Raspberry Sourdough Muffins (Overnight Batter)
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My go-to muffin recipe: soft, tender raspberry sourdough muffins with a sky-high rise, made from an overnight batter that bakes up beautifully in the morning using either active starter or discard.
This is the muffin recipe I come back to again and again. It’s easy to prep the night before, and the long rest gives them that rich, balanced flavor and fluffy texture I love. Whether you’re using active starter or just want to use up some discard, they turn out tender, golden, and totally worth it.
If you’re looking for more breakfast ideas that make mornings easier, I also love this quick and easy 6-egg sourdough Dutch baby pancake—it bakes up fast and packs in the protein. Or, if you need something totally grab-and-go, try these chewy sourdough granola bars or healthy banana sourdough breakfast cookies made with discard, nut butter, and chia. You can also browse all of my sourdough breakfast recipes here.
I use active sourdough starter for the health benefits of fermentation, but they bake up wonderfully with discard, too.
Why You Should Save This Sourdough Muffin Recipe
- Tall, bakery-style rise from the overnight fermented batter
- Perfect for sourdough bakers—use active starter or discard
- Bright raspberry + lemon combo makes every bite pop
- Kid-approved and freezer-friendly
- Customize with streusel or icing depending on the occasion
- From-scratch flavor without morning prep stress
Ingredients That Work Hard for You
This recipe uses pantry basics, but the method brings them to life:
- Baker’s sugar (caster sugar) – An ultrafine granulated cane sugar that dissolves easily and absorbs lemon zest beautifully. Regular granulated sugar works too if that’s what you have on hand.
- Lemon zest – Rubbed into the sugar to infuse it with bright, citrusy flavor before being added to the batter
- Sourdough starter – Active starter gives the best fermentation benefits and rise, but discard works beautifully too
- Raspberries – Fresh is ideal, but frozen or even freeze-dried raspberries will work in a pinch
- Olive + avocado oil – I like to use a blend for the perfect balance. The olive oil adds a lovely depth of flavor that really sets these muffins apart—far from your average bland muffin. Any neutral liquid oil will work if that’s what you have on hand
- Flour, eggs, milk, baking powder + soda, salt – Your classic muffin base ingredients. This recipe uses double-acting baking powder for a taller, more reliable rise, and a touch of baking soda for extra lift
- Optional streusel or glaze – Add bakery-style flair with a crunchy topping or sweet drizzle
How to Make Raspberry Sourdough Muffins
Start by zesting your lemon directly into the sugar. This releases the lemon’s oils and infuses the sugar with bright, citrusy flavor. In another bowl, mix the eggs, milk, olive oil, and sourdough starter. Whisk until everything is well combined.
Next, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder right into the bowl of wet ingredients. This helps aerate the dry ingredients and ensures even distribution. Gently whisk everything together just until no streaks of flour remain. Don’t overmix—we want a light, tender crumb.
Cover the bowl and let the batter rest in the fridge overnight. This resting time gives the sourdough starter a chance to work, adding subtle flavor and helping the muffins rise tall in the oven.
In the morning, take the chilled batter out and sprinkle the baking soda evenly over the top. Use your fingers to lightly dust it across the surface rather than dumping it in one spot. Then gently fold it into the batter until just incorporated.
Add your raspberries—torn into smaller bits for better distribution—and fold them in carefully so the berries don’t bleed into the batter too much.
Scoop the batter into your prepared muffin tin, filling the cups almost to the top. If you’d like, sprinkle a pinch of baker’s sugar over each muffin for a crackly top. (This is also a great job for little helpers!)
Top with streusel, if using. It adds a buttery crunch that pairs beautifully with the tart raspberries.
Bake in a convection oven at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. If using a regular oven, preheat to 425°F, then reduce to 350°F after the first 5 minutes to encourage a higher rise.
Let muffins cool for a few minutes before serving. These are best enjoyed warm, with a little butter or just as they are.
Storage & Freezing:
These muffins are best enjoyed warm the day they’re baked, but they also store and freeze beautifully.
- Room temperature: Store in a covered container for 2–3 days.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, freeze muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temp or warm in the toaster oven or microwave for 10–15 seconds for a quick breakfast or snack.
Top Tips for Perfect Raspberry Sourdough Muffins
1. Don’t Overmix the Batter
For a light, airy crumb, stop mixing just before you feel like you should. A few streaks of flour are fine—overmixing can develop gluten, which leads to flat or dense muffins.
2. Use Double-Acting Baking Powder
This recipe calls for double-acting baking powder, which lifts the batter twice: once when mixed, and again in the oven. It’s perfect for an overnight batter. Regular baking powder will still work, but the rise might not be quite as tall.
3. Add Baking Soda Right Before Baking
Baking soda reacts as soon as it touches moisture, so wait until just before baking to stir it in. That little boost gives your muffins extra height and a tender crumb.
