Sourdough Banana Muffins Recipe (Soft, Tender, and Moist)

My Sourdough Banana Muffins are soft, tender, and naturally sweet with a hint of tang from extra sourdough discard. Made with overripe bananas, melted butter, and vanilla extract, they are a great way to turn leftover sourdough starter discard into a quick breakfast or grab-and-go snack the whole family will love.

This sourdough banana muffin recipe is one of my favorite sourdough discard recipes because it comes together fast in a single large bowl with no mixer needed. If you love banana bakes, try my Sourdough Banana Bread or my Sourdough Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins for more sourdough discard banana muffins.

Quick Look: Sourdough Banana Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rest Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: ~245 kcal per muffin (based on nutrition panel)
Cook Method: Baked
Flavor Profile: Soft, tender, and naturally sweet with ripe bananas and a subtle tang from sourdough discard. Perfect plain or with chocolate chips and walnuts folded in!
Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix with no special equipment needed, and ready in just 50 minutes!

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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Banana Muffins Recipe

Soft, tender, and incredibly moist: Ripe bananas, melted butter, and sourdough starter discard keep these banana sourdough muffins moist all the way through. Even the edges stay just as soft as the center of a muffin, so every bite feels right. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Quick to mix with no mixer needed: The batter comes together in one large bowl with a whisk. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, fold together, and bake. You can also cold-ferment the muffin batter overnight for 8-12 hours to deepen the flavor, just like my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins.
Customizable with your favorite mix-ins: Fold in mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a dash of cinnamon without affecting the soft, tender crumb. Keep total mix-ins to about 1/2 cup so the muffins stay light and bake evenly. This keeps the foundation of the recipe intact while letting you personalize each batch.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

ingredients for making sourdough banana muffins

Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Sourdough Discard: For sweeter recipes like these sourdough muffins, I like to use 1–2-day-old discard. You can use active sourdough starter, just measure the same amount in grams.
Unsalted Butter: I tested this recipe with 75g (⅓ cup) of avocado oil versus 113g (½ cup) of butter, and the muffins made with butter were more tender, less gummy, and stayed just as moist. If using salted butter, reduce the salt in this recipe by 1 gram (¼ teaspoon).
Bananas: Spotted, brown bananas are best because they bring natural sweetness and plenty of moisture. You can use fresh or frozen bananas. If frozen, thaw first. For underripe bananas, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until soft and brown, then let them cool to room temperature before using.
Mix-ins: These muffins are great on their own with a little butter, but you can fold in mini chocolate chips, nuts, or a dash of cinnamon. Keep total mix-ins to about ½ cup to maintain the soft, tender crumb and have fun customizing each batch. You can mix in different flavors on a whim while keeping the foundation of the recipe intact.
Sugar: This helps balance the natural sweetness of the bananas and gives the muffins a lightly golden top. You could use white sugar, dark brown sugar, or a mix of both to add a little extra flavor depth while keeping the crumb tender and moist.
Baking Soda: Provides lift so the muffins rise nicely while keeping the crumb tender. It also reacts with the sourdough discard to create a subtle, light texture.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness of the bananas and sugar. It also strengthens the structure of the muffins, helping them hold together while staying soft.
Eggs: Whisked with the wet ingredients, eggs provide richness and help hold the muffins together. They also add moisture and contribute to the tender crumb.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle depth of flavor that complements the bananas naturally. It also rounds out the sweetness and gives the muffins a comforting, homey aroma.

How to Make Sourdough Banana Muffins

First, preheat the oven to 425°F, then line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, mashed bananas, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth.

mixed wet and dry ingredients to make a batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until there are just a few streaks of flour left. With a rubber spatula, fold in any mix-ins until all the flour is incorporated. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

Long Fermentation Tip

To long ferment this muffin batter, cover and place in the fridge to cold-ferment overnight, then bake as usual the following morning. Fermented dough tastes great, and the same can be said of fermented muffin butter.

poured muffin batter into the muffin pan

Once the batter has rested, scoop about 100 grams (5 tablespoons) into each muffin liner. The muffin cups will be very full, which helps create the most perfect muffin tops.

Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 14–16 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Keep the muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

McKenna’s Helpful Tips

Use spotted, brown bananas for the best results. The riper the banana, the more natural sweetness and moisture it brings to the batter. If your bananas are not ripe enough, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 minutes until soft. I use the same tip for my Sourdough Banana Bread.
For sweeter bakes like these sourdough banana muffins, I prefer to use 1 to 2 day old sourdough discard. Fresher discard keeps the tang subtle and lets the banana flavor shine. You can also use active sourdough starter in the same amount by weight. I follow the same approach for my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Do not over-mix once the wet ingredients meet the dry ingredients. Mix until there are just a few streaks of flour left, then fold in any mix-ins. Over-mixing leads to dry muffins with a dense crumb. I use the same gentle folding technique for my Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
Start baking at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350F for the remaining time. The initial burst of high heat helps create tall, golden brown muffin tops. Fill each muffin cups very full (about 100 grams) for the most perfect dome. I use the same technique for my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins.
These muffins freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a preheated oven at 300F for 5 to 7 minutes. For another freezer-friendly muffin, try my Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

How to Store

Store these muffins in a simple airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.

If you want to keep them longer, wrap each muffin individually in plastic and freeze. Warm frozen muffins in the microwave for 20–30 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes before serving. Avoid refrigerating, as they dry out too quickly.

Sourdough Banana Muffins FAQs

Can I use older sourdough discard that is a few weeks old for these Sourdough Banana Muffins?

You can definitely still use it, but for sweet recipes like these sourdough banana muffins, I prefer to use fresher discard that is 1 to 2 days old. Older discard will be more tangy, which works better in savory recipes like crackers. If your discard is several weeks old, I would opt to use it for something like my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins where the chocolate helps balance the tang, or feed it first and then bake.

Can I replace the sugar with maple syrup in this Sourdough Banana Muffins Recipe?

Yes, maple syrup is a delicious swap. Use about 1/2 cup of maple syrup in place of the sugar and the muffins will still turn out perfectly moist with just the right amount of sweetness. You may also enjoy coconut sugar or dark brown sugar as alternatives for a deeper flavor.

Can I use frozen bananas for these Sourdough Banana Muffins?

Yes. Thaw them fully first, then mash bananas before adding to the batter. Frozen bananas provide the same moisture and sweetness as fresh ones, as long as they are ripe before freezing. For another banana recipe that works with frozen fruit, try my Sourdough Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Can I substitute the butter with oil in this Sourdough Banana Muffins Recipe?

You can, but the results will be different. I tested this recipe with 75 grams of avocado oil compared to 113 grams of butter, and the muffins made with butter had better flavor, were more tender, and felt less gummy. If you do use oil, avocado oil or olive oil both work.

Do I have to use sourdough discard, or can I use active starter in these Sourdough Banana Muffins?

You can use active sourdough starter instead, using the same amount by weight. The muffins rise from baking soda, not the starter, so switching between sourdough starter discard and active starter will not change how they rise. For another recipe that works with either, try my Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins.

More Sourdough Muffin Recipes

Sourdough Cornbread Muffins Recipe (Warm Muffins Fast!)

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins {Active Starter or Discard}

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins (Easy Same-Day & Overnight Versions)

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe (Discard)

If you tried this Sourdough Banana Muffins 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!