Sourdough discard banana bread granola is a delightful blend of ripe bananas and tangy sourdough, creating a golden, crunchy treat. This sustainable twist on granola is a fantastic way to use up that sourdough discard!
I love this recipe because it is the perfect way to use up overly ripe bananas and sourdough discard. Sourdough discard banana bread granola essentially is made with ingredients you otherwise would be wasting.
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Granola:
This banana bread granola is a medley of flavors, combining the familiar and comforting taste of freshly baked banana bread with the satisfying crunch of granola.
Unlike traditional granola recipes, this calls for less fat and sugar, replacing it with sourdough discard. The end result is a bit less crunchy than standard granola.
You’ll find this granola has an amazing texture that is addictive and the perfect topping for yogurt, oatmeal, or on it’s own with milk.
What’s in Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Granola?
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- Sourdough Discard – I use discard that’s been fed within the past few days, otherwise you may want to use more maple syrup to taste.
- Maple Syrup – Honey is an adequate substitute.
- Melted Coconut Oil – Swap vegetable or canola oil if you don’t have this on hand.
- Vanilla Extract
- Rice Krispie cereal
- Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, and a dash of nutmeg.
- Banana Chips
- Mixed Nuts – Use whatever you have on hand. I like slivered almonds and walnuts or pecans.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut – I don’t recommend using the overly-processed sweetened coconut, you miss out on the crunchy texture of the unsweetened coconut!
- Chia Seeds – You can swap flaxseed or leave this out.
- Salt – I always use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. Reduce the salt by approximately half if you’re using regular table salt.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Granola:
- Chop your nuts & banana chips: Before you get started, prep the nuts and banana chips. Chop them as small (or leave them as big) as you would like. I prefer smaller bits of nuts in my granola, but some people like big chunks of nuts.
- Wet ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the mashed banana starter, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil. Set it aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Combine all of your other dried ingredients EXCEPT the fruit.
- Spread evenly on a prepared sheet pan: I like to line my pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have that available, use tin foil and give it a quick spray with non-stick spray.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-35 minutes until golden brown and fragrant: During the baking process, you’ll definitely want to give it a stir or two in the middle to ensure all pieces have been toasted lightly.
Sourdough Granola Tips
If you’re using unfed sourdough (over a week old), make sure to add a bit extra sweetener. The unfed sourdough is a bit more tangy than unfed, so to balance that out you’ll use more maple syrup.
To ensure bigger chunks, press the granola firmly into the pan. Once it’s cooked, you can break the chunks up. However, if you don’t like chunky granola just spread it as you would otherwise.
Once it’s cooled, you can break the bigger chunks up into smaller bits.
Be careful not to over-bake the granola. Keep an eye on it, and when it seems like it’s done, it probably is. It will harden more once you remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
Note: In general, sourdough granola is a softer consistency than “regular” granola. Sometimes I bake it a bit longer for crunchier granola, but in my opinion the best consistency is when it is slightly soft.
How will I know it’s done? It will be golden brown and fragrant. It will still be a bit “wet” when you take it out of the oven, but as I mentioned above, it will dry out as it cools.
Questions and Substitutions
How should I store the granola? Keep your granola in an airtight container (I like a glass jar with a tight lid). I don’t like to keep this granola much more than 2 to 3 weeks, otherwise I’ll freeze it.
Freezing granola: if you don’t think you’ll finish it within a few weeks I suggest freezing it. Pop it into a plastic bag or in a plastic airtight container. To defrost, just let it come to room temp an hour or so before you want to use it.
Want it sweeter? This recipe is naturally subtly sweet, so you may want to, you can add more maple syrup. You could even add a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, molasses, or honey.
What other nuts can I add? I mentioned walnuts, pecans, and almonds. Other options might include seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. You might try chopped hazelnuts or even cashews.
Can I leave the Rice Krispie cereal out? For sure, just make sure to add the same amount of oats.
If you like this recipe, make sure to try:
Sourdough Granola (the OG!)
Other great ways to use up ripe bananas:
Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Healthy Low-Sugar Banana Bread
Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups (178 g) rolled oats (not instant or steel cut)
- 3/4 cup (20 g) Rice Krispie cereal
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional (sub flaxseed)
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup walnuts (or pecans), coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup (24 g) dried banana chips, coarsely chopped
- 1.5 tablespoons (20 g) coconut oil, melted (sub canola or vegetable oil)
- 1/3 cup (76 g) sourdough starter (ripe - fed) *see notes if using unfed discard.
- 1/3 cup (100 g) maple syrup, more to taste
- 1 (118 g) large, overly ripe banana, mashed (use another banana if smaller)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (see notes)
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, cereal, nuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds (or flax seeds if using), and dried banana chips.
- In a small bowl, stir the sourdough starter, mashed banana, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut oil, salt, and spices until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until evenly moist.
- Spread the granola out on the baking sheet evenly. You can leave larger chunks, you can break it up after it bakes.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until you smell roasted nuts and it has turned golden brown in color. You may need more or less time depending on your oven. The granola will harden up more after you take it out of the oven to cool.
- Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. This granola will last for approximately one month at room temperature, or up to three months in the freezer.
Notes
- If you don't have parchment paper, use tin foil and lightly grease or spray it with non-stick spray. Parchment paper is ideal, but I've used tin foil in a pinch and it has worked fine!
- If you are using unfed sourdough discard, I recommend using more sweetener. Consider using a half cup of maple syrup or adding a few tablespoons of honey to balance the tang of the sourdough discard.
