Is your sourdough discard jar full and you don’t know what to do with it? Look no further than these soft and moist sourdough discard banana muffins. Packed with flavor, these sourdough banana muffins are a must-try recipe! They are soft, moist, and full of banana flavor. The subtle tang from the sourdough discard adds complexity to every bite. If you have never baked with sourdough discard this is the perfect recipe to start! And I am very confident, that these will be the best sourdough banana muffins you’ll ever make!

Baking Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

If you’ve never used sourdough discard in baking, it can seem intimidating at first but it’s actually quite simple. Using a 100% hydration starter is usually more convenient because you know that half is water and the other half is flour. With this, you can customize any recipe you want as long as you replace moisture elements (like egg whites, milk, water…) for the corresponding amount of discard.

Another thing to keep in mind is that sourdough discard is acidic, even more so if you use an old one. The acidity can affect the texture of your baked goods, for cakes and cake-like things, the acidity is actually helpful because it can help soften the baked goods.

Why Choose Sourdough Discard for Banana Muffins?

Sourdough discard banana muffins are, in my opinion, the best muffins. And I am always trying to make them better. For me, better means soft and moist with a great flavor and aroma profile.

Baking with sourdough discard not only helps reduce food waste but also adds flavor and texture to your muffins and can increase their shelf life. You can use the leftover sourdough you have after making your weekly loaf, or some old discard that’s been in your fridge for a few weeks. Older, and thus sourer, sourdough discard might produce less sweet muffins because part of the sourness is neutralized by the sugars in the recipe. But the texture will still be great and you can always add more sugar if you want your sourdough discard banana muffins sweeter.

How Sourdough Discard Affects Muffins

The acidity of sourdough discard helps break down the proteins in flour, making the crumb more tender and creating a moist texture in your muffins. It also reacts with leavening agents like baking soda, which gives your muffins a nice lift, making them fluffy and light.

While the tangy flavor of sourdough is very subtle in these muffins, it adds a depth that complements and balances out the sweet bananas. That’s what makes these sourdough discard banana muffins a delicious blend of flavors, creating a balanced and complex taste that sets them apart from traditional banana muffins.

Benefits of using Sourdough Discard in Banana Muffins

Using sourdough discard in baking comes with several benefits. Since sourdough is a fermented product, it can aid in digestion and offer a lower glycemic index compared to traditional baked goods. This makes sourdough discard banana muffins a better alternative to regular banana muffins. Plus, it’s a great way to add more nutrients to your diet, such as B vitamins, thanks to the fermentation process. You can try other recipes like these sourdough blueberry muffins or this sourdough chocolate and orange bundt cake

Ingredients for Moist and Soft Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

One of the key features of these muffins is how incredibly moist and soft they turn out. This is largely thanks to the unique combination of ingredients. Instead of using milk and butter, this recipe calls for buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and oil. Here is why these ingredients make all the difference:

1. Buttermilk

The acidity of the buttermilk also helps tenderize the muffins by hindering the formation of too-long gluten chains. It also reacts with baking soda, creating tiny air bubbles that will make these sourdough banana muffins fluffier. In essence, the acidity of buttermilk reinforces the effect of the acidity of the sourdough discard.

2. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt and adds a rich creaminess to the batter. It locks in moisture, keeping these sourdough discard banana muffins tender and moist for longer.

3. Vegetable Oil

The absence of water in oil allows it to coat the flour particles more uniformly and lock in the moisture and preventing these sourdough discard banana muffins from drying out. Oil can also coat the gluten proteins and limit gluten development yielding a much softer texture than butter-based recipes. You can use any oil of your choice that is liquid at room temperature; avocado oil is a good neutral oil, but if you want to give your banana muffins an extra kick you can use olive oil or a mixture.

These ingredients ensure you get the moistest and softest sourdough banana muffins you’ve ever tasted. Whether you’re baking these muffins or other recipes, these ingredients will always help you elevate your muffins.

Role of Overripe Bananas in Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

When it comes to banana muffins, overripe bananas are a must. The ripening process of bananas brings significant chemical changes that enhance the flavor, sweetness, and texture of your sourdough banana muffins.

Chemical Changes in Overripe Bananas

As bananas ripen, the starches in the fruit break down into sugars. This conversion makes overripe bananas much sweeter and softer compared to green or just-ripe bananas. The sugar content in an overripe banana can be up to 80% higher than in an unripe one, contributing to the overall sweetness of your banana sourdough discard muffins without the need for extra sugar.

Overripe bananas are also softer, which means they integrate more easily into the muffin batter. This creates a smooth, cohesive batter that bakes into a uniformly moist sourdough banana muffin.

What if I don’t have overripe bananas?

If you don’t have overripe bananas you can bake the bananas you have for a few minutes at a low temperature, but personally, I don’t like this method, I prefer to let my bananas ripe naturally. So to ensure that I always have overripe bananas, I just let a bunch go very ripe and then peel and freeze them and collect every overripe banana that nobody would want to eat. I always keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer, in our house not a single banana goes to waste!

Frozen bananas can be used for many things such as smoothies, banana bread, oatmeal, or even homemade ice cream! Next time your bananas get too ripe, don’t throw them away. Keep them in the freezer and enjoy them later in these delicious sourdough banana muffins!

How to get tall sourdough discard banana muffins

Achieving tall, bakery-style muffins with a beautiful domed top can be tricky, but it’s all about the technique. Here are my tips for getting your sourdough banana muffins (or any kind of muffin) to rise tall and look professional.

Let the Batter Rest Overnight

Letting your batter rest in the fridge overnight is a game-changer. This rest period allows the flour to fully hydrate and gives the baking soda and baking powder time to activate. It also thickens the batter, which means the muffins will rise more evenly and reach new heights when baked.

Fill the Muffin Cups

To get tall sourdough banana muffins, don’t be afraid to fill your muffin cups almost to the top. Many muffin recipes suggest filling them ⅔ of the way, but for tall muffins, you want the batter to have more volume. Especially if you are not letting the batter rest overnight in the fridge.

Bake at a High Temperature Initially

Start baking your muffins at a high temperature (around 425°F/220°C) for the first 5–10 minutes. The temperature contrast will give the batter a quick burst of heat, helping the muffins rise rapidly. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F/180°C to finish baking. This also works with cold batter.

If you’re short on time, feel free to use cold ingredients. The batter will be chilly, but starting with a higher temperature for the first few minutes will help your sourdough discard banana muffins rise taller.

I baked these banana muffins in a jumbo-size pan but you can use any baking pan you have. Just be mindful of the baking time; smaller muffins will bake faster.

These tips will help you achieve tall, bakery-worthy muffins, whether you’re making these sourdough muffins overnight or a fresh batch of blueberry sourdough muffins. So, grab those overripe bananas, pull out your sourdough discard, and get baking!

If you liked this recipe…

You might enjoy these:

Chocolate & orange sourdough discard bundt cake

Sourdough blueberry muffins

Sourdough chocolate banana bread

Sourdough Spanish style muffins

If you make any of my recipes let me know what you think! As always you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I also have a few videos up on my YouTube channel (which I hope I can resume soon!)

Starting on breadmaking but don’t know where to start? Check my Amazon store to see my favorite and affordable utensils you will need. You can make the best bread with simple and inexpensive tools!

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