Easy Sourdough Banana Muffins (Overnight Discard Method)

These Easy Sourdough Banana Muffins are a perfect way to use up your sourdough discard while making something delicious.

With the overnight discard method, these muffins are fully fermented and easy to make. Plus, they’re a fantastic recipe that your kids will love helping to make in the kitchen!

Moist, soft, and filled with the natural sweetness of bananas, these banana sourdough muffins will quickly become a family favorite.

Ingredients for Easy Sourdough Banana Muffins

Makes 13 standard muffins (a baker’s dozen)

• For the overnight sponge (preferment)
  • ​150 grams (1/2 cup and 2 T.) water
  • 100 grams (1/3 cup) Sourdough discard
  • 250 grams (1 and 2/3 cups) All-purpose flour*
• For the banana muffins
  • 25g (2 T.) oil (I use melted coconut oil**
  • 28g (2 T.) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 3 grams (3/4 t.) Baking soda
  • 3 grams (1/2 t.) Salt
  • 2 ripe medium to large bananas, mashed (very ripe or overripe bananas have the best flavor and texture)
  • 7 grams (1 t.) Cinnamon
  • 1 gram (1/4 t.) Freshly ground nutmeg***
  • 50g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
  • 5 grams (1 t.) Vanilla extract
• optional: Brown Sugar Streusel
  • 17 grams (1 and 1/2 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 45 grams (3 tablespoons) Brown Sugar

Ingredient Notes: *You can substitute all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour if preferred, but using a mix of both gives a better texture.

**If using coconut oil or melted butter, ensure it cools to room temperature (no more than 80°F) before adding it to the batter. Avocado oil is a good substitute for coconut oil.

***Freshly ground nutmeg tastes a lot better than pre-ground. To get the best flavor, use whole nutmeg and a grater. But if ground is all you have or you prefer to skip this ingredient, that’s okay too!

You can make smaller muffins or extra large muffins if you use a different muffin tin, but the baking time and recipe yield will be different.

Recommended Tools for Sourdough Banana Muffins

• 12-cup Muffin pan (2 needed, unless you fill the cups very full)
• Parchment muffin liners
• Cake tester
• Spatula
• Nutmeg grinder (for extra fresh nutmeg)
• Silicone Oven Mitts
• Cooling Rack

See the full list of my recommended essentials here:  Amazon idea list of Tools All Bakers Need (see affiliate disclosure)

Why These Muffins Are Better Than Other Banana Muffins

You’ll find two types of sourdough discard recipes: direct discard recipes (which use discard straight from the starter) and sponge-based recipes (which involve fermenting the discard with flour and water before adding the rest of the ingredients). Here’s why this overnight discard sponge method makes these muffins stand out:

• Fully Fermented for Better Digestibility: The overnight sponge method allows the flour and sourdough discard to ferment overnight, enhancing the flavor and making these muffins easier to digest.
• More Flavor: The long fermentation process brings out a deep, tangy flavor that other banana muffin recipes lack.
• Safer to Eat: With the eggs added right before baking, you don’t have to worry about food safety concerns from long resting times.
• Easier to Make in Large Batches: The sponge method makes it simpler to scale up the recipe, so you can bake more muffins at once!
• Crunchy Streusel option: This recipe has the option for a brown sugar streusel or leave it off. Both versions are delicious!

Why Use Sourdough Discard?

If you’ve been discarding your sourdough starter, why not put it to good use? Sourdough discard helps add flavor and texture to your muffins, and using it in recipes like these reduces food waste!

The fermentation process also makes these muffins more digestible compared to regular banana muffins.

Bonus: Sourdough discard muffins tend to have a lighter texture, even with all the richness of the banana.

What Is a Sponge?

A sponge is a mixture of flour, water, and a leavening agent (in this case, sourdough discard) that ferments before you add the rest of the ingredients. It’s the first step to making sourdough banana muffins and helps to develop flavor.

For these banana muffins, mix the flour, water, and sourdough starter discard the night before. Let it ferment overnight, and by morning, you’ll have a fluffy, airy sponge ready for the rest of the ingredients.

