Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe Made With Sourdough Discard
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My Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread is a moist banana bread packed with all the tropical flavors of the Hawaiian islands. Sweetened with ripe bananas and crushed pineapple, this quick bread is full of crunchy macadamia nuts and chewy coconut, making it the best banana bread I have ever tasted. Using sourdough discard gives this loaf a slightly tangy taste and makes for an extra tender and delicious crumb that stays golden brown on the outside and incredibly soft on the inside.
Whenever I have a surplus of overripe bananas, I am usually in the kitchen baking up Sourdough Banana Bars or my classic Sourdough Banana Bread. This hawaiian banana bread recipe is inspired by my Maui vacation and pays tribute to Maui’s version of this tropical treat with sweet bananas, crushed pineapple, coconut flakes, and buttery macadamia nuts.
Quick Look: Sourdough Berry Crumble Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 1 loaf
- Calories: 3,564 kcal for the whole loaf (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Moist and tender with sweet ripe bananas, juicy crushed pineapple, crunchy macadamia nuts, and chewy coconut. A tropical twist on classic banana bread with a subtle sourdough tang!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix with a stand mixer and ready in just over an hour!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe
- A Tropical Treat: This moist banana bread is loaded with tropical flavors including sweet bananas, crushed pineapple, chewy coconut, and macadamia nuts. Each bite will transport you straight to the Hawaiian islands without the plane ticket. It is a great way to enjoy the taste of hawaiian bread right from your own kitchen.
- Quick and Easy Recipe: This is a one-bowl recipe that comes together quickly in a bowl of a stand mixer. Simply cream the butter and sugar, alternate adding the dry ingredients and wet ingredients, fold in the mix-ins, and bake it in a loaf pan. It makes the best banana bread with minimal cleanup. If you love simple sourdough discard recipes, try my Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Muffins for another easy favorite.
- Reduce Food Waste: This sweet bread is a great way to use up both ripe bananas and sourdough discard at the same time. Rather than tossing those brown bananas or extra starter, turn them into a loaf of moist banana bread that the whole family will love. It stays fresh the next day and freezes beautifully in an air-tight container.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sugar – I used white sugar for this recipe, but other types of sugar, such as coconut sugar or demerara sugar, can be substituted for a 1:1 ratio.
- Butter, room temperature – Brings creaminess to this tender sourdough banana bread.
- All-purpose flour – To give this sourdough banana bread some structure.
- Baking Soda – A leavening agent to help the sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread rise so that it is soft and fluffy.
- Salt – To bring balance to the sweetness of the fruit and sugar.
- Sourdough Discard – Adding sourdough discard to this recipe stales the formation of gluten in the batter, which makes for extra tender banana bread.
- Vanilla Extract – For an extra depth of flavor.
- Macadamia nuts chopped – A popular nut on the islands. It’s slightly sweet and buttery tasting with an excellent crunch.
- Ripe bananas, mashed – More ripe the banana, the better! I will often freeze my overripe bananas, that way I always have ripe bananas on hand for these delicious recipes.
- Crushed Pineapple – Using crushed pineapple gives just enough fruit in each bite without being overpowering. Be sure to drain the pineapple juice before adding it to the batter.
- Shredded coconut, sweetened – I like to use sweetened shredded coconut but feel free to substitute it with unsweetened.
How to Make Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread:
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream room-temperature butter, and sugar on medium speed. Once combined, add the eggs to the mixture, one at a time. Continue to beat on medium speed until it is light, fluffy, and pale yellow in color.
- In a separate bowl, sift the ap flour, baking soda, and salt together. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and sourdough discard to the egg mixture. Occasionally stop mixing to scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix until all the flour has been combined with the wet ingredients.
- Next, add the chopped macadamia nuts and vanilla extract. Lastly, add the mashed banana, crushed pineapple (make sure to drain the extra pineapple juice), and coconut flakes to the batter. Mix on medium until just combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the batter to a greased 9×5 loaf pan. Sprinkle with additional chopped macadamia nuts, if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
- The internal temperature of a baked banana bread loaf should be between 200-205 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Use a greased 9×5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper for the best results. This ensures your sourdough banana bread releases easily and bakes evenly to a golden brown. For another delicious quick bread baked in a loaf pan, try my Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread.
- Cream the room temperature butter and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer until light, fluffy, and pale yellow before adding the eggs. This step creates a tender crumb and ensures your hawaiian banana bread rises properly. For another recipe that uses this creaming method with sourdough discard, check out my Chewy Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies.