4. Tear Raspberries Into Smaller Pieces
Tearing the raspberries into smaller bits helps them distribute more evenly throughout the batter. It makes for a better bite—you get little bursts of fruit in every muffin, instead of a few big ones buried here or there. If using frozen berries, keep them frozen to prevent the batter from turning streaky pink or purple.
5. Pay Attention If Your Toddler Helps 😉
Let’s just say… one of our muffins got an extra generous helping of sugar thanks to a very enthusiastic toddler. (See exhibit A below.) Surprisingly, it still baked up just fine—and honestly, it might’ve been the favorite. Real life isn’t always picture-perfect, and neither are we.
FAQ
Yes, and you’ll still get those beautiful domed muffin tops. You just may not get as much of the digestive benefit that comes from fermentation with active starter.
Yes! This recipe is very flexible. Try:
—Orange zest and chocolate chips for a cozy twist
—White chocolate chips with raspberries for an extra-sweet combo
—Blueberries if raspberries aren’t available
—Lime zest and coconut flakes for a tropical variation
—Blackberry and a pinch of ground clove for a warm, slightly spiced option
Absolutely. Just don’t thaw them first—keeping them frozen prevents the berries from thawing and turning the batter an odd color.
It’s highly recommended! The overnight rest improves the muffin’s rise and flavor. But if you’re short on time, a 1-hour chill will still help.
You’ll know that the muffins are getting close to being done when the tops begin to brown and turn golden. The crust color is a good indication of doneness, but you can also check by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin, and if the toothpick comes out mostly clean with just a few small crumbs, it is done.
Thank you so much for stopping by my kitchen today. I hope this overnight muffin recipe brings as much warmth and simplicity to your home as it has to ours. If you give it a try and it works well for you, I’d be so grateful if you left a 5-star rating on the recipe card—it really helps more families find this recipe and supports my work here. Happy baking!
Raspberry Sourdough Muffins (Overnight Batter)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Zester or fine grater
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- Muffin tin + paper liners or spray
Ingredients
- 1 cup ultra fine baker's sugar (caster sugar) or granulated sugar – 216g
- zest of 1 lemon 1 to 2 teaspoons of zest
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk 220g
- 1/4 cup olive oil 55g
- 3/4 cup avocado oil or any neutral flavored liquid oil – 165g
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter active is best for fermentation, but discard works too – 130g
- 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour 362g
- 2 teaspoons double acting baking powder regular will work too
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Next Day, or Right Before Bake Time
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, torn into smaller pieces or frozen raspberries
Optional Streusel Topping
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour 40g
- 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter salted works too
Optional Icing Drizzle
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Infuse the sugar with lemon zest. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Stir together until the sugar is fragrant and slightly moist. Set aside to allow the lemon flavor to infuse.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil. (I like to use a mix of olive oil and avocado oil—fill a measuring cup with olive oil up to the ¼ cup mark, then top off with avocado oil until it reaches 1 cup total.) Add the sourdough starter and whisk until the mixture is fully combined and smooth.
- Add the lemon sugar. Stir the lemon-infused sugar into the wet mixture and whisk until incorporated.
- Sift and mix the dry ingredients. Sift in half of the flour and whisk gently. Then sift in the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined—do not overmix, as that can create a tough muffin texture.
- Rest the batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the batter overnight (or at least 1 hour). This resting period improves rise and texture. You can bake right away if needed, but chilling is recommended for best results.
- Preheat and prepare pans. When ready to bake, preheat your oven:350°F (175°C) for a convection or fan-assisted oven425°F (218°C) for a conventional oven (you’ll reduce the temperature partway through baking). Line your muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- Add baking soda and raspberries. Sprinkle the baking soda evenly over the chilled batter and gently fold it in. Tear the raspberries into halves or quarters and gently fold them into the batter, being careful not to crush them too much.
- Fill and top the muffins. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup nearly to the top (leave about ¼ inch of space). If using streusel topping, sprinkle it generously over each muffin.
- BakeConvection oven: Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.Regular oven: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes.
- Cool and serve. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm! These are best the day they’re made but can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
- Optional icing. If icing the muffins, wait until they are completely cool. Then drizzle the icing over the tops using a fork or spoon.
Notes
Combine the dry streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork until the mixture resembles wet sand. That’s it—it’s ready to sprinkle! How to Make the Icing:
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth. Use a whisk to lift some icing and let it drizzle back into the bowl—it should take about 3–4 seconds to fall and briefly leave a ribbon before disappearing.
- Too thick? Add more cream or milk, a teaspoon at a time.
-
Too thin? Add more confectioners’ sugar, a teaspoon at a time.
The goal is a thick, drizzleable icing that holds pretty ribbon lines on the muffins.
Nutrition
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