This helps keep the texture of the muffins light and fluffy when using sourdough discard, which can make recipes heavier when not used properly.

How to Make the Overnight Sponge

1. In a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, combine water, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and sourdough discard to create the overnight sponge. Use the paddle attachment or a large spoon to mix it together.
2. Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap, a shower cap, or a plate and let it sit at room temperature for 6–12 hours (overnight works great).

By morning, your sponge will be bubbly and ready for the other ingredients of the sourdough muffin recipe!

Preparing the Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

Once the sponge is ready, it’s time to finish the batter:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. If using coconut oil and/or melted butter, make sure it has cooled to room temperature.
3. Mash bananas well. Stir the spices, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and the egg into the mashed bananas.
4. Add the mashed banana mixture and brown sugar to the sponge. Stir well to break up the sponge and fully combine the ingredients.
5. Mix in the oil or butter until fully incorporated.

Tip: Make sure to mix at the bottom of the bowl, especially for large batches to make sure that all the sponge becomes infused with the banana mixture.

Optional Streusel for Sourdough Banana Muffins

If you want these banana muffins to have the best oven spring possible with high domes and don’t want the added sweetness, you can skip this step.

However, if you like the idea of subtle caramelized texture of butter and brown sugar on top of your muffins, you’ll want to make this delicious streusel! (It also appears in my most share recipe Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread Fall Sourdough Recipe)

In a separate bowl, use a fork to combine the soft butter and brown sugar until it becomes a crumbly, sandy texture. Set aside to top the muffins before they go into the oven.

Baking the Sourdough Banana Muffins

1. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners or grease the muffin cups lightly.
2. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop to fill the cups with muffin batter. Fill each cup about 2/3 full (3/4 full will create a nice dome top).
3. optional: Sprinkle on a teaspoon or two of streusel on the tops of the muffins.
4. Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops of the muffins should be golden brown.
5. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Your Sourdough Banana Muffins

Allow your muffins to cool completely before storing them. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to a week.

For longer storage, you can freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply warm them in the microwave for 10–20 seconds or in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5–7 minutes.

For more help with freezing sourdough baked goods, see this post: How to Freeze Sourdough Bread, Scones, & More (Easy & Fast)

Variations and Add-Ins for Sourdough Banana Muffins

Want to mix things up? Or try making incredible Sourdough Banana Nut Muffins or Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins? Try these variations:

• Add-ins: Stir in chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans for extra flavor and texture. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mix-in ingredients
• Toppings: Sprinkle extra chopped nuts or the streusel topping before baking for an extra crunch.

Nuts, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and/or chocolate are excellent complements to banana flavor.

Enjoy Your Muffins!

Making these Easy Sourdough Banana Muffins is a great way to use your extra sourdough discard while creating a delicious treat for the whole family.

They come together so easily and its perfect for making a big batch of delicious muffins when you’re left with a whole bunch of brown bananas.

I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as we do!

Please share this recipe with your friends, and if you make it, comment here tag me on Instagram @livingbreadbaker

It really means a lot when I hear from people who are enjoying my recipes in real life.

More Sourdough Muffin Recipes

• Easy Overnight Sourdough Muffins MASTER Recipe
• Easy Overnight Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread Muffins

Need more sourdough help?

Don’t let sourdough overwhelm you—get the guidance you need to bake with confidence! Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to simplify your routine, I’ve got you covered.

• Just starting out? Download my free Quick Start Sourdough Guide to master the key terms and understand the basics of maintaining your starter and using sourdough discard.
• Ready to start making sourdough bread? My Intro. to Sourdough course will walk you through every stage with step-by-step video tutorials, perfect for anyone wanting to build a solid sourdough foundation and you can take it for just $27
• Short on time? The Once-a-Week No Knead Sourdough online course is designed for busy bakers and overwhelmed sourdough beginners! Make one batch of dough to create bread, pizza, bagels, and more throughout the week, without the hassle of daily baking.
• Need help planning your bakes? Check out my Sourdough Time Planning Workbook, perfect for new or experienced bakers! It includes 8 ready-to-use templates for classic sourdough breads and enriched doughs, plus a baking journal to help you track your bakes and work with baker’s percentages.

