A light, fluffy sourdough banana bread recipe with just a hint of cinnamon. Make this soft, moist, quick bread with just a whisk in 1 hour.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings
12 slices
Difficulty
Beginner-friendly. No mixer required!
Calories *
250 kcal per serving
Technique
One-bowl method mixed by hand!
Flavor Profile
Soft, moist banana bread with a subtle sourdough tang, hint of cinnamon, and caramelized honey edges.
* Based on nutrition panel
This is hands down the best banana bread I’ve ever made! I was skeptical about using old discard from my fridge, but it was amazing. The texture is incredibly moist and fluffy, and those caramelized edges are absolutely addictive. My family devoured the entire loaf in one day. Making a double batch next time! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lauren
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- Use sourdough discard from your fridge. This recipe is perfect for using up a refrigerated starter that’s been sitting around. No need to feed it first!
- Mixed by hand! No stand mixer or hand mixer required. Just a whisk, a bowl, and 15 minutes of your time.
- Amazing caramelized edges. The baking soda, sourdough starter, and honey create the most incredible bubbled, caramelized top and crispy edges. Prepare to fight over the end pieces!
- Subtle sourdough flavor that doesn’t overwhelm. When used in the right ratios, sourdough adds complexity without making it taste like same-day sourdough bread. This tastes like classic banana bread, just better.
Table of Contents
This is not your typical banana bread. The addition of sourdough discard gives it a subtle complexity that elevates this from “good” to “I can’t stop eating this” territory. And here’s the best part: you don’t need any special equipment or techniques. Just mash, whisk, and bake.
I developed this recipe using an old, refrigerated starter that had been sitting in the back of my fridge for weeks. If you’re worried that your discard isn’t “active” enough, don’t be. I use sourdough discard in these sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough blueberry muffins, sourdough pancakes, and sourdough crepes, and they always turn out perfect with discard of any age! This is the same low-stress baking energy I love in my 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies — simple, forgiving, and wildly satisfying.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: The baking soda reacts with the acidic sourdough starter to create those gorgeous caramelized bubbles on top. The combination of both leavening agents creates a higher rise and lighter texture.
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best flavor and natural sweetness. Avoid overripe bananas as they have more moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: Creates a tender crumb and balances the tang from the sourdough. You can use half dark brown sugar, I wouldn’t substitute all the white sugar because it will affect the texture.
- Honey: Adds moisture and helps create those crispy, caramelized edges. You could substitute with maple syrup or additional sugar, but I love what honey brings to this recipe.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: Use refrigerated discard that hasn’t been fed in days or even weeks! It doesn’t need to be active. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you can make this oat flour banana bread!
- Coconut Oil: Melted and still warm, this creates an incredibly moist crumb. You could substitute with melted butter, vegetable oil, or even neutral-flavored oil.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is for warmth, similar to what you’d find in snickerdoodle cookies.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations on Sourdough Banana Bread
- Add chocolate chips or nuts. Fold in some dark chocolate or chocolate chips, like in my chocolate chip banana bread and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Add chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for added texture and flavor. I am also a sucker for butterscotch chips in banana bread!
- Add a streusel topping. Before baking, sprinkle the top with a simple streusel like in my apple streusel bread or this banana crumb bread.
- Make muffins instead. Divide the batter among lined muffin tins and bake for 22-25 minutes at 350°F.
- Double the spice. If you love cinnamon, increase it to 2 teaspoons for a more pronounced spice flavor, or use this speculoos spice mix recipe or the spices from my apple bread recipe for a fun twist!
Professional Tips
- Weigh your ingredients, especially the bananas and starter. Bananas can vary wildly in size and moisture content. For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale to measure 230g of mashed banana and 140g of sourdough discard.
- Spray your loaf pan generously, including the top edges! This batter rises all the way to the top of a standard 1-pound loaf pan. Make sure to spray every surface, even the rim, to prevent sticking.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated with only a few remaining lumps. Overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough, dense loaf.
How to Make Sourdough Banana Bread
Use these instructions to make the moistest, most flavorful banana bread! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare the pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F standard (no fan). Generously spray a 1-pound loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or spread softened butter over the entire surface, including the top edges.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set aside (photo 1).
Step 3: Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine). Add the eggs, granulated sugar, honey, vanilla, and sourdough starter discard. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and well combined (photo 2).
Step 4: Add fats. Pour the melted, still-warm coconut oil into the banana mixture and whisk until fully incorporated (photo 3).
Step 5: Combine. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once. Using your whisk or a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until only a few flour lumps remain. Don’t overmix; the batter should look slightly lumpy (photos 4 & 5).
Step 6: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. The batter should come right to the top! Gently smooth the top with a spatula if needed (photo 6).
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it (photo 7).
Don’t open the oven or rotate the pan for at least the first 45 minutes to prevent the center from sinking
Step 8: Cool. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if needed, then carefully turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing (photo 8).
Now comes the hard part: waiting until it’s completely cool to slice it. Or don’t wait, I won’t judge. Just know that warm banana bread is going to be a bit gooey and will slice more cleanly when cool. Either way, it’s going to be delicious!
Recipe FAQs
Store cooled banana bread well wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast from frozen!
Absolutely! You can use either an active, bubbly starter or an old refrigerated discard. Since this recipe relies on baking soda and baking powder for leavening, the activity level of your starter doesn’t matter. The starter is here purely for flavor and moisture. But I suggest saving your active starter for this sourdough bread recipe for beginners!
A sunken center is usually caused by opening the oven or rotating the pan too early in the baking process. The structure hasn’t been set yet, so any movement can cause it to collapse. Wait at least 45 minutes before rotating and opening the oven.
No, you can substitute with melted butter, vegetable oil, or any neutral oil you have on hand. Coconut oil just adds a subtle flavor that I love, but it’s not essential.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup bananas, mashed, about 2 medium bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup sourdough starter discard, refrigerated discard
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and warm
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F standard (no fan). Generously spray a 1-pound loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or spread softened butter over the entire surface, including the top edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine). Add the eggs, granulated sugar, honey, vanilla, and sourdough starter discard. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the melted, still-warm coconut oil into the banana mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once. Using your whisk or a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until only a few flour lumps remain. Don't overmix; the batter should look slightly lumpy.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. The batter should come right to the top! Gently smooth the top with a spatula if needed.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if needed, then carefully turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Presentation – For the most tender crumb, mix by hand rather than a stand or hand mixer. Mix just until combined; a few lumps are fine!
Flavor Tip – As with my vegan banana bread or banana bread muffins, you want your bananas to have a few brown spots for the best flavor.
Storage –Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you loved this sourdough banana bread recipe as much as I do! Check out our other delicious quick bread recipes and sourdough discard recipes for more baking inspiration!
What an amazing way to level up banana bread! It is so wonderful to use my sourdough discard to make amazing baked goods! The coconut oil and honey really complement the banana, and the sourdough adds the perfect little something extra!
This is hands down the best banana bread I’ve ever made! I was skeptical about using old discard from my fridge, but it was amazing. The texture is incredibly moist and fluffy, and those caramelized edges are absolutely addictive. My family devoured the entire loaf in one day. Making a double batch next time!