Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins (Egg-free, No Butter, Vegan)

These easy sourdough banana muffins are one of the BEST ways to use your sourdough discard and your overripe bananas. They are light, moist and packed with vanilla-banana flavors. Perfect for snacking, breakfast or dessert, plus these muffins are completely vegan, egg-free and dairy-free!

I love making vegan muffins using my sourdough starter! It makes for an ultra-moist and tender muffin recipe, plus it adds extra nutrients. Such a good way to use your extra sourdough discard!

We make these chocolate chips sourdough muffins regularly for lunch snacks and these sourdough carrot muffins are the perfect treat with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Recently I was inspired by my banana chia muffins and made these vegan sourdough discard banana muffins, they turned out amazing!

These sourdough banana muffins are light and fluffy, perfectly sweetened (thanks to the natural sugar from mashed bananas) and ultra-soft. This is the perfect sourdough recipe to make when you have overripe bananas!

Also, this is an egg-free recipe and I also swapped regular milk for oat milk, so this recipe is completely vegan and dairy-free!

Let me know in the comment how they turned out if you give this recipe a try! ❤️

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Quick and easy recipe
• Amazing way to avoid wasting your starter!
• Delicious sweet flavor, thanks to the natural sugar from bananas
• Fluffy, moist and light texture
• Healthier recipe (made without butter) perfect wholesome snack, dessert or even breakfast to-go!
• Kid-friendly (great toddler snack) and freezer-friendly
• Fits many diets, such as vegan, egg-free and dairy-free

🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)

• Sourdough starter: you can use active starter OR sourdough discard, they both work just as well. Just keep in mind that an older discard will give you a stronger tangy taste, which is best for making muffins, I think. I like to keep some unfed discard in the fridge for a few days, even up to 7-10 days, before using it in sourdough discard vegan baking recipes for a nice flavor. Use a 100% hydrated sourdough starter and try to take it out of the fridge for 1 hour before using.
• Bananas: super ripe and spotty bananas are the best ones to make these muffins as they make for a sweeter result and super moist texture.
• Oat milk: I used full-fat oat milk to make them, but any dairy-free milk will work, such as soy milk or almond milk.
• Oil: I used canola oil, you can also use melted refined coconut oil or any other neutral tasting vegetable oil. I haven't tried it, but I think that melted vegan butter would work too!
• Flour: regular all-purpose white flour makes for the best texture when making muffins. Do not use bread flour! I haven't tried using whole wheat flour, but you might be able to swap up to 50% of the amount of flour for whole wheat flour.
• Sugar: I used cane sugar, but you can also swap it for regular white sugar.

⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!

📝 Variations

• Chocolate banana muffins: add a handful of mini dark chocolate chips for a treat!
• Nuts: add a handful of chopped nuts for a nice crunch and boost in healthy omega-3 fats! Walnuts, almonds and pecans would all be great additions.
• Spices: I like the combo banana-vanilla, but if you prefer, you can swap the vanilla extract for ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix, especially in the fall.
• Berry banana muffins: add a handful of fresh blueberries to the muffin batter for a nice pop of fresh flavor. If possible, toss the berries in ½ tablespoon of flour first. Or check out these sourdough strawberry muffins for a strawberry-flavored sourdough recipe!
• Spice crumble top: check out this sourdough apple cinnamon muffin recipe to add a crunchy topping.

🍽 How to make sourdough discard banana muffins

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then stir to combine.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, add the mashed bananas, oat milk, sugar, sourdough discard, oil and vanilla extract, then whisk until well combined.

Step 3: Pour the wet mixture over the bowl with the flour.

Step 4: And whisk until combined and you cannot see any dry spots of flour (but avoid overmixing).

Step 5: Divide the batter between 12 muffin liners placed in a muffin pan (I like to use an ice cream scoop to do this). It should fill up the muffin tin almost to the top.

Step 6: Bake at 350ºF for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool down for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer over a cooling rack.

⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!

💡 Baking tips

• Room temperature ingredients work better when making a muffin batter, so try to take the milk and sourdough discard out of your fridge about 1 hour before using.
• Always double-check the expiration date on your baking powder! If too old, it might prevent the muffins from rising properly!
• I highly recommend weighing the ingredients using a small kitchen scale. If you do not have a scale, then make sure to measure the flour following the spoon and level method.
• Make sure to mash the bananas very well so the moisture and flavor can be distributed evenly in the muffin batter.
• Do not overmix the batter or the muffins can be tough or chewy! Stir enough for the flour to be all well incorporated into the wet ingredients, but do not keep mixing once it looks uniform.
• If you have the extra time, then let the batter rest in the bowl for about 8-10 minutes before dividing and baking. This will allow for more time for the leavening agents to create a light and fluffy batter.
• Do not overbake the muffins so they are tender and moist.

❗️ Storage tips

Let the muffins completely cool down on a cooling rack, then transfer them to an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature for 2 days, but then transfer them to the fridge for longer storage (up to 5 days). Make sure the container is sealed so they don't dry out!

You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months! Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying or use the microwave to speed up the thawing process (warm them up only for a few seconds).

❓ FAQs

🌱 More vegan banana dessert recipes you might like!

I hope you enjoyed this vegan sourdough discard banana muffin recipe! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!

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