Thousands of bakers have already transformed their sourdough skills with my tutorials and resources. I’d love to help you make amazing sourdough (without the stress)!

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

Easy sourdough for beginners

What is Sourdough Discard?

What is a sourdough starter?

How much does a cup of sourdough starter weigh? (Active vs. Discard)

The Best Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers Recipe (my most shared!)

The Best Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (Discard Sponge Method)

Soft, Fluffy Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies

The Best Tender Sweet Sourdough Discard Scones (Shortcake)

How to Make No Knead Sourdough, The Easy Way

Easy No Knead Sourdough Bagels

Pumpkin Spice Scones made with Sourdough Discard

Easy Overnight Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Spice Country Bread (Boule) Recipe​

Skillet Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Boules

Sourdough Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Cardamom Knots)

Easy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft and Fluffy)

Shop this post

Food scale

Parchment baking sheets

Loaf Pan

Celebrate with Bread Baking book

FREE Sourdough Quick Start Guide

My Intro. to Sourdough online course

My sourdough starter

Breadtopia live starter

Cultures for Health starter

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Print Recipe

Easy Sourdough Banana Muffins (Overnight Discard Method)

Makes 13 standard muffins (a baker's dozen)

Servings: 13 muffins

Author: Jenny Prior

Ingredients

For the overnight sponge (preferment)

• 150 grams water ½ cup and 2 T.
• 100 grams Sourdough discard ⅓ cup
• 250 grams All-purpose flour* 1 ⅔ cups

For the banana muffins

• 25 g oil (I use melted coconut oil** 2 T.
• 28 g unsalted butter, melted 2 T.
• 1 egg
• 3 grams Baking soda 3/4 t.
• 3 grams Salt 1/2 t.
• 2 ripe medium to large bananas mashed (very ripe or overripe bananas have the best flavor and texture)
• 7 grams Cinnamon 1 t.
• 1 gram Freshly ground nutmeg*** ¼ t.
• 50 g brown sugar ¼ cup
• 5 grams Vanilla extract 1 t.

optional: Brown Sugar Streusel

• 17 grams Unsalted Butter, softened 1 ½ tablespoons
• 45 grams Brown Sugar 3 tablespoons

Instructions

• In a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, combine water, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and sourdough discard to create the overnight sponge. Use the paddle attachment or a large spoon to mix it together.
• Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap, a shower cap, or a plate and let it sit at room temperature for 6–12 hours (overnight works great).
• Once the sponge is ready, it’s time to finish the batter:
• Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
• If using coconut oil and/or melted butter, make sure it has cooled to room temperature.
• Mash bananas well. Stir the spices, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and the egg into the mashed bananas.
• Add the mashed banana mixture and brown sugar to the sponge. Stir well to break up the sponge and fully combine the ingredients.
• Mix in the oil or butter until fully incorporated.
• Tip: Make sure to mix at the bottom of the bowl, especially for large batches to make sure that all the sponge becomes infused with the banana mixture.
• Optional Streusel for Sourdough Banana Muffins: In a separate bowl, use a fork to combine the soft butter and brown sugar until it becomes a crumbly, sandy texture. Set aside to top the muffins before they go into the oven.
• Line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners or grease the muffin cups lightly.
• Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop to fill the cups with muffin batter. Fill each cup about 2/3 full (3/4 full will create a nice dome top).
• optional: Sprinkle on a teaspoon or two of streusel on the tops of the muffins.
• Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops of the muffins should be golden brown.
• Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

*You can substitute all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour if preferred, but using a mix of both gives a better texture.
**If using coconut oil or melted butter, ensure it cools to room temperature (no more than 80°F) before adding it to the batter. Avocado oil is a good substitute for coconut oil.
***Freshly ground nutmeg tastes a lot better than pre-ground. To get the best flavor, use whole nutmeg and a grater. But if ground is all you have or you prefer to skip this ingredient, that's okay too!
You can make smaller muffins or extra large muffins if you use a different muffin tin, but the baking time and recipe yield will be different.