- The riper the bananas, the better! I like to freeze my overripe bananas so I always have ripe bananas on hand for baking. Simply peel them, place in a freezer bag, and thaw at room temperature when ready to use. For another great recipe using ripe bananas and sourdough discard, try my Sourdough Banana Muffins.
- Be sure to drain the pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple before folding it into the batter. Too much liquid will make the bread dense and prevent it from baking through. I save the pineapple juice for smoothies! For another fruity sourdough discard recipe, try my Sourdough Blueberry Buckle.
- Check the internal temperature of the bread with a thermometer. It should read between 200-205 degrees F when fully baked. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing to prevent it from falling apart. For my classic version of this recipe without the tropical mix-ins, try my Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe.
How to Store:
Store Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
This sourdough banana bread also freezes really well. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, place it in a ziplock bag, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter until brought to room temperature.
Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread FAQs
Yes! If you bake the batter in mini loaf pans, the cook time will be shorter. Every oven and pan size is a little different, but typically mini loaves take about 35-45 minutes compared to the longer bake time for a full-size loaf pan. I recommend checking the internal temperature with a thermometer to ensure the best results. For a perfectly portioned banana treat, also try my Sourdough Banana Muffins.
I use dry roasted macadamia nuts in this recipe. They have a slightly sweet and buttery flavor with an excellent crunch that pairs perfectly with the crushed pineapple and chewy coconut. You can use raw or roasted, but I find dry roasted gives the best results and the most flavor in this moist banana bread.
If your bread is falling apart, I would highly recommend using a kitchen scale to ensure all of the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are measured correctly. Too much liquid or not enough ap flour can cause structural issues. I would also double check that your baking soda is not expired, as this is the leavening agent that helps the bread hold together. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before attempting to slice. For another easy banana recipe with sourdough discard, try my Sourdough Banana Bars.
Since I am using sourdough discard rather than an active sourdough starter, it is necessary to incorporate a leavening agent in the recipe. That is where baking soda comes in. Using baking soda will help this Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread to rise and make it extra soft and tender. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.
If you tried this Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Hawaiian Sourdough Banana Bread
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 grams sugar 1 cup
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 100 grams eggs, room temperature 2 large eggs
- 230 grams all-purpose flour, sifted 1 2/3 cups
- 4 grams baking soda 3/4 teaspoon
- 2 grams salt 1/4 teaspoon
- 100 grams sourdough discard 1/3 cup
- 65 grams macadamia nuts, chopped & dry roasted 1/2 cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 250 grams mashed bananas 1 cup
- 145 grams crushed pineapple, drained 1/2 cup
- 25 grams shredded coconut, sweetened 1/4 cup
Instructions
Cream the butter:
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream room-temperature butter and sugar on medium speed.This can also be done using a hand-mixer.200 grams sugar, 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Once combined, add the eggs to the mixture, one at a time. Continue to beat on medium speed until it is light, fluffy, and pale yellow in color.100 grams eggs, room temperature
Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together.230 grams all-purpose flour, sifted, 4 grams baking soda, 2 grams salt
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and sourdough discard to the egg mixture. Occasionally stop mixing to scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix until all the flour has been combined with the wet ingredients.100 grams sourdough discard
Mix-ins:
- Lastly, add the chopped macadamia nuts, vanilla extract, mashed banana, crushed pineapple (make sure to drain the extra pineapple juice), and coconut flakes to the batter. Mix on medium until just combined.65 grams macadamia nuts, chopped & dry roasted , 250 grams mashed bananas, 145 grams crushed pineapple, drained, 25 grams shredded coconut, sweetened, 4 grams vanilla extract
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the batter to a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with additional chopped macadamia nuts on top of the batter, if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The internal temperature of a baked banana bread loaf should be between 200-205 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- This recipe is based on my classic Sourdough Banana Bread recipe.
- Store Sourdough Hawaiian Banana Bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- This sourdough banana bread also freezes really well. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, place it in a ziplock bag, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter until brought to room temperature.
This is one of the best banana bread recipes I’ve ever tasted, in spite of mine not turning out as it should. Back here for some troubleshooting, as it will definitely be made again. 🙂
Is the crushed pineapple suppose to be 145 grams before draining or after? Trying to figure out where the 1/2 cup fits in there, as either way in my case, it was more than 1/2 cup.
