Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

My sourdough starter was threatening to overflow again, and I'd just pulled out another batch of bananas that were past their prime when it hit me—why not bake them together? The result was these impossibly moist muffins that taste like someone whispered chocolate and warmth into every bite. What started as a way to use up kitchen scraps became the breakfast I now make weekly, sometimes twice, depending on how hungry my family gets.

I brought a batch to my neighbor at 7 AM one Saturday, still warm from the cooling rack, and she actually stopped her car to come back and ask for the recipe. That's when I knew these weren't just a way to rescue ingredients—they were genuinely delicious in a way that made people pause and ask questions.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups): This is your structure, the thing that holds everything together—don't skip the measuring spoons moment and just eyeball it, trust me.
• Baking soda (1 tsp): Reacts with the sourdough's natural acidity to give you that tender, almost cloud-like crumb.
• Baking powder (1/2 tsp): A gentle helper that guarantees lift without the heaviness.
• Salt (1/2 tsp): Makes everything taste more like itself, even if you can't quite taste the salt itself.
• Ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp): The secret warmth that makes people ask what that subtle spice is.
• Ripe bananas (1 cup mashed, about 2 large): Use ones that are almost brown—the darker they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins become.
• Granulated sugar (1/2 cup): Sweetness and moisture in one, balancing the tang from the sourdough.
• Unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1/4 cup): Gives that rich, tender crumb you're after.
• Vegetable oil (1/4 cup): Keeps these muffins moist for days, literally—they somehow get better on day two.
• Sourdough discard (1/2 cup): The unfed kind is perfect here, adding subtle tang without overpowering the banana.
• Large eggs (2): Binding agent and structure, bringing everything together.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): Deepens the banana flavor in a way that's hard to describe but impossible to miss.
• Semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup): The pockets of joy, melting slightly but not completely, giving you something to look forward to with every bite.

Instructions

Heat your oven and prepare:

Preheat to 350°F and line your muffin tin with paper liners or a light grease—this matters because it determines whether your muffins pop out gracefully or stick like they're meant to stay. Work efficiently here so your oven's ready when you are.

Build your dry mix:

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl—this aeration of the flour is doing work you don't see. The moment you do this, your muffins have already begun becoming what they're meant to be.

Mash and combine wet ingredients:

In a large bowl, really mash those bananas until mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine and honestly better), then add sugar, melted butter, oil, sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until it looks homogeneous and silky, which takes maybe a minute of actual whisking.

Bring wet and dry together:

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir gently with a spatula just until you don't see streaks of flour anymore—this is the moment where overmixing ruins everything, so stop as soon as combined. The batter should look thick and lumpy, not smooth.

Fold in chocolate chips:

Gently turn the chocolate chips through the batter with about 8 to 10 folds using your spatula, making sure they're distributed but not crushed. This takes 20 seconds and changes everything.

Fill muffin cups:

Divide batter evenly, filling each cup about three-quarters full—this gives them room to crown without overflowing onto your oven floor. A small ice cream scoop makes this satisfyingly even.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, checking at 18 by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Your kitchen will smell incredible and slightly tangy, which is exactly right.

Cool with intention:

Let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes (I know it's hard to wait), then transfer to a wire rack where they finish cooling and setting up their structure. Eat one warm with a little butter if no one's watching.

Save

There was a morning when my 6-year-old dunked one of these in her milk like a cookie and genuinely seemed amazed at how it held together without falling apart. That's when I realized these muffins had transcended their humble origin story of cleaning out my fridge.

Storage and Keeping

These muffins keep beautifully at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container, and honestly, they're better on day two when the flavors have settled and deepened. The moisture from the oil means they never get that stale, crumbly texture—they just become softer and more cake-like. Freezing works wonderfully too; wrap individual muffins in foil and freeze for up to 2 months, thawing at room temperature when the craving strikes.

Why Sourdough Discard Changes Everything

There's a reason sourdough discard has become the internet's favorite kitchen hack—it adds a subtle fermented tang that makes banana muffins taste more sophisticated without tasting sour. The natural acids in the discard react with baking soda to create lift and a tender crumb that you'd struggle to achieve with just baking powder alone. It's also a gorgeous way to stop throwing away half your starter, which used to make me feel wasteful even though everyone said it was fine.

Variations and Swaps

These muffins are wonderfully flexible and forgiving, which is partly why I keep making them in different ways depending on what's in my pantry or what mood strikes. Brown butter instead of regular melted butter adds a nutty depth that's almost luxurious, and I've swapped half the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts or pecans with excellent results. You can also play with the spices—a pinch of nutmeg or a small amount of cardamom add complexity without changing the identity of the muffin.

• Use your ripest, brownest bananas for maximum flavor and sweetness without needing more sugar.
• If your sourdough discard is particularly sour (fed many times and very active), use just 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream for balance.
• Don't skip cooling them in the pan—this helps the structure set so they don't crumble when you pick them up warm.

Save

These muffins have become my answer to both breakfast and the eternal question of what to do with sourdough discard, which means I'm making them almost constantly now. They're humble enough to grab one with coffee on a Tuesday morning, but delicious enough to feel like you've done something nice for yourself.

Kitchen Guide

→ Can I substitute the sourdough discard?

Yes, you can replace sourdough discard with an equal amount of yogurt or buttermilk to maintain moisture and a slight tang.

→ How do I avoid overmixing the batter?

Combine wet and dry ingredients gently until just combined; some small lumps are okay to keep muffins tender.

→ What is the best way to store these muffins?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage.

→ Can I add nuts instead of chocolate chips?

Absolutely, walnuts or pecans can be used for a crunchy variation that complements the banana flavor.

→ How ripe should the bananas be for best flavor?

Use very ripe bananas with brown spots to maximize sweetness and moisture in the muffins.