The Ultimate Mashup: Banana Nut Muffin Sourdough
We’ve all been there. It’s 9:00 PM on a Tuesday, and suddenly, your brain decides it doesn’t just want a banana nut muffin—it needs one. The kind with the crunchy top, the nostalgic smell of Krusteaz mix, and enough cinnamon to make a spice rack blush.
But as a sourdough baker, I had a literal internal conflict. My starter, “Dough-bi-Wan Kenobi,” was bubbly, active, and staring at me from the counter. I couldn’t just ignore my fermentation schedule for a box of muffins… could I?
Then it hit me: Why choose?
I decided to stage a kitchen intervention and mash these two worlds together. The result? A Banana Nut Muffin Sourdough Loaf that is essentially a giant, fermented muffin in bread clothing.
This Banana Nut Muffin Sourdough Bread is the cozy, carb-heavy hug you didn’t know you needed. It’s got the tang of a traditional loaf, the sweetness of a Krusteaz muffin, and a crumb topping that will make you want to skip dinner and go straight to dessert.
Why Use Muffin Mix?
Purists might raise an eyebrow, but adding Krusteaz Banana Walnut Muffin Mix directly into the dough is a total game-changer. It infuses the crumb with that nostalgic, box-mixed banana flavor while the bread flour provides the structure and chew we love in sourdough.
A Pro Tip: Because of the extra sugar in the muffin mix, the dough will be stickier than your average loaf. Don’t panic! Wet your hands during the initial mix and give it a solid 5-minute knead to build that strength early on.
The Secret is in the “Inclusions”
A plain banana loaf is fine, but we aren’t here for “fine.” We’re here for decadence. This recipe uses a triple-threat of flavor:
- Cinnamon Sugar Filling: Swirled inside the dough for those gooey pockets of spice.
- Muffin Crumb Topping: A buttery, sugary crunch added halfway through the bake.
- Cinnamon Glaze: The literal icing on the cake (err, bread).
Step-by-Step Breakdown
- The Mix: Whisk your water and starter, then add the flour, mix, and salt. It’ll be shaggy and sticky. Knead for 5 minutes, then let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Strength Building: Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds (or coil folds) every 30 minutes. Toss those chopped walnuts in during the 3rd set.
- The Bulk Ferment: Let it rise until doubled (usually 6–12 hours). If you use a heating mat at 77°F like I did, it should take about 9 hours. Look for that beautiful domed top!
- Shaping & Filling: Stretch the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle your cinnamon sugar filling (leave the edges bare!), fold it up like a letter, seal the edges, and roll it into a ball.
- Cold Proof: Into the fridge it goes for 12–48 hours. This is where the flavor really develops.
- The Bake: Preheat your Dutch oven to 450°F. Bake for 10 minutes with the lid on, then quickly open it to add your crumb topping. Bake another 15 minutes (lid on), then drop to 425°F and bake lid-off for 15 more minutes.
- The Hard Part: Wait 3 hours for it to cool before glazing. If you cut it too early, the steam escapes and the texture gets gummy!
Was It Worth the 9-Hour Wait?
Sourdough is the ultimate exercise in delayed gratification. While a muffin takes 20 minutes, this loaf took a 9-hour bulk ferment on my heating mat and a long nap in the fridge.
But when I finally pulled it out of the oven, drizzled it with a Cinnamon Glaze, and let it cool (the hardest 3 hours of my life), the first slice was a revelation.
The Verdict
This loaf is heavy, sweet, and incredibly impressive. It has the chew of a sourdough, the tang of the starter, and the soul of a bakery-style muffin. The muffin crumb topping and the walnuts provide the perfect crunch against the soft, cinnamon-swirled interior. It’s basically a giant, sourdough-ified muffin that you can slice and toast with a thick slab of salted butter.
Banana Nut Muffin Sourdough
Created by Sue Mun
Makes one sourdough boule
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 360g warm water
- 120g ripe sourdough starter
- 240g banana walnut muffin mix from Krusteaz
- 450g bread flour
- 10g salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (add during third stretch and fold)
Inclusions:
Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- 65 grams (1/3 cup) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsps ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Muffin Crumb Topping:
- 56g unsalted butter, melted
- 60g all-purpose flour
- 55g brown sugar
- 25g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp whole milk
Instructions:
- In a large bowl add warm water and starter. Mix until combined.
- Add bread flour, banana muffin mix, and salt.
- Combine everything until a shaggy dough forms. To fully incorporate the dough wet your hands and use them to fully combine everything. There should be no dry spots. It will be very sticky because of all the sugars in the muffin mix, but try to knead it for about 5 minutes to build its strength. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Do 2 sets of stretch and folds with 30 minutes of rest in between. It should get stronger as you do your stretch and fold sessions.
- On your third stretch and fold, add in the chopped walnuts. Cover and rest again for 30 minutes.
- Then perform your fourth and final stretch and folds. You can even do coil folds if you prefer during these stages. You can also do a fifth stretch and fold session if you think your dough still looks tacky and does not hold its shape still.
- Once you’re finished with the last stretch and fold, cover the bowl and continue bulk fermenting on the counter. This process can take anywhere from 6-12hrs depending on multiple factors it took mine about 9 hours and it was on my heating mat at 77 degrees F. You’ll have a good idea of when your dough is finished bulk fermenting when it has doubled in size and it has a bit of a domed top. It will be slightly sticky when poked but not too extremely sticky where it sticks to your finger.
- Now we’ll start shaping the dough. Lightly water your work surface or flour your work surface instead if your prefer. Stretch the dough into a rectangle shape. Sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture on top. Being mindful to leave the outer 2 to 3 inches uncovered.
- Then fold the left side into the middle and then the right side into the middle. You’ll want to pinch the otter edge to “seal in” the filling. Sprinkle more cinnamon sugar filling on top. Start from the bottom and roll the dough to the top. Careful to not to de-flat the dough too much.
- Pinch the left and right sides to contain the filling and continue to carefully shape into a ball.
- Once the dough is shaped flour the top and the tea towel you plan to use in your bowl. Then place the dough on top of the floured tea towel top side down. Sprinkle flour over the top, cover the dough and stick in the fridge to cold proof for 12-48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450F and place your dutch oven pot in the oven as it preheats. Allow the pot to stay in there at 450F for at least 15 minutes to warm up.
- Flip the sourdough on parchment paper and score the top. Then plop the sourdough in your preheated dutch oven pot and close the lid.
- Bake at 450F with the lid on for 10 minutes. Take the pot out of the oven and quickly add the crumb topping on top of the sourdough. Close the lid again and bake for another 15 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 425F and take the lid off and bake for another 15 minutes or until thee internal temperature is above 190F. If the crumb topping is getting too dark, you can place a piece