Sourdough Banana Zucchini Muffins
Moist and flavorful, these easy Sourdough Banana Zucchini muffins are the tastiest way to use up ripe bananas and zucchini.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Saves those brown bananas from being wasted!
- The natural sweetness of the banana mixture will make these healthy zucchini muffins your new favorite!
- Great way to use up extra sourdough discard!
- Beginner friendly sourdough recipe!
- Healthy snack! Freeze the leftovers for later.
Meg's Top Muffin Tips
- Measure it out: Okay, so this might sound basic, but trust me, it's important.
- Stir until just combined: Over mixing makes flat muffins.
- Prep that pan: Grease and flour the muffin tin and use parchment muffin liners.
- Toothpick test: Poke your muffin with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it's done!
- Be patient: Let your muffins chill out in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Equipment
- Muffin tins - this recipe makes 18 standard muffins
- Measuring spoons & cups
- Muffin liners or cooking spray
- Stand mixer & spatula
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Mashed bananas (300 grams) - Sweet bananas are usually the ugly brown ones! Pop'em in the freezer for an hour if they need a little help ripening.
- Shredded zucchini (100 grams) - I either shred my zucchini with a box grater or use the shredder attachment on my kitchen aide mixer. Let the shredded zucchini sit in a strainer or on folded paper towels for 10 minutes to allow the moisture to drain before adding to batter.
- Honey - or substitute maple syrup.
- Sourdough starter discard - active starter will also be fine!
- Vanilla extract - If you love easy DIY recipes, make your own homemade vanilla extract! The flavor is much better and you'll save money!
- Butter & Eggs - set them out about 30 minutes before baking so that it can come to room temperature.
- Brown sugar - make sure to pack your brown sugar in the measuring cup.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - See my tip below for substituting whole wheat or freshly milled flour!
- Baking soda
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare two muffin pans with parchment liners and cooking spray.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl or stand mixer, beat room temperature butter and brown sugar two minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs, beating well after each addition.
5. Add honey, vanilla, sourdough starter and chopped bananas.
6. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients and zucchini. Mix the muffin batter until just combined.
7. Fill the muffin cups ⅔ full. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the center of the center muffin reaches 200°F with a thermometer.
8. Leave the muffins in the muffin pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool.
This gives the muffins a chance to set slightly, preventing it from falling apart when you invert it.
Variations
- For a richer flavor, use brown butter.
- Use a dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Add 1 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips -- my family LOVES this version!
- Stir in 1 cup of fresh blueberries to make blueberry zucchini muffins!
Substitutions
- You can substitute 1 cup of applesauce or mashed pumpkin for the overripe bananas.
- Substitute 1 cup of grated apples or carrots for the grated zucchini.
- For a another white sugar free option, use granulated monk fruit sweetener in a 1:1 ratio.
- You can substitute sourdough starter for 1 cup of buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with milk to 1 cup total volume.
- Substitute the butter with equal parts vegetable oil, canola oil, melted coconut oil, or applesauce. I do not recommend subbing olive oil for butter.
- You can substitute the brown sugar with granulated sugar or coconut sugar in a 1:1 ratio. If you do this, I still recommend adding a tablespoon of molasses for the rich flavor.
Storing Your Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins
- Room temperature: For optimal freshness and flavor, store your delicious muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing:For longer storage, place the cooled muffins in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, let it sit on the counter overnight.
Tip: If you plan to freeze these muffins, consider pre-freezing before transferring them to a Ziploc freezer bag for easier thawing and less sticking together.
How to ripen bananas faster for zucchini banana bread?
- Brown paper bag method: Place bananas in a brown paper bag. The ethylene gas released will accelerate ripening.
- Egg yolk method: Mash unripe bananas with an egg yolk. The enzyme in the yolk helps ripen the bananas faster.
- Freezer method: This is my favorite! Put the bananas, peel and all, right into the freezer and pull them out after 30 minutes.
FAQ
Yes, you can substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour in this recipe, but the batter may be more dense. Whole grains have a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour, which can make the batter tougher.
To compensate for this, you may want to add a little more moisture to the dough, such as an extra egg or some milk. Reduce the baking time slightly, as whole wheat flour tends to cook a bit faster than all-purpose flour.
Absolutely! To freeze zucchini, grate it, then squeeze out excess moisture. Place in freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before using in your recipe.
For short-term storage, keep the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can substitute unsweetened applesauce for zucchini in these muffins. However, the texture might be slightly different. Applesauce will also add moisture and sweetness to the bread.
Popular Quick Bread Recipes
Guess what? This easy muffin recipe is also my favorite Banana Zucchini Bread recipe! I can't decide which version is better!
Best Sourdough Banana Bread- as the name implies, this really is the best banana bread recipe. Truly it's my favorite quick bread. And as a bonus, it's sourdough! A chocolaty version of my basic banana bread recipe are these Sourdough Discard Chocolate Banana Bread Bars. I like how they cook a little faster because they are baked in a square pan instead of bread pans.
If you are looking for a good quick bread for a nice brunch or party, you should try Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bread. It tastes as beautiful as it looks! If you are more of a cranberry fan, here's the Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread version!
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Recipe
Sourdough Banana Zucchini Muffins
Equipment
- large mixing bowl or stand mixer
- Muffin pans (makes 18 muffins)
- measuring cups & spoons
- Parchment paper muffin liners and cooking spray
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 bananas ripe (*see note)
- 1 zucchini small and shredded (*see note)
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
- â…“ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard or fed
- 8 tablespoons butter room temperature
- ¼ cup brown sugar tightly packed
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare two muffin pans with parchment liners and cooking spray.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl or stand mixer, beat room temperature butter and brown sugar two minutes until light and fluffy.
- Â Add in eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Add honey, vanilla, sourdough starter and chopped bananas.
- Slowly fold in the dry ingredients and zucchini. Mix the muffin batter until just combined.
- Fill the muffin cups ⅔ full. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the center of the center muffin reaches 200°F with a thermometer.
- Â Leave the muffins in the muffin pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool.This gives the muffins a chance to set slightly, preventing it from falling apart when you invert it.Â
Notes
- 3 bananas ripe (300 grams)
- 1 small zucchini (100 grams)
- Bananas:Â You can substitute 1 cup of applesauce or mashed pumpkin for the overripe bananas.
- Zucchini: You can substitute 1 cup of grated apples or carrots for the grated zucchini.
- Sweetener: For a white sugar free option, use granulated monk fruit sweetener in a 1:1 ratio.
- Sourdough starter:Â You can substitute 1 cup of buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with milk to 1 cup total volume.
- Butter: You can substitute the butter with equal parts vegetable oil, canola oil, melted coconut oil, or applesauce. I do not recommend subbing olive oil for butter.
I am so happy I found this recipe. Our zucchini season is coming to an end, so I made it with summer squash. It turned out excellent!