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.

a unwrapped sourdough banana muffin with a oat crumble on a wood cutting board with oat crumble surrounding the muffin. There is a tray of muffins in the background

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.

three sourdough banana muffin with a brown sugar oat crumble on a small wood cutting board with a tray of muffins in the background

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.

half of a sourdough banana muffin on a brown muffin liner on a wood cutting board with oat crumble sprinkled about. The cutting board is on white and black checked towel

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.
bowl of crumble ingredients, a small jar of baking powder and baking soda, ripe bananas, eggs, and a muffin pan with liners on a wood table
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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

top view of oat crumble on a sourdough banana muffin on a small wood cutting board with crumble sprinkled about

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: 

three sourdough banana muffins with a brown sugar oat crumble on top of a wood cutting board on a white and black towel

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.

three sourdough banana muffin with a brown sugar oat crumble on a small wood cutting board with a tray of muffins in the background

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.

sourdough banana muffin batter in a white stand mixer bowl

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

banana muffin batter in lined muffin tin with a small bowl of oat crumble and banana peels in the back corner

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

sourdough banana muffins with a brown sugar oat crumble in a gray muffin tin on a white and black checked towel

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.

sourdough banana muffin batter in a white stand mixer bowl

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.

mashed banana, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with quick bread batter in a white bowl

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.

sourdough banana muffin batter topped with oat crumble in a lined muffin pan

Top with crumb toppings.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Allow to cool and enjoy.

three sourdough banana muffins on a small wooden cutting board on a white an black checked towel on a wood table with a muffin pan of muffins in the background

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 Banana Muffins

4.62 from 148 votes
The softest and yummiest sourdough banana muffins you’ve ever tasted. A light and fluffy banana muffin, topped with a crunchy and sweet oat crumble.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 18 muffins
a unwrapped sourdough banana muffin with a oat crumble on a wood cutting board with oat crumble surrounding the muffin. There is a tray of muffins in the background
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 ripe bananas, 350g
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Crumb Topping (Optional)

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • 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

Notes

  • * If you want to long ferment this recipe, add an extra 1/2 cup of sourdough starter to. Otherwise the batter won’t be moist enough for the ferment. Long fermented directions in the post above.
  • 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.
  • Crumble topping is optional, but adds a super yummy flavor and texture.
  • I highly suggest serving them warm. They taste best, in my opinion, right out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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123 Comments

  1. Christine Ross says:

    I skipped the topping and used freshly milled hard white flour and these were DELICIOUS!

    I’ve made them before with the topping which is so good, but hey save a step and calories sometimes 😄

  2. Caitlin says:

    I doubled the recipe and had and extra cup of discard so I added it. Can I still ferment the batter with all of the ingredients already added (eggs, etc) ?

    1. Lisa says:

      This will depend on how comfortable you are with leaving eggs out. If you already added the baking soda and baking powder, I would not ferment it. I’m not sure it will turn out well if you added an extra cup of discard.

  3. Cassandra says:

    The long ferment instructions say to add cinnamon to the batter, but the recipe card says it only goes in the topping. i’m currently making them and going to add it to the batter but I’m curious which you meant for it to be.

    1. Lisa says:

      Oops, nope. It only goes in the topping.

  4. Evelyn says:

    Delicious! I used one cup AP flour and one cup whole wheat flour. I added some walnuts to half as well but the recipe was absolutely delicious. My husband had four right out of the oven haha. No sour taste at all!

    1. Lisa says:

      Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!

  5. Lauren says:

    These are so delicious! I have done both the long ferment and the quick version and they are equally good. I brown my butter because why not? It adds such a depth of flavor. Thanks for a solid recipe!

    1. Lisa says:

      Oh yum! Great idea! So glad you enjoy the recipe, and thanks for sharing!

  6. Felishia says:

    Yummay!!!! These are incredible. All my kids and friends loved them. I opted for the long fermentation option and used a hand mixer to incorporate everything. Came together well, baked fine and all that and tasted great! I’ll be making these again!

  7. Casey says:

    What’s the best way to store them? I’m making them for my husband to take on a golf trip and am baking them the night before.

    1. Lisa says:

      Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.

    2. Lisa says:

      At room temperature in a air-tight container.

  8. Michelle Passos says:

    These muffins are delicious! So moist & tender. However mine had flat tops that spread quite a bit. And most of the topping sunk to the bottom. Any tips on how I can improve them next time? I wonder if my starter was thinner? Resulting in a thinner batter? Regardless they are delicious even if not do pretty!

    1. Lisa says:

      Hmmm interesting. Could be a few things, could be a thinner starter (mine is more like a thick pancake batter), could be over mixing the batter causing them to be flat, or was the baking powder and baking soda old? This could make them flat as well. Hope that helps.

  9. A Home Baker says:

    This is the best sourdough banana muffin I’ve ever made!! None of your recipes have failed me. These muffins are fresh out of the oven and me and my family are devouring the fluffy muffins now. The topping adds a nice touch, though you could leave it out if you’re not the sweet type. I absolutely love it though. Thank you so much always for your amazing recipes!

    1. Lisa says:

      So glad you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for sharing!

  10. Sea says:

    Wow these are super quick/easy and delicious. My children are very picky but absolutely loved these! Thanks for another great recipe.

    1. Lisa says:

      That is so wonderful to hear.

      1. Antoinette says:

        How would you suggest adjusting the recipe if using freshly milled wholewheat flour?

        1. Lisa says:

          You can sub 1 for 1. However, you’ll likely end up with a denser product. You may find adding a little less flour or more liquid could help. Let us know how they turn out!

        2. BB says:

          Thank you for asking this! I am also interested how they turned out?