Sourdough Banana Streusel Muffins

These deliciously moist, melt-in-your-mouth, sourdough banana streusel muffins are the perfect use for your starter discard. The rich buttery flavor and crumbly brown sugar topping will definitely keep you coming back for more.

using your sourdough discard to make sourdough banana streusel muffins

If you are new to keeping a sourdough starter, you may be aghast at the amount of “waste” your starter produces. Throwing away cup after cup of quality (read: expensive!) flour is nearly enough to make you give it up entirely. But the good news is, you don’t have to! There are tons and tons of delicious recipes that can be made with that beautiful sourdough discard, and using your sourdough discard to make sourdough banana streusel muffins is one of the most rewarding!

Sourdough discard is a byproduct of managing a sourdough starter. During the beginning stages of creating your starter, the discard has not yet matured enough to actually produce rise in your recipes. But it still adds an incredible flavor to your recipes that is hard to reproduce with other substitutes. The closest sub that I can think of is buttermilk, which also gives recipes a pleasantly “sour” rich flavor.

Ingredients for sourdough banana streusel muffins

The ingredient list for this recipe mostly contains regular pantry staples. Another reason this is one of my Go-To recipes!

To make these muffins, you will need:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons salted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 5-6 very ripe bananas, mashed separately in a bowl
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard

For the (streusel) crumb topping

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 small pinch of salt
• 6 Tbsp salted butter, melted and cooled

How to make sourdough banana streusel muffins

Start by preheating your oven to 350. To make these muffins, begin by sifting together your flour, baking soda, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt in a large mixing bowl.

Next, melt the stick of butter and cream together the butter and brown sugar.

Then, once the butter has cooled slightly, add in the eggs and beat together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Then, stir in your pure vanilla extract.

Next, in a separate bowl, mash together the 5-6 ripe bananas. I use a potato masher for this, but you can also just use the back of a fork. Some people will tell you to leave chunks of banana. Don’t do it. Nobody wants a slimy chunk of half mashed banana grazing the top of their soft palette mid bite. Blek.

Okay, maybe that’s personal preference. But my advice? Mash until there are no visible chunks. Then mash vigorously again, just in case any snuck past you. Then one more time, for good measure. Banana paste is the goal. No chunks.

Add the mashed banana (banana paste) into the creamed butter and brown sugar mixture. Stir well to combine.

Add your sourdough discard into the mixture and stir to blend.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and stir well to incorporate all of the wet and dry ingredients.

Line or spray your muffin tin and carefully spoon out batter into each cup. I like to add batter a little more than halfway up the muffin cup.

Making the crumb (streusel) topping

Now it’s time to make the crumb (streusel) topping. Begin by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, pinch of salt and table sugar.

Next, slowly add in the melted, cooled butter a little bit at a time. Stir together with the mix with a fork until the mix is crumbly. If the mixture comes together in crumbs before you use all the butter, that’s okay. Don’t feel like you have to use it all.

Then, spoon out(or use your hands) a large heap of crumb topping onto each unbaked muffin cup. Be generous. There’s plenty of topping for 24 muffins!

Lastly, slide the prepared muffins into a preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should be crumbly and golden and the muffin should be soft, moist, and fully cooked through. Time to enjoy!

FAQ and substitutions for sourdough banana streusel muffins

What makes muffins light and fluffy? A few things. Creaming together your butter and sugars helps significantly when making cakes, muffins, cookies, and other baked goods. And also using room temperature ingredients helps everything come together smoothly, which more easily traps air and allows your baked goods to expand in the heated oven.

What does the sourdough discard do in muffins? Because sourdough starter does have natural yeast, even immature starter may* help baked goods to rise. But more importantly, it is all about the flavor! Sourdough has a tangy, fruity, “sour” flavor that is hard to reproduce by other methods.

Can I sub anything for the sourdough starter? Yes. If you haven’t created your own sourdough starter yet, you can substitute 1/2 cup of sour cream or 1/4 cup full fat buttermilk to achieve similar results. Baking time may vary slightly.

Can I sub oil for the butter? Although it often is okay to substitute oil for butter in baked goods, the butter in this particular recipe is absolutely essential for the flavor. However, if you must omit butter due to dietary restrictions, I suggest using coconut oil + a few tsp of non dairy butter extract to add back in the butter flavor.

DID YOU MAKE IT? LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A REVIEW BELOW OR TAGGING ME WITH A PIC ON INSTAGRAM @GOOD.TO.GATHER

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