Sourdough Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

a mandatory summer recipe

when i think of summer, i think of Sunday mornings in the backseat of my parents car - windows down, Motown blasting throughout the speakers; little brother to my left and the California coastline to my right.

most Sundays we would drive down to a bakery in Carlsbad called Pannikin; it’s a long-standing outpost right on the side of the highway serving coffee and pastries. upon arrival, my parents would make me and my brother grab open adirondack chairs while they waited in line for breakfast. i would run up to the pastry case and pick out the fattest muffin with the most crumbles and walk it back to my chair on the grassy hill. beside me, my mom's oversized coffee mug perched on the armrest and it only took a few seconds before i broke off a piece of the muffin and dipped it into the coffee. each bite was a blend of moist crumb and the bittersweet tang of coffee, creating a moment of peace under the summer sun.

it’s blueberry season and that means we must use blueberries NOW (it is, in fact, urgent!) and there’s absolutely no better vehicle for a blueberry than in a muffin. i’ve said it once, but i really feel like blueberry muffins are mandatory this time of year. this recipe is made with sourdough starter discard (because i know there’s WAY too many of us feeding our starter weekly and not doing anything with it), but included below are a few alternatives if you’re baking without it. i hope you enjoy this recipe - i think it has all of the sweetest elements of summer baked into a muffin, and i love it.

i’ve started baking exclusively with a baking scale as i find it reduces the mess and makes measurements so much more accurate. linked my favorite one for you!

Sourdough Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

ingredients