These Sourdough Orange Creamsicle Muffins are filled with juicy bits of orange and are dotted with cream white chocolate chips.
This muffin is so quick and easy to mix together. You don't even need a mixer.
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These bright citrus muffins are a great pick me up on a cold dark winter day.
If you have a sourdough starter then you will probably also have an endless supply of sourdough discard. If makes a great addition to a variety of baked goods, such as these Sourdough Waffles or this Sourdough Flatbread.
Here are a few more sourdough muffin recipes I'm sure you will love: Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Sourdough Discard Raspberry Muffins, Cranberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Muffins, Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, and Orange Cranberry Sourdough Muffins.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need are a few simple ingredients to make these Homemade Orange Creamsicle Sourdough Muffins.
Muffins
All-Purpose Flour: No special flours are needed for these cookies. All-purpose flour is perfect. For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.
Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup.
Corn Starch: Adding cornstarch to muffins reduces gluten formation and gives them a lighter softer texture.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Oranges: After zesting the oranges you will need to supreme them. To supreme an orange, you will need to cut away the peel and pith separating the orange into segments.
Sourdough Discard: Don't worry your muffins won't be sour. This is plenty of sugar to eliminate the sourdough flavor. Bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before adding it to the recipe. It will be easier to incorporate. Active starter or sourdough discard can be used for this recipe.
Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.
Oil: Because oil remains a liquid at room temperature it helps to create a moist muffin. Use either canola or vegetable oil.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk reacts with baking soda to help the muffins rise. If you do not have buttermilk you can use regular milk and stir in one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until it curdles.
Orange Glaze
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar will easily whisk together with the orange juice. Don't use granulated sugar. If you do the icing will be grity.
Orange: For a stronger orange flavor, you can use the zest as well as orange juice.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Loaf Pans: Muffins and quickbreads are very similar and can often be baked in a loaf pan instead of a muffin pan.
- Pour the batter into the 2 greased 9x5 loaf pans and bake at 350°F for 60 to 65 minutes. The Orange Creamsicle bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Jumbo or Mini Muffins:
- For mini muffins, bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. Yields about 48 mini muffins.
- For jumbo-size muffins baked at 425°F for 5 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Yields about 12 jumbo muffins.
Oranges: I used naval oranges to make these muffins but you could also use cara cara or blood oranges. These muffins would be equally delicious if you used grapefruit as well.
Sourdough Discard: If you don't have sourdough discard, you can easily substitute the same amount of sour cream, yogurt, or unsweetened applesauce.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk reacts with baking soda to help the muffins rise. If you do not have buttermilk you can use regular milk and stir in one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until it curdles.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Move the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease two standard 12-count muffin pans with nonstick spray or line them with muffin papers. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until well combined. (Image 1)
Step 3: In a separate bowl, add the granulated sugar and the zest from both oranges. Massage and pinch to zest into the sugar. (Image 2)
Tip: Massaging the zest into the sugar helps to release the orange oils.
Step 4: Slice off the top and bottom of the oranges. (Image 3)
Step 5: Stand the oranges up with the cut side down. Starting at the top of an orange, slice the peel away following the curve of the orange. Continue slicing all the way around the orange. (Image 4)
Tip: When supreming an orange, use a sharp knife, slice slowly, and never force the knife. Your fingers and knife are working closely together and this is the best way to avoid an accident.
Step 6: Slice alongside the internal membranes to remove each segment of orange. Repeat the supreming process with the second orange. (Image 5)
Step 7: Slice the orange segments into smaller pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Whisk to coat them with flour. (Image 6)
Step 9: Add the sourdough discard, neutral oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl containing the sugar and orange zest. Mix until smooth. (Image 7)
Step 10: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and and add the white chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. (Image 8)
Tip: Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing can incorporate too much air causing the muffins to rise quickly and then fall in the center as they bake. Overmixing can also create tough muffins.
Step 11: Divide the muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups filling nearly to the top. (Image 9)
Tips: Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion the cupcake batter into the muffin pans.
Step 12: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue to bake for 13 to 16 minutes until the tops are golden brown. (Image 10)
Tip: Starting the muffins at a higher temperature will boost the rise giving you a taller muffin top.
