Fluffy Chocolate Chip Sourdough Banana Muffins

Once you start baking with sourdough discard it's hard to go back! It makes baked goods, like these muffins, so tender and fluffy by weakening the gluten in the flour and adding extra depth of flavor.

In my humble opinion, these sourdough banana muffins couldn't be any better! The texture is on point, they're perfectly moist, and the flavor is spot on without being overly sweet. I love to enjoy them warm with a big smear of salted butter.

Contrary to what you might think, sourdough discard won't make your baked goods taste sour. If your starter is quite old, you might detect a subtle tang, but even when I've used a very mature starter for these muffins, they still turn out incredibly delicious!

What is sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of the starter that's removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter. This portion must be removed to keep the starter maintained. Every time you feed your starter, you will end up with discard, and that's where sourdough discard recipes like this come in so the discard doesn't go to waste!

For this recipe, you want to use 100% hydration sourdough discard. You can use old discard that's been stored in the fridge (this is what I typically use) or new discard.

Since sourdough discard is no longer active (because you're no longer feeding it), you still need additional leavening agents such as baking soda and/or baking powder when baking with sourdough discard, and some recipes like my brioche sourdough discard hamburger buns call for instant yeast.

And, for a quick and easy sourdough discard recipe, I can't recommend my sourdough discard granola enough! It's full of cozy flavor and bakes into big crunchy clusters.

Why use sourdough discard in muffins?

When combined with other leavening ingredients, such as baking soda or baking powder, sourdough discard helps to create a super tender, soft, and fluffy batter by increasing the acidity of the batter which tenderizes the gluten in the flour.

This same method works with other baked goods like sourdough discard banana bread and sourdough discard pancakes!

Ingredients Notes

• Butter. You'll find that I always use salted butter in everything. Salt = flavor.
• Brown sugar. Compared to granulated sugar, brown sugar adds extra moisture and flavor. I like to use a mixture of both.
• Sourdough discard. 100% hydration sourdough discard. You can use old discard that's been stored in the fridge (this is what I typically use) or new discard.
• Ripe bananas. Ripe bananas are a must. You want them to be brown and slightly mushy. This ensures the right amount of sweetness and texture needed for the bread. Below, I share how to quickly ripen bananas in the oven.
• Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. I like to use mini chocolate chips, but I've also tested these with regular chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars!

See recipe card for full list of ingredient list and measurements.

How to quickly ripen bananas

• Ripen in a paper bag. As bananas ripen, the peels give off ethylene gas. When the bananas are trapped in a paper bag, the concentration of ethylene is higher causing the bananas to ripen faster. Close the banana tightly in a paper bag and in about 1-3 days the bananas will be ripe.
• Ripen in the oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay the unpeeled bananas on the sheet pan. Bake the bananas, checking every 15 minutes or so (more time depending on how green or yellow the bananas were) until the banana peels are black and the insides are soft.

How to make sourdough banana muffins

Scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.

1. Step 1: Mix the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a large bowl, followed by eggs and vanilla, sourdough discard, sour cream, and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined.

2. Step 2: Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour (or overnight in the fridge) to allow the sourdough to ferment a bit and give the leaveners time to start working, resulting in a soft and fluffy muffin. Scoop the muffin batter into the liners. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven to 350°F and bake for another 9-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

3. Step 3: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. I think muffins are best enjoyed warm, so let them cool for another 10-15 minutes, then enjoy with a smear of salted butter!

Expert tips

• Ripe Bananas. Ripe bananas are key. They should be speckled with brown spots, or even better, brown all over. You can use bananas that are sitting out on the counter or even frozen bananas - just make sure you thaw before using in the recipe. Yellow bananas will not work well for banana bread - the texture and flavor will be off.
• Check the expiration date on your baking soda and baking powder. These leaveners are what help the muffins rise and become fluffy and tender. If your baking soda and baking powder are expired they won't work to their full potential. Even if my baking soda and baking powder aren't expired, I still like to replace them every 6 months.
• Measure with a kitchen scale. Just like when you're baking sourdough bread, it's always best to measure your flour using a kitchen scale.
• Don't overmix the batter. When combining wet and dry ingredients, do not overmix. The best way to prevent over-mixing is to use a spatula to fold all the ingredients together until they're just combined. Over-mixing can create a tough and chewy texture.
• Let the batter rest for at least one hour or overnight. This gives the leaveners a head start, creating the most fluffy and tender sourdough banana muffins!
• Use an ice cream scoop. If you have an ice cream scoop, use it to scoop the batter into the muffin liners. It makes the process so much quicker and a lot less messy.
• Use a toothpick to check if the muffins are done. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to check for doneness. If it comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs then the muffins have finished baking. If you pull out the toothpick and it's clean, that's OK too.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Room temperature storage

Store at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container or resealable bag.

Storing in the refrigerator

If there are muffins left after 3-4 days at room temperature, I typically store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for another couple of days or freeze them.

Freezing

Once the muffins have completely cooled, wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap, then place the muffins into a large ziplock bag. They can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen muffins on the counter.

Reheating

I like to pop my muffins in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to warm them up before eating. To warm up a big batch, I recommend putting them back into the muffin pan and reheating in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. If needed, you can loosely cover them with aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent the tops from burning.