Best Sourdough Banana Muffins

The softest, most delicious sourdough banana muffins you’ve ever tasted. A light and fluffy banana muffin, topped with a crunchy and sweet oat crumble. Make them quick or long ferment.

This is one of those recipes that you might just want to bake so your house has the smells of brown sugar, cinnamon, and banana wafting through the halls.

Now that it seems as winter has blown in, leaving fall behind, I’m ready for all the coziness the season brings.

These sourdough banana muffins are hands down one of the best muffins I’ve ever experienced. They are a take on my sourdough banana bread, but made extra special with the oat crumb topping.

You could totally make them without the topping, but why would you want to do that?

I had to play around with the long fermented version and am totally amazed at how light and fluffy they came out after an 18 hour fermentation. So if you have the time and want the extra benefit of fermented grains, I highly recommend it.

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

Delicious: These are seriously so, so good. Like, can’t stop at just one, slightly dangerous kind of good.

Soft and fluffy: Even the long-fermented version yielded a light muffin.

Oat crumble: Brown sugar, butter, oats, and cinnamon make the most wonderful, crunchy, and sweet topping that takes this already delicious banana muffin recipe up a few more notches.

Sourdough Banana Muffin Tips:

• For a more tangy flavor, use sourdough discard that hasn’t been fed in a day, or allow to long ferment. For a less tangy flavor, use an active sourdough starter. 
• This recipe can be long fermented for more health benefits, or made into a quick version for a yummy, fast recipe.
• If you want to long ferment this recipe, add an extra 1/2 cup of sourdough starter. Otherwise the batter won’t be moist enough for the ferment. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly and easily scoop the batter into the muffin wells.
• I highly suggest serving them warm. They taste best, in my opinion, right out of the oven.

Ingredients:

Butter – Unsalted

Dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar will also work, but will have less flavor.

Bananas – Super ripe bananas give a sweeter and more prominent banana flavor.

Eggs

Sourdough starter discard – This is sourdough starter that hasn’t been fed. If you want to long ferment I would recommend adding an extra 1/2 cup of sourdough starter. This gives it enough liquid to saturate the flour.

Vanilla extract – Homemade or store-bought

All-purpose flour

Leaveners – Baking soda and baking powder

Salt

Crumble Topping

Brown sugar – Dark or light will work. Dark will give a richer flavor.

Oats – Rolled or quick oats work great. Just don’t use steel cut.

Flour – I usually just use all-purpose, but if you cannot tolerate any unfermented grains you could use gluten free or einkorn flour.

Butter –  Unsalted and super soft, so it easily combines with the rest of the crumble ingredients.

Cinnamon – Adds a yummy, warm flavor.

FAQ: 

Are banana muffins healthy?

Typically they are high in sugar and may not be the healthiest choice.

What makes a muffin fluffy?

There are a few things that help make a muffin fluffy, such as using the right amount of leaveners, having the eggs and butter at room temperature, and not overmixing.

Can I add fresh bananas to muffin mix?

Yes. Usually you can use up to two mashed bananas, then omit some or all of the liquid.

How To Make Quick Sourdough Banana Muffins Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Melt butter in a microwave safe dish, in a saucepan, or small cast iron pan.

Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a bowl, mix together melted butter and brown sugar for five minutes.

Turn off the mixer and add in eggs, vanilla, mashed banana, and sourdough starter. 

In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) well.

Add in dry ingredients 1/3 at a time and mix until just incorporated. You don’t want to over-mix. 

Add equal amounts of batter to each muffin well. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this.

Top each muffin with the oat crumble.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. 

Allow the muffins to cool completely. Enjoy

How To Make Long Fermented Sourdough Banana Muffins:

At 12-24 hours before you plan to bake the banana muffins, in a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, add brown sugar and melted butter.

Mix together until well combined for about 3-5 minutes.

Add sourdough starter (1 cup rather than just 1/2 cup) and flour to the brown sugar and butter. Combine well.

Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 6-24 hours. I just leave it right in my stand mixer bowl.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease muffin tins.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add eggs, vanilla, mashed banana, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixing bowl.

I highly recommend using a stand mixer, because the fermented dough will be stiff and difficult to combine with the other ingredients by hand.

Start on low and work up to medium speed until completely combined. There shouldn’t be large chunks. I find if there are, you can break them up a bit and then mix it again.

Pour into the muffin pan.

Top with crumb toppings.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Allow to cool and enjoy.

Storage:

Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. Or freeze as a whole loaf or in slices with parchment paper between in a freezer Zip-lock bag.

Optional Add-Ins

Usually I just make it regular delicious banana muffins, but you could also add about 1 cup of these add-ins.

• Chopped nuts
• Chocolate Chips
• Dried Fruit
• Seeds
• Coconut

Find More Sourdough Recipes:

• Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
• Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins With Oat Crumble
• Easy Sourdough Pizza Dough
• Sourdough Cheese Bread
• Sourdough Croissants

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