Tip: Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, the muffins are done. For ways to check the muffin's doness read this post: How to Tell Banana Bread is Done.
Step 13: Allow the muffins to cool for several minutes in the muffin pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (Image 11)
Step 14: Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and salt until smooth. (Image 12)
Step 15: Drizzle the icing over the muffins. You can either use a spoon to drizzle the icing or spoon it into a plastic zip-top and cut the corner off the bag to drizzle the icing across the muffins. (Image 13)
Frequently Asked Questions
Muffins can be baked with or without liners. If baked with liners they will have a softer outside texture. Muffins baked without liners will be slightly crispier and darker on the outside.
I couldn't find jumbo muffin liners at my local store, so I bought these muffin liners from Amazon.
To get a tall muffin, start baking your muffins at a higher temperature then after about five minutes lower the temperature.
I start my muffins at 425°F and then lower the temperature to 350°F. Starting at a higher temperature gives the baking soda and baking powder a nice boost of heat that encourages leavening.
It also allows the outside of the muffin to set quickly giving the inside the structure it needs to keep rising.
These muffins will stay moist for a couple of days when stored at room temperature. Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top bag. Thaw muffins at room temperature.
I recommend freezing them before adding the icing.
Muffins made with oil, which is a liquid at room-temperature, are more moist than muffins made with butter. Plenty of eggs and buttermilk also help to keep these muffins moist.
Expert Tips
- Muffins bake best on the middle rack of the oven. Too low and the bottoms will burn, too high and the tops will brown too quickly.
- Make sure the orange pieces are coated with the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients. This will ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter and they won't sink to the bottom.
- When zesting an orange, you only want to use the outer orange layer, not the bitter white pith.
- When supreming an orange, use a sharp knife, slice slowly, and never force the knife. Your fingers and knife are working closely together and this is the best way to avoid an accident.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing will create too much gluten causing your muffins to be tough.
- Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion the cupcake batter into the muffin pans.
- Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, the muffins are done. For ways to check the muffin's doness read this post: How to Tell Banana Bread is Done.
- Add additional orange zest to the icing for a stronger orange flavor.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Thanks for Reading!
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📖 Recipe
Orange Creamsicle Sourdough Muffins
Equipment
- muffin liners
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
Orange Sourdough Muffins
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large oranges
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ⅔ cup neutral oil canola or vegetable
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Orange Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ cup orange juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Sourdough Orange Creamsicle Muffins
- Move the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease two muffin pans with nonstick spray or line them with muffin papers. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and the zest from 2 large oranges. Massage and pinch to zest into the sugar.
- Slice off the top and bottom of the oranges. Stand the oranges up with the cut side down. Starting at the top of an orange, slice the peel away following the curve of the orange. Continue slicing all the way around the orange. Slice alongside the internal membranes to remove each segment of orange. Repeat the supreming process with the second orange.
- Slice the orange segments into smaller pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Whisk to coat them with flour.
- Add the 1 cup sourdough discard, ⅔ cup neutral oil, ½ cup buttermilk, 3 large eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanillato the bowl containing the sugar and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and and add the white chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups filling nearly to the top.
- Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue to bake for 13 to 16 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
- Allow the muffins to cool for several minutes in the muffin pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Orange Icing
- Whisk together the 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ⅛ cup orange juice, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt until smooth.
- Drizzle the icing over the muffins. You can either use a spoon to drizzle the icing or spoon it into a plastic zip-top and cut the corner off the bag to drizzle the icing across the muffins.
Notes
-
- Muffins bake best on the middle rack of the oven. Too low and the bottoms will burn, too high and the tops will brown too quickly.
-
- Make sure the orange pieces are coated with the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients. This will ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter and they won't sink to the bottom.
-
- When zesting an orange, you only want to use the outer orange layer, not the bitter white pith.
- When supreming an orange, use a sharp knife, slice slowly, and never force the knife. Your fingers and knife are working closely together and this is the best way to avoid an accident.
-
- Don’t over-mix the batter. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing will create too much gluten causing your muffins to be tough.
-
- Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion the cupcake batter into the muffin pans.
- Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- Add additional orange zest to the icing for a stronger orange flavor.
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