Sourdough Popovers in a Muffin Tin

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Easy Sourdough Discard Recipe: You only need 1/2 cup of sourdough discard which makes this a great recipe for after you feed your sourdough starter.
• No Special Equipment Needed: You can bake these right in a regular muffin pan. No specialty popover pan required.
• Crispy Outside, Chewy Inside: The texture of these popovers is different than classic popovers but that's what makes them so delicious! They are a little more chewy and springy than the airy popovers you've had before--perfect for soaking up butter and jam.

Ingredients

• Sourdough Starter: I used leftover sourdough discard that had been in my fridge for over a week. Every time I feed my starter, I store the discard in a large jar or tub and just keep it for baking later.
• All-Purpose Flour
• Milk: I used 2% because it is what I keep on hand in the fridge. You could use fat-free or whole milk if you prefer.
• Eggs
• Table Salt

Notes on Sourdough Starter

I keep sourdough starter discard in my fridge for baking all kinds of recipes.

In this instance, I used it straight from the fridge, still cold.

You could also use room temperature starter right after a feeding or even active starter if you have extra you want to use up.

This is a very forgiving sourdough recipe, the sourdough starter is used for that flavorful tang but it is not doing the work of rising the dough.

Prepare the Batter

When working with sourdough discard, I always use my food scale for accuracy. I find it tricky to measure with cups and get the same amount every time since the texture of the starter can be so different from day to day.

I mixed up the batter in a large mixing bowl so you could see the steps more easily, but I would recommend mixing it in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup with a spout because it is easier to pour into the muffin tin later. You'll have plenty of room.

Place the batter bowl or extra-large measuring cup on the food scale and set the measurement to grams.

Measure the sourdough starter. Then add the eggs and salt.

Measure the milk into a microwave-safe cup and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds or until it just warm to the touch.

Pour the milk in with the eggs and starter and whisk everything together until smooth.

Add the all-purpose flour and stir. The batter will be very thin but have several small lumps. Do not over mix it.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F with a muffin tin on the center rack. You want the muffin tin piping hot before you add the batter.

Spray the tin with cooking spray and then pour the batter into 6 wells, leaving an empty well between each popover so they have room for puffing up.

This is how I spaced my popovers:

Return the pan to the oven and bake the popovers for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 12 - 15 minutes or until they are a gorgeous golden brown.

Make Ahead Tips

Popovers are truly best served fresh, straight out of the oven. This recipe is so easy, there's just not a lot to do to prep them ahead.

Leftover popovers can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the microwave or gently in an air fryer if you want to keep that crispy exterior texture in tact.

How to Double the Recipe

If six popovers is not enough, you can double the recipe by making twice the amount of batter.

Then use two 12-well muffin tins to bake them. You really need to leave that extra empty space in between each well or the popovers could rise and bump into each other.

Variations

• Herb Popovers: Add a teaspoon of your favorite herbs like dried thyme, rosemary, or even a sprinkle of garlic powder for a more savory option.
• Cheesy Popovers: Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese to the batter.
• Zested Popovers: Add fresh grated lemon or orange zest to the batter.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh baked sourdough popovers are one of the most elegant dinner roll recipes you could bake for a fancy holiday dinner but they take a little bit of strategy so that you can serve them fresh.

It would work best if your main dish doesn't require the oven so that you can preheat the muffin tins and bake the popovers just before everyone sits down to dinner.

For that reason alone, I personally prefer to bake them as a special treat for a regular family dinner when I'm serving a cozy soup instead. The holidays have enough stress!

In just 5 minutes I can have the batter stirred up and then pop them in the oven to serve fresh. The soup can simmer away and keep well while the popovers bake.

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More Sourdough Discard Recipes

Are you just getting started with sourdough? Here are some of my favorite sourdough discard recipes for you:

Sourdough Focaccia

Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

Sourdough Discard Crackers

Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping