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    Home » Sourdough

    Best Banana Sourdough Muffins [with 20 flavor variation ideas]

    Published: Jun 10, 2021 · Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Banana sourdough muffins are such a delicious and easy way to use sourdough discard or even active starter..

    This is possibly the most versatile sourdough muffin recipe ever - with 20 incredibly easy flavor variations to try!

    From sourdough banana nut muffins to zucchini and even white chocolate banana. There's a sourdough banana muffin for every taste!

    These banana sourdough muffins will not only use up 200g of your sourdough discard, they also give you a way to use up those overripe bananas on your kitchen counter. And reducing food waste is a always a win!

    This easy sourdough discard banana bread is also a great way to use up overripe bananas and sourdough discard, as are these sourdough banana waffles and sourdough banana fritters.

    Banana sourdough muffins with sugar glaze

    How to Make Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Like most sourdough muffin recipes, these are really easy to put together. A great quick snack that you can have ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for those hungry tummies after school - or just to have on hand in the freezer!

    Make sure you check out all the variations for these easy sourdough muffins with banana.

    1. Preheat your oven.
    2. Mash the bananas with a fork until they form a puree (a few lumps is find).
    3. Mix the sourdough starter, eggs, oil, banana puree and vanilla together in a bowl. Make sure you mix them together really well and that the eggs are well beaten.
    4. Mix the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a separate bowl.
    5. Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
    6. Use a spatula and mix them until they are just combined – do not over mix!!
    7. Spoon the muffin batter into a greased 12 hole muffin tin.
    8. Bake until golden.
    Process of mixing the liquid ingredients and the dry ingredients for sourdough banana muffins.
    Mixing the liquid ingredients separate to the dry ingredients and then combining them is the secret to good good muffins. You should only just combine the liquid and dry ingredients - it's ok to have small clumps of flour in the mixture.

    How To Use Sourdough Discard In Baking

    Sourdough discard is the portion of sourdough starter that you remove before you feed your starter. The discard process is essential to creating a thriving sourdough starter.

    Discard can be used in baking where it replaces a portion of the flour and water (or other liquids) that would normally be used.

    Depending on the discard recipe you are baking, you don't want to use discard that is too old - as it will more than likely impart a very sour flavor to your baking. You really just want a tangy flavor - you know, the one you love in sourdough bread.

    Sourdough discard is great to use in making crackers, cakes and of course muffins. You can even use it to make bread!

    Sourdough discard can be used in so many creative ways in your kitchen!

    Flavor Variation Ideas for Banana Sourdough Muffins

    While these easy banana sourdough muffins are perfect in their simplicity, sometimes it's nice to mix things up a bit!

    Here are 20 ideas for flavors to add to these sourdough muffins with banana.

    Remember that the dry ingredients need to be mixed together first, before pouring in the liquid ingredients.

    And you can always mix and match some of these ideas too! Creativity is the key!

    • Banana Coconut Muffins - Add 100g of shredded coconut or dessicated coconut to the dry ingredients. You can also sprinkle some coconut on top of the muffins before baking for a toasted coconut treat!
    • Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins - Add 100g of milk chocolate chips to the dry ingredients for a chocolatey treat. You could serve these sourdough muffins with a dollop of chocolate spread on top for an indulgent treat!
    Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Banana Pecan Muffins - Try adding 100g of pecans to the dry ingredients. It's up to you whether you chop the pecans or add them whole.
    • Honey & Cinnamon - These are great for breakfast. Add 40g of honey to the liquid ingredients and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients before combining them together. Adding some nuts to this combination is always delicious.
    • White Chocolate - add 100g of white chocolate chips to the mixture. For an even sweeter treat, drizzle cooled muffins with melted white chocolate. If you love adding white chocolate to recipes - you might also like to add white chocolate to these lemon sourdough muffins.
    • Blueberry Banana Sourdough Muffins - Add 100g of frozen blueberries to the dry ingredients. If you prefer, you could also use dried blueberries (they are much like adding raisins).
    • Caramel Drizzle Muffins - While the sourdough banana muffins are cooling, drizzle caramel sauce over the top. I love using the Bonne Maman Caramel in a jar - it's soooooo thick and delicious!
    • Almond Crunch - top your muffins with some slivered almonds before popping them in the oven. You could also add a powdered sugar glaze once they've cooled down. The glaze will stick to the almonds and add some extra sweetness. For these ones I added 50g of powdered sugar together with 20g of lemon juice (you could also just use water).
    • Cranberry - add 100g of dried cranberries to your dry ingredients.
    • Peanut Butter - add 100g of peanut butter chips to the batter. While the muffins are cooking, warm 50g of smooth peanut butter and add it to 50g of powdered sugar and a little water to loosen the mixture. Drizzle the peanut butter glaze over the warm banana sourdough muffins.
    • Brown Sugar & Walnut Muffins - Before putting the muffins in the oven, sprinkle a few handfuls of chopped walnuts and some brown sugar onto each of the muffins - yum!
    • Banana Crunch - top with crushed banana chips and then drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze for some extra sweetness.
    • Pineapple Banana Muffins - Add 100g of drained canned pineapple pieces for a delicious tropical twist on your sourdough banana muffins. Add the drained pieces to the dry ingredients and make sure they're coated in the flour before you add the liquid.
    • Cocoa Powder - 20g of cocoa powder added to the dry ingredients will turn these into chocolate banana muffins. You could even add some chocolate chips as an extra treat.
    • Walnut & Honey - add 100g of crushed walnut and 30g of honey to the mixture before spooning into a muffin tray. For even more flavor sprinkle walnuts over the top before baking.
    • Banana Butterscotch - try adding 100g of butterscotch chips to the dry ingredients. You could also drizzle the cool muffins with butterscotch sauce for an extra sweet hit.
    • Zucchini Sourdough Muffins - if you have some zucchini you need to use up, add 100g of grated zucchini with the liquid squeezed out. The zucchini won't necessarily add any flavor, but it will add some hidden vege and make the muffins super moist.
    • Banana Nutella Muffins - before you pop the muffins in the oven, add a dollop of Nutella to the top of the muffins and swirl it in with a toothpick.
    • Date & Banana Nut Sourdough Muffins - chop 50g of dried, pitted dates and 50g of walnuts and add these to your dry ingredient mix.
    • Banana, Carrot & Raisin - try adding 100g of grated carrot with 50g of raisins to the dry ingredients mix. Serve these with sweetened cream cheese.
    Here I've added 4 different types of toppings to a basic tray of sourdough banana muffin mixture.

