sourdough pumpkin hickory nut muffins

Sourdough starter is good for other things besides sourdough pancakes. Since I found a banged up pie pumpkin, I figured I would try to come up with a recipe using baked pumpkin along with the starter and some foraged hickory nuts. The result was a dozen muffins.

I started with a basic sourdough pumpkin bread recipe that I found and modified it beyond recognition.

1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2 – Quarter a pie pumpkin, scooping out the seeds. You can save the seeds and roast them if you have the time.

3 – Place the quartered pumpkin skin side down in a baking pan with a quarter inch of water.

4 – Cook the pumpkin until it is soft. This usually takes about 30 minuted but will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin.

5 – When the pumpkin is finished baking, scoop the flesh from the outer skin and puree in a blender or food processor. If the pumpkin is too dry to puree, add a little bit of water to get it started. You will need only one cup of pureed pumpkin for twelve muffins. Turn the stove up to 400 degrees while you proceed with the next steps.

6 – Beat two eggs. Add one cup of sourdough starter.

7 – To this mixture add two and half cups of flour (your choice), half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of baking powder, three tablespoons of cinnamon, three quarter cup of honey and a handful of hickory nuts or whatever nuts you have available.

8 – Mix, being careful not to over blend.

9 – Pour the batter into muffin pans and let sit for twenty to thirty minutes.

10 – Bake the muffins at 400 degrees for twenty to twenty five minutes or until lightly browned. Check the muffins with a fork or toothpick. If the fork comes out clean then the muffins are done.

11 – Cool the muffins out of the pan.

Recipe wildly adapted from online resources and mostly made up as I went along…