Also, the photos with instructions don’t match the recipe card, do you do 2 loaves with the batter in a 9×5 or the whole batter in one 8.5 x 4.5? I didn’t do the photo instructions and my 8.5 x 4.5 was filled to the top. It didn’t run over, but was definitely more than your photo in the photo instructions shows.
I baked 10 extra minutes and still didn’t have it, but the part that was done was sooooo good. So, I seriously need to figure this one out as it will be a staple in our house. Hubby raved!!
First of all, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m thrilled you and your husband loved the flavor enough to want to make it again!
For the pineapple, I’d follow the 145g measurement rather than the cup measurement, that will always be the most accurate! I must have packed my crushed pineapple pretty firmly, which is why it fits into the 1/2 cup measurement on my end.
And thank you for catching the loaf pan discrepancy! I originally made this recipe as two smaller loaves in 8.5 x 4.5-inch pans, but I later updated it to bake as one loaf in a 9×5-inch pan with a longer bake time. It sounds like your 8.5 x 4.5 pan was simply too full for the updated version, which would definitely explain the extra baking time. I’m so glad you stuck with it, and I’m honored it’s going to become a staple in your house! Hope round too is even better this time!
I’ve made this recipe three times. We live on Maui and Havana’s and pineapples growing on our property so it’s perfect. I love the combination of flavors and the texture is moist — delicious!!
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so happy this recipe has been a repeat for you and that you love the flavor combo and moist texture. Thanks for baking it (three times!) and leaving such a sweet comment.
Brava McKenna!! Your Hawaiian Sourdough Banana Bread is absolutely delicious! I don’t have to wonder what to do with bananas that have “gone over” anymore! My daughter said to tell you that, “this recipe is the bomb!”
This absolutely made my day. Thank you so much! I love that this recipe has become your go-to for overripe bananas. Thank you for baking it and taking the time to share such a kind note!
Would cook time be shorter if using mini muffin pans? Mine seemed to be cooked around the 40-45 minute mark. I made six, doubled the recipe. I’m waiting for it to cool to try it! If it tastes anything like the batter, it’s delicious 😋!
Great question! Yes — if you bake the batter in mini loaf pans, the cook time will be shorter. Every oven and pan size is a little different, but typically mini loaves take:
➡️ About 35–45 minutes
(compared to the longer bake time for full-size loaves)
It sounds like yours finishing around 40–45 minutes is exactly right!
I hope they turned out just as delicious as the batter — enjoy!
Hello – does it matter what type of macadamia nuts you use – raw, roasted, dry, salted etc?
Thanks Connie
Great question! I used dry roasted macadamia nuts. Hope you love this recipe!
This looks so yummy def going to try
We absolutely love this recipe! Hope you love it as well!
I’ve been looking for a sourdough banana bread recipe to no avail, to find this with coconut, macadamia, AND pineapple….I’m sooo excited! Making this today!
This combination is so delicious! I hope you love it too!
I baked up my first loaf yesterday and it is DELISH! I didn’t include nuts per our preference but the resulting loaf was moist, tender, and well flavored. My husband even texted that it was delicious as he enjoyed a slice with coffee at work. I will definitely make more of this very soon! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
So glad you all enjoyed it! It’s a joy to share!
I made this Hawaiian Banana discard sourdough bread once . It was soo good! But it fell apart after it was completely cooled.
I was wondering if there was something I did wrong.
Hi Lou! If you hadn’t already, I would highly recommend using a kitchen scale! This ensures that all of the ingredients are measured correctly. Second, I would double check that your baking soda isn’t expired. Hope this helps!
I had a stack of bananas needing to be baked with last night so I used this recipe with just bananas and added chocolate chips (I didn’t have the Hawaiian ingredients on hand but can’t wait to try it that way!) and it turned out amazing! So freaking good!
Thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe! It’s the perfect recipe to try again and again with different mix-in ideas.
This looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it and I love that it uses discard which I’m always looking for new ways to use!
We are one in the same! I’m always trying to look for more recipe I can incorporate my discard in. Be sure to check out my sourdough discard recipes, I’m sure you’ll find some lovely new inspiration there 🙂
This recipe is delicious! Thanks for sharing
My pleasure! 🙂
McKenna, this looks nothing short of genius. Definitely giving this one a try!!
So sweet! You’re going to love it!
This is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!