The BEST Sourdough Discard Banana Bread (No refined sugar)

Sharing is caring!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe

This sourdough discard banana bread is soft, moist, naturally sweetened, and one of my favorite easy ways to use up extra sourdough discard. Made with ripe bananas and a little honey or maple syrup, it makes a delicious breakfast, snack, or simple dessert for the whole family.

If you have a jar of sourdough discard sitting in your refrigerator and a few overripe bananas on the counter, this is the perfect recipe to make!

Banana bread was one of the recipes I loved making even before sourdough became such a big part of our kitchen. Adding sourdough discard is an easy way to put that extra starter to use without making the recipe complicated.

And because ripe bananas provide so much natural sweetness, this recipe doesn’t need a lot of additional sweetener. I use honey or pure maple syrup, although you can substitute sugar if that’s what you have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

This has become one of our favorite sourdough discard recipes because it’s simple enough to make regularly and uses basic ingredients I almost always have in my kitchen.

It’s soft and moist, naturally sweetened with bananas and honey or maple syrup, and requires no fermentation or special sourdough technique. Just mix the batter, pour it into your loaf pan, and bake.

It’s also an easy recipe to customize. Add chocolate chips for a sweeter treat, chopped nuts for a little crunch, or swap some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat or freshly milled flour.

If you’re new to sourdough, you can learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch without a scale before getting started.

Making a More Wholesome Banana Bread

One of the things I love about cooking and baking from scratch is being able to choose the ingredients I feed my family. Banana bread is especially easy to make with simple, wholesome ingredients.

Naturally Sweeten It

Very ripe bananas provide much of the sweetness in this bread. I add a little maple syrup or honey to enhance that natural sweetness without needing refined sugar.

If you prefer traditional sugar, though, you can absolutely substitute it. One of the best things about cooking from scratch is making recipes work for your family.

Choose a Quality Flour

You can make this recipe with regular all-purpose flour, but it’s also a great recipe for experimenting with whole-grain or freshly milled flour.

When I’m using already-milled flour, I love heritage grain flour from Sunrise Flour Mill. I also mill wheat berries at home with my NutriMill Harvest Grain Mill, which allows me to incorporate freshly milled whole-grain flour into our baking.

If you’re new to milling your own flour, banana bread is a forgiving recipe to start experimenting with.

Use the Ingredients You Keep in Your Kitchen

You don’t need specialty ingredients to make homemade food nourishing and delicious. Start with what you have and gradually find the ingredients that work best for your family.

I often use Baja Gold Fine Grind Mineral Salt in our cooking and baking, but regular fine sea salt works perfectly well in this recipe too.

For breakfast, we especially love serving a warm slice of banana bread alongside eggs and a glass of milk.

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Ingredients

Sourdough discard – This is a great recipe for putting extra discard to use. You can use discard straight from the refrigerator; it does not need to be active and bubbly. How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Very ripe bananas – The riper your bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be. Bananas also provide moisture and help create that soft banana bread texture.

Butter – Melted butter adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the loaf. The Cutest Farmhouse Butter Dish.

Maple syrup or honey – Adds just enough additional sweetness while keeping this banana bread naturally sweetened. You can substitute sugar if you prefer.

Salt – Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors of the banana, cinnamon, and vanilla. Baja Gold Mineral Salt.

Egg – Helps bind the ingredients together and gives the banana bread structure.

Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances the natural sweetness of the bananas.

All-purpose flour – Provides the structure for the loaf. You can also experiment with whole wheat or freshly milled flour. I love using Sunrise Flour Mill flour or milling wheat at home with my NutriMill Harvest Grain Mill.

Baking soda and baking powder – These leavening agents give the banana bread its rise and help create a soft, tender loaf.

Cinnamon (optional) – Adds a cozy warmth that pairs beautifully with banana.

Optional add-ins – Try chopped walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips.

Can I Use Sourdough Discard Straight From the Fridge?

Yes! This is one of the reasons I love easy sourdough discard recipes like this one.

You don’t need to feed your starter or wait for it to become active before making banana bread. Simply measure the sourdough discard you need from your refrigerator and add it to the batter.

That makes this a great recipe for using up discard when you’re feeding your starter but don’t want any of it to go to waste.

What Is Sourdough Starter? / Active Starter vs. Sourdough Discard

How to Make Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan with butter or oil.

8×4 loaf pan

2. Mash the Bananas

Place the ripe bananas in a medium mixing bowl and mash them well with a fork or potato masher.

The bananas don’t have to be completely smooth—a few small pieces are perfectly fine.

3. Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the sourdough discard, melted butter, maple syrup or honey, salt, egg, and vanilla to the mashed bananas.

Stir until everything is well combined.

4. Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated. Avoid overmixing the batter, which can make quick breads denser.

Fold in any optional chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.

5. Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.

Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Because ovens and loaf pans can vary, begin checking your bread toward the end of the baking time.

6. Cool and Slice

Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan before removing it.

For the cleanest slices, let the loaf cool before cutting into it—although I completely understand wanting to eat a warm piece right away!

Tips for the Best Sourdough Banana Bread

For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. The riper they are, the sweeter your loaf will be.

Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Stir just until you no longer see dry pockets of flour.

And if you have bananas that are becoming too ripe but aren’t ready to bake, freeze them. Thaw them when you’re ready to make banana bread and drain off excessive liquid if necessary.

Sourdough Banana Bread Add-In Ideas

The basic loaf is delicious on its own, but you can easily change it up. Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or even a little extra cinnamon.

For kids, chocolate chips are always a favorite in our house!

How to Store Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

Once completely cooled, store your banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator or freeze individual slices. Freezing slices makes it easy to pull out exactly what you need for a quick breakfast or snack.

food storage containers

Frequently Asked Questions

Does sourdough discard need to be active for banana bread?

No. Your discard does not need to be active or bubbly for this recipe. This is a quick bread that gets its rise primarily from baking soda and baking powder.

Can I make sourdough banana bread with whole wheat flour?

Yes. Banana bread is a great recipe for incorporating whole wheat or freshly milled flour. Depending on the flour you’re using, you may notice some differences in texture and moisture compared with all-purpose flour.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes. Let frozen bananas thaw before using them. If they release a large amount of liquid as they thaw, you can drain some of the excess before adding them to the batter.

Can I use sugar instead of maple syrup or honey?

Yes. If you prefer to use sugar, you can substitute it according to the measurements in the recipe card.

More Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes

If you have more discard to use, try some of our other family favorites:

Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Sourdough Discard Waffles
Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
Sourdough Discard Brownies
Sourdough Discard Snickerdoodle Cookies
Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes for Beginners