Pear chocolate chip sourdough muffins

These pear chocolate chip sourdough muffins combine a delicious combination of flavors. The soft fruit, chocolate, sweetness and a little tang from sourdough all work so well together. And they're easy to make, too.

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I used to make sourdough now and then a while back but all too often, it has fallen by the wayside and I've had to abandon my starter. I told myself when we moved, though, I would get back into it. So I got a starter going not too long after we got here.

Little did I know that it would become all the rage with the changing events. 

While I do like making bread relatively often, I was also keen to explore other uses for sourdough starter since I assume we weren't the only people who didn't necessarily need a loaf all the time.

Plus, I do sometimes find the timeline for making then enjoying a loaf doesn't always work out for us. 

You may have already seen my sourdough pancakes and sourdough cinnamon rolls, both of which we loved. I was keen to try sourdough in muffins and have played around with additions. Having landed on this combination, I knew I had to share as this worked so incredibly well.

Using sourdough starter in baked goods

Don't think of your sourdough starter just as a leavening agent, it can also add flavor to baked goods that have another raising agent. Just as the starter adds a lovely slightly sour flavor to bread, it can add an extra depth and slight sourness to other things.

Really, the options are pretty much endless in terms of what you can add it to. As long as there is both flour and some liquid, you can swap in some starter.

Exactly how much can vary, so it can be a little trial and error, but a good place to start is around a ½ cup of starter for a medium-sized recipe, as I have used here. 

Assuming your starter is 100% hydration (so you have been adding the same weight of both water and flour), then you can use it to replace roughly equal amounts of both flour and liquid from a recipe.

So if you add in ½ cup of sourdough starter, you can reduce the flour by about ¼ cup and the liquid by ¼ cup (roughly speaking). 

You can use both an active and less active sourdough discard as well. If the starter os more active, it will add more list to whatever you add it to. If it's not active, you may need a little extra leavening agent (baking soda, baking powder or yeast) to compensate. But again, it depends a little what you are making.

Making sourdough muffins

Here, the sourdough is really just for flavor and so you don't need to worry too much whether the starter is active or not. It also means you don't have to wait around for anything to rise, so these come together quickly. 

They follow the typical formula for muffins:

• Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl.
• Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl (as well as the sugar).
• Add them together, along with the add-ins, in this case chunks of pear and chocolate.

The pear should be ripe but still firm for these. That way, the chunks add a nice sweetness but don't become mush.

I've topped these with a little cinnamon sugar to give a nice extra little burst of sweetness, flavor and crunch on the top, just as I have on my rhubarb muffins. You could add a streusel topping if you prefer but this is easier and still works really well. Another easy option would be some chopped nuts as in these banana nut muffins. Or drizzle on a simple frosting like these lemon poppy seed muffins.

Will leftover muffins keep?

If you have leftover muffins, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. I'd recommend warming them slightly before eating - just around 10-20 seconds in the microwave is plenty, or warm in a low oven.

These pear chocolate chip sourdough muffins are easy to make, with a delicious combination of flavors. They have sweetness, a slight tang and wonderfully gooey chunks of chocolate. Both a great way to put your starter to use in a different way and a tasty treat with a cup of coffee or tea.

Try these other tasty sweet treats:

• Mini lemon almond flour muffins
• Apple snack cake
• Persian love cake cupcakes
• Apple and bacon cornmeal scones
• Rhubarb muffins
• Plus get more snack recipes, both sweet and savory, in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

Try these other brunch ideas for #Brunchweek:

Beverages Recipes

• Easy Peach Frosé by Love & Confections

Bread, Grains, and Cereal Recipes

• Buttermilk Waffles by The Redhead Baker
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins by Family Around the Table
• Sourdough Belgian-Style Waffles by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Strawberry Scones by Kate's Recipe Box
• Vegan Anise French Toast by Happily Curated Chaos

Savory Recipes

• Bacon, Brie & Asparagus Quiche by Sweet Beginnings
• Breakfast Tostadas by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Carolina Shrimp And Grits by Nik Snacks
• Everything Breakfast Pizza by The Spiffy Cookie

Dessert Recipes

• Keto Macarons by Keto Basic AF
• Lemon Macarons Recipe by April Golightly
• Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Sprinkle Biscotti by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

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