    Can't decide - you can always create four flavors in one tray like I have here - I've added coconut, white chocolate chips, dried blueberries and walnuts & honey. Easy to please fussy kids, right?

    Freezing & Storing Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Muffins are fantastic to freeze. They can be frozen in ziploc bags or an air tight container and defrosted at room temperature or even in the microwave.

    They will last for around 3 days if stored in a container. After a few days, I would suggest warming slightly in the microwave to freshen them up a little.

    I often make large batches of these sourdough banana muffins (and these sourdough lemon muffins) and then pop 2 or 3 into a ziploc bag and freeze. It's then easy to grab a baggie out whenever I need to send my husband with a snack ... or I need a quick easy snack on the run for myself.

    They defrost really quickly!

    Frequently Asked Questions About Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Why are my sourdough banana muffins chewy?

    A chewy or tough texture comes from over mixing the batter. This is why you must mix the liquid ingredients separately from the dry ingredients before adding them together. You need to gently fold them together until they are just combined. There is no need to vigorously stir or mix as this will give your sourdough banana muffins a tough and chewy texture.
    In fact it's perfectly ok to have some clumps of flour in the muffin mixture as this will generally get mixed in when you're putting the batter into the muffin cups.

    Why do you need oil in muffins?

    Oil gives baked goods a moist final texture. Cakes and muffins made with oil are generally taller, loftier and have a moister crumb than baked goods without oil. A light flavored oil is best - like a light vegetable oil, rice bran oil or even canola oil.

    Can you use butter instead of oil in banana muffins?

    If you wish to use butter, it's better to use a combination of butter and oil. Butter will give you a good flavor - but it's the oil that gives you the moist crumb and crunchy exterior.

    Further Reading

    If you love this banana sourdough muffin recipe, you might like to try these ideas:

    • Easiest Sourdough Discard Banana Bread
    • Sourdough Lemon Muffins
    • Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins
    • Apple & Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins
    • Sourdough Apple Cake
    Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Sourdough Banana Muffins

    Perfect in their simplicity, these easy to make banana sourdough muffins will be a family favorite. Want to mix things up? Why not try one of the 20 flavor additions suggested.
    4.67 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 Muffins
    Calories 192 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Digital Scales
    • 12 Hole Muffin Tin

    Ingredients
      

    • 200 g Sourdough Starter Discard or Active Starter
    • 150 g All Purpose Flour
    • 50 g Almond Meal can substitute extra 50g of AP flour
    • 200 g Banana mashed (2 medium bananas)
    • 100 g Sugar caster sugar or can use brown sugar
    • 2 Eggs
    • 6 g Baking Powder (1 tsp)
    • 80 g Vegetable Oil Light flavor
    • 5 g Vanilla Extract
    • 5 g Salt (1 tsp)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 180C/350F and grease a 12 hole muffin tin with butter.
    • Mash bananas in a bowl. You want it to be fairly squishy - but a few chunks is fine.
    • Mix the sourdough starter, 2 eggs, vanilla extract and oil in a bowl. Whisk together until well combined. It's ok if the oil sits on the top, it will combine once it is poured into the dry ingredients.
    • Stir the mashed banana through the liquid ingredients.
    • In a separate bowl mix together all purpose flour, salt, almond meal, baking powder and sugar.
    • Now pour the liquid ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together until just mixed - don't over mix or the muffins will be tough.
    • Spoon mixture into greased muffin tin. This recipe will fill a 12 hole muffin (each hole around ¾ full).
    • Bake at 180C/350F for approximately 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

    Notes

     
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 226mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 48IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Sourdough Discard
    Tried this recipe?Share your creation with us @ThePantryMama or tag #thepantrymama!

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    Comments

    1. Anne Veno

      August 02, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I think this is the best discard and banana recipe. I love the options for add ins. This time I used toffee bits but am looking forward to trying coconut, nuts and blueberries. I would also try some rhubarb in these. They are addictive!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate! I’m the face behind The Pantry Mama and I want to help you bake delicious sourdough bread, no matter what your schedule. 
    When I’m not baking sourdough, I love to hang out with my three boys on our farm, tend to my jungle of indoor plants and drink good coffee.

    More about me →

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