Mini Sourdough Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Muffins
These miniature sourdough pumpkin muffins are dipped in melted chocolate and covered in nuts. The final touch is a skinny pretzel stick inserted in the middle to make them look like little acorns! This recipe is both delicious and adorable. These mini pumpkin muffins can be made long-fermented (overnight method) or the day you plan to eat them. They are a good recipe for using your sourdough discard but fresh starter can also be used.
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Miniature acorn-shaped sourdough pumpkins dipped in chocolate and then crushed nuts are a perfect snack food. The pretzel stick really makes them look like acorns and also makes for easy grabbing and chocolate-free hands.
And if you’re looking for more sourdough discard desserts, try my oatmeal pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin pancakes too.
You can find more fall recipes in the Thanksgiving section on my blog. Two seasonal favorites are my smoked turkey and old-fashioned fresh apple cake.
Ingredients
- sourdough discard (or starter)
- all-purpose flour
- canned pumpkin puree
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar, packed
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- butter, melted
- egg
- vanilla extract
- chocolate melting wafers
- pecans, crushed (or walnuts or hazelnuts etc.)
- chocolate sprinkles
- gold sprinkles
- skinny pretzel sticks, halved
See recipe card for quantities.
Chocolate Melting Wafers
The quality of your chocolate matters here, so buy something you would enjoy eating on its own. These are the brands I recommend.
Guittard, Organic 74% Chocolate Baking Wafers
GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate Flavored Melting Wafers
Callebaut Belgian Dark Couverture Chocolate Semisweet Callets
Ghirardelli Melting Chocolate Wafers Variety Pack with Dark, White, & Milk Chocolates
To melt them, follow the instructions on the package.
Equipment
Miniature muffin liners (optional)
Instructions
For the overnight long-fermented method (preferred)
You will mix your all-purpose flour with your sourdough discard or starter. Cover and place in a warm spot in your kitchen.
Then when you’re ready to bake the next morning:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. As the oven preheats, grease your 24-cup mini muffin pan with plenty of butter (or line the pan with muffin liners) and set aside.
In a medium bowl fully mix in the pumpkin puree, both the white and brown sugars, the melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, salt and the spices. An electric hand mixer is best but not necessary.
2. To the bowl where your flour/sourdough discard mixture fermented overnight, add in the pumpkin mixture you just made. Stir and combine. A wooden spoon or silicone spatula is best for this step.
Do not over mix or you will get tough muffins. Just make sure everything is mostly incorporated. A few lumps are fine.
Finally stir in the baking powder as the last step.
3. Add the batter into the greased pan evenly among the cups, approximately 1 tablespoon scoop in each cup.
4. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the muffins onto a wire rack for cooling.
5. Now is a good time to set up small bowls with the pecans and sprinkles for easy rolling of the muffins after you dip them in chocolate.
6. While the cooked muffins are cooling, use a small bowl to melt the chocolate wafers per the instructions on the bag.
7. When muffins are cool to the touch, dip the muffin tops in the melted chocolate.
8. Immediately dip the muffins into the toppings.
9. Insert a pretzel stick (halved) into the top of each muffin, just enough to make
it stand on its own.
10. Repeat with remaining muffins.
For the day-of method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. As the oven preheats, grease your 24-cup mini muffin pan with plenty of butter (or line the pan with muffin liners) and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
- In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.
- To the large bowl of dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients. Do not over mix.
- Add the batter into the pan evenly among the cups, approximately 1 tbsp scoop in each cup. Bake for 12 – 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Set up your bowls of toppings and melt your chocolate according to the instructions on the bag.
- When muffins are cool to the touch, dip the muffin tops one by one in the melted chocolate and carefully roll in the toppings to cover the melted chocolate with your choice of the nuts and sprinkles. Insert a pretzel stick (halved) into the top of each muffin, just enough to make it stand on its own.
- Repeat with remaining muffins.
Substitutions & Variations
You can use milk, dark, or even white chocolate wafers (or all three) to dip your muffins into.
You can use whatever nuts you have and love on hand. My favorite combination is actually milk chocolate and hazelnuts.
Sprinkles or toasted coconut is another great addition. So is traditional cream cheese frosting.
Storage
These muffins are easily stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Do not reheat for too long or they will turn rubbery.
If they are dipped in chocolate they should not be reheated but just allowed to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
You can freeze muffins too. Freeze in single layer on baking sheet and then store in heavy duty freezer bag.
These muffins are best if frozen without the melted chocolate and other toppings.
Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Recipes
Keto Pumpkin Cookies {Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free}
The BEST Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Mini Sourdough Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- Miniature Muffin liners (Optional)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sourdough starter or discard
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 ounces chocolate melting wafers
- ½ cup pecans, crushed
- ½ cup chocolate sprinkles
- ½ cup gold sprinkles
- Skinny pretzel sticks halved
Instructions
- For Overnight Long-Fermented Method (Preferred)
You will mix your all-purpose flour with your sourdough discard or starter. Cover and place in a warm spot in your kitchen.Then when you're ready to bake the next morning:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. As the oven preheats, grease your 24-cup mini muffin pan with plenty of butter (or line the pan with muffin liners) and set aside. In a medium bowl fully mix in the pumpkin puree, both the white and brown sugars, the melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, salt and the spices. An electric hand mixer is best but not necessary.
- To the bowl where your flour/sourdough discard mixture fermented overnight, add in the pumpkin mixture you just made. Stir and combine. A wooden spoon or silicone spatula is best for this step. Do not over mix or you will get tough muffins. Just make sure everything is mostly incorporated. A few lumps are fine. Finally stir in the baking powder as the last step.
- Add the batter into the greased pan evenly among the cups, approximately 1 tablespoon scoop in each cup.
- Bake for 12 – 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the muffins onto a wire rack for cooling.
- Now is a good time to set up small bowls with the pecans and sprinkles for easy rolling of the muffins after you dip them in chocolate.
- While the cooked muffins are cooling, use a small bowl to melt the chocolate wafers per the instructions on the bag.
- When muffins are cool to the touch, dip the muffin tops in the melted chocolate.
- Immediately dip the muffins into the toppings.
- Insert a pretzel stick (halved) into the top of each muffin, just enough to make it stand on its own. Repeat with all muffins.
For Day-Of Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. As the oven preheats, grease your 24-cup mini muffin pan with plenty of butter (or line the pan with muffin liners) and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
- In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.
- To the large bowl of dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients. Do not over mix.
- Add the batter into the pan evenly among the cups, approximately 1 tablespoon scoop in each cup. Bake for 12 – 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Set up your bowls of toppings and melt your chocolate according to the instructions on the bag.
- When muffins are cool to the touch, dip the muffin tops one by one in the melted chocolate and carefully roll in the toppings to cover the melted chocolate with your choice of the nuts and sprinkles.
- Insert a pretzel stick (halved) into the top of each muffin, just enough to make it stand on its own.
- Repeat with remaining muffins.
