This is the banana bread recipe that will make your neighbors come knockin'. The sourdough discard adds a depth of flavor that regular banana bread just cannot touch — a gentle tang that plays beautifully against the sweet, caramelized banana. Dense enough to slice, moist enough to eat plain, and perfect enough to share. Or not.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
Mash bananas very thoroughly with a fork in a large bowl until nearly smooth. A few small lumps are completely fine. Use the ripest, most spotted bananas you can find — they are sweeter, more flavorful, and easier to mash.
To the mashed bananas, add melted butter, eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips or walnuts if using. Do not overmix — a few flour streaks are fine; tough banana bread is not.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. If you have a spare banana, press a few slices on top for a beautiful presentation. Bake 60–65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too fast after 45 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift onto a wire rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing — cutting too early makes the inside gummy. An hour is better. We know. It is hard.
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