips mini or regular
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil vegetable, canola, etc.
  • 1 Lg egg beaten
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour unbleached and organic, if possible
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. bi-carb aka baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. cardamom or sub nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract not imitation*
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F/180C.
  • Mix starter, sugar, buttermilk and oats. Allow to soak for 10-15 min.
  • Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, bi-carb, salt and spices.
  • Add 1 large egg and neutral oil to the soaked oat mixture.
  • Combine the flour mixture into the wet mixture.
  • Fold in mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  • Scoop into greased muffin tins with an ice cream scoop.
  • Top with coarse sparkling sugar.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing onto cooling rack.

Notes

*I like to use vanilla paste in baked goods and I did that here. But, vanilla extract is just as good as long as you use the real kind and not the imitation stuff. I have a whole post about the differences between real and imitation vanilla and I even show you how to make your own from scratch! Definitely check that out if you aren't yet convinced as to why you should give up the imitation stuff. If for nothing else, think of the FLAVOR, man!
**Mix together the starter, sugar and buttermilk with the oats and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, if possible. If you skip this step, the muffins will still be delicious but have a bit more texture. The soaking process breaks down the oats slightly, which allows them to almost disappear into the batter. 
The type of oats doesn't really matter as long as they are not the quick-cooking/instant kind. I typically buy rolled or old fashioned oats. Steel cut oats are a bit thicker and take longer to break down so if you use this kind just soak for an additional 10-15 min.