Sourdough Apple Muffins (Sugar-Free)

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh baked goods? These sourdough apple muffins have become a family favorite. With apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and all the sourdough flavor, these overnight muffins are easy to whip up the night before and enjoy the next morning.

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It certainly feels like this recipe should have been created in the Autumn. Would it surprise you that I was inspired to create an apple sourdough muffin in May? There was something about seeing all my fruit trees blossom that made me want some sort of fruit muffin!

Although these sourdough apple muffins would be enjoyable at any time of the year, I know that they would taste especially wonderful with fresh apples picked from trees in September or October!

Why sourdough?

Although the ingredients in this recipe are similar to conventional muffins, the sourdough makes it unique. The unique thing about sourdough is that because of fermentation processes sourdough bacteria break down the phytic acid found in grains.

The bacteria in sourdough are able to break down phytic acid found in whole grains. This process makes it much easier for our body to absorb more of the minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc found in bread.

Other studies have found that sourdough does not affect blood sugar as much as conventional bread products. Simply put, sourdough is easier for our bodies to digest and use!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• FAQ
• Related
• Apple Sourdough Muffins

Ingredients

• Bubbly and active sourdough starter➡️ Learn to make your own here.
• All-purpose einkorn flour
  • You can also use whole wheat einkorn flour. You may need to adjust the water content.
• Water
  • Remember you may need to reduce the water content if you are using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Butter
• Truvia Brown Sugar
  • Truvia Brown sugar is my favorite because there is no added fruit juice.
• Gentle Sweet
• Eggs
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• 1 apple
• Chopped walnuts
  • I personally love nuts in my baked goods, however, you can leave them out if you prefer.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Make sure you let your sourdough starter ingredients ferment for at least 7 hours. This allows you to get the most benefits from the sourdough fermentation process.

Hint: If you like your muffin to poof up at the top, then fill your muffin tins almost to the top. These will rise a bit, but not a substantial amount.

Variations

This recipe is a very basic sourdough muffin recipe. If you want to vary it, you can vary it by adding different types of fruit. Here are a few ideas to get you started. If you are using frozen berries you may have a more watery muffin.

• Fresh Strawberry - Add ½ cup
• Fresh Raspberries - Add ½ cup
• Fresh Blueberries - Add ¾ cup

See my cinnamon muffin sourdough recipe here.

Equipment

You can find all my favorite kitchen products at my Amazon storefront or my Like to Know Shop.

For this recipe, you may need these items.

• Stand mixer
• Glass bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Muffin tins - this cast iron one is on my list to purchase!

Storage

These will stay good on the countertop for up to three days. They will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you would prefer to freeze them, I recommend baking them, letting them cool, individually wrapping them in plastic, and then freezing them in an air-tight container. This will keep them good for up to six months.

FAQ

How long does it take to make a sourdough starter?

About 5 days. You can read the entire process of making an einkorn sourdough starter here.

Can I use different flour besides Einkorn?

Absolutely! Just keep in mind that the water content may need to be increased on decreased depending on what type of flour you are using.

What variety of apples works best with sourdough?

Any type of apples works!

In the case of this muffin, I used Zestar apples which are crispy and tart. What makes the Zestar apple good in baked goods is that it holds its shape and texture, which not all apples do.

Other apples that are crispy, sweet, and with the ability to hold their texture, include:

Braeburn

Honeycrisp and

Pink Lady

There is really no right or wrong apple to experiment with, but do take note that there are some apples that will turn soggy in baked goods. Sometimes that's okay though! So just experiment and use whatever you prefer!

What type of sweetener can I use?
If you need a sweetener conversion chart, this one from THM is my favorite. This recipe is Trim Healthy Mama friendly and would be considered a crossover. Both Gentle Sweet and Truvia use a mixture of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia. You can learn more about using sugar-free sweeteners here.

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these: