These sourdough banana nut muffins bake up moist and tender with rich banana flavor, a buttery crumb, and bakery-style domed tops. They come together quickly and work well for everyday breakfasts, snacks, or easy make-ahead baking.
I find ripe bananas start piling up on my counter or in the freezer, this is often the first muffin recipe that I reach for. It fits right in with other simple bakes like Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins and Homemade Sourdough Pop Tarts that are simple and quick to make.
And for cozy mornings, I love making these Sourdough Waffles and Pancakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist and tender – Ripe bananas and sourdough work together to create a soft crumb that stays moist without feeling heavy.
- Discard-friendly – This recipe uses sourdough discard or active starter with no special timing or fermentation required.
- Quick and easy – The batter comes together fast with simple steps, making it practical for everyday baking.
- Classic banana nut flavor – Banana stays front and center while walnuts add texture without overpowering the muffins.
- Great for snacks and make ahead – These muffins store and freeze well, making them easy to enjoy throughout the week.
Ingredients
Variations & Add-Ins
- Chocolate chip banana muffins – Swap some or all of the walnuts for chocolate chips to make the muffins a little sweeter.
- Pecan banana nut muffins – Use chopped pecans instead of walnuts for a softer bite and slightly richer flavor.
- Cinnamon sugar tops – Sprinkle the tops lightly with cinnamon sugar before baking for a simple, lightly crisp finish.
- Dairy-free option – Use melted coconut oil and dairy-free yogurt or sour cream to keep the muffins moist without dairy.
- Whole wheat option – Replace part of the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin with more structure.
Recipe Tips
Use very ripe bananas – Bananas with brown spots mash easily and provide the moisture needed for soft muffins with good banana flavor.
Toast the walnuts first – A quick toast brings out their flavor and keeps them from tasting flat once baked into the muffins.
Mix gently once flour is added – Stir just until combined to avoid overworking the batter, which can lead to dense muffins.
Start with a hot oven – Baking briefly at a higher temperature helps the muffins rise quickly and form tall, rounded tops.
Do not overbake – Check the muffins early, as banana muffins can dry out if left in the oven too long.
Let muffins cool slightly before removing – Allowing them to set for a few minutes in the pan helps prevent sticking and broken tops.
Fill the muffin liners nearly full – This encourages taller muffin tops and a bakery-style shape rather than short, flat muffins.
Use room temperature ingredients when possible – Butter, eggs, and yogurt mix more smoothly, helping the batter come together evenly.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin pan – Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a muffin tin with liners or lightly grease each well. Starting with a hot oven helps create tall, rounded muffin tops.
Step 2: Mash the bananas – In a small bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar – In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and creamy. This incorporates air and builds the base structure of the muffins.
Step 4: Add the eggs – Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated and smooth. The mixture should look slightly fluffy and cohesive.
Step 5: Add the sourdough starter and mashed bananas, yogurt, and vanilla– Mix in the sourdough discard (or active starter), then add the mashed bananas, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla extract. Stir until fully combined.
Step 6: Combine the dry ingredients and walnuts – In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the toasted walnuts so they are evenly coated in flour, which helps prevent sinking.
Step 7: Combine the wet and dry mixtures – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold just until no dry flour remains. Stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together to keep the muffins tender.
Step 8: Fill the muffin liners – Divide the batter evenly, filling each liner nearly to the top using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop for even portions.
Step 9: Add the crumble topping – Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over each muffin, gently pressing it into the batter so it adheres during baking.
Step 10: Bake with a temperature change – Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking for 14–17 minutes until set.
Step 11: Cool – Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Freezing & Storage
- Room Temperature or Refrigerator – Store cooled muffins in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to five days, noting the crumb may firm slightly when chilled.
- Freezer – Once fully cooled, freeze muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Freezing works best when muffins are wrapped well to prevent freezer burn.
- Reheating or Refreshing – Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature, then warm briefly in the microwave or a low oven. Gentle reheating restores softness without drying them out.
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Another favorite from my kitchen to yours, where the seasons guide the table, and every meal is an act of love — may this recipe become a favorite in your kitchen too.
With gratitude & love,
Emily
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If you tried this recipe and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you came back to leave a 5 “⭐️” rating. I love seeing and celebrating your beautiful creations.
Sourdough Banana Nut Muffins (discard or starter)
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Potato Masher or fork to mash the bananas
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Spatula
- 1 12 cavity muffin pan/tin
- 1 large cookie scoop to place batter into the muffin pan/tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas 225 grams
- ½ cup sourdough discard or active starter 120 grams
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted 113 grams
- ¾ cup brown sugar 150 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- ¼ cup yogurt or sour cream 60 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- ¾ teaspoon salt 4.5 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2.5 grams
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts 90 grams
Crumble
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 24 grams
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 25 grams
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces 28 grams
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 0.5 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan – Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a muffin tin with liners or lightly grease each well. Starting with a hot oven helps create tall, rounded muffin tops.
- Mash the bananas – In a small bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar – In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs – Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Add the sourdough starter, mashed bananas, yogurt, and vanilla – Mix in the sourdough discard (or active starter), then add the mashed bananas, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla extract. Stir until fully combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients and walnuts – In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the toasted walnuts so they are evenly coated.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold just until no dry flour remains.
- Fill the muffin liners – Divide the batter evenly, filling each liner nearly to the top using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop.
- Add the crumble topping – Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over each muffin, gently pressing it into the batter.
- Bake with a temperature change – Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking for 14–17 minutes until set.
- Cool – Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Emily Rider
Home miller, sourdough baker, and seasonal from-scratch cook since 1999. Here at The Modern Day Cottage, I share recipes and the comforting rhythms of cottage living to help you mill flour at home, master sourdough, and bake confidently with freshly milled grains.
Just wondering about a couple of things about this recipe:
1. Sour cream/yogurt: listed in ingredients but not in instructions.
2. Crumble: in instructions but not in ingredients.
Thanks,
Bill Kunze
Bill, thank you so much for catching that! You were absolutely right on both counts — the yogurt was missing from the instructions and the crumble topping was missing from the ingredients. I’ve updated the recipe card so everything is where it should be now. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Happy baking,
Emily