Sourdough Banana Nut Bread (Printable Version)

Moist banana bread enhanced with sourdough discard, toasted walnuts, and a crisp brown sugar crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
02 - 1/2 cup sourdough discard, unfed at room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Add-ins

13 - 3/4 cup chopped and lightly toasted walnuts

→ Brown Sugar Crust

14 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, sourdough discard, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold in the toasted walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Sourdough discard transforms ordinary banana bread into something with real complexity—tangy depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • The brown sugar crust adds an irresistible crunch that stays crispy even after the bread cools, making every slice feel a little fancy.
  • You actually get to use that jar of discard sitting in your fridge instead of feeling guilty about waste.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the silent killer—fold gently and stop as soon as you see no white flour streaks, even if the batter looks slightly lumpy.
  • Room temperature ingredients matter more than you think; cold eggs and milk won't emulsify properly with the butter and will create a greasy, separated crumb.
03 -
  • If your sourdough discard is cold straight from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes—temperature consistency matters more than people realize.
  • The brown sugar crust will look dark and almost burned when it comes out, but it's actually perfect; let it cool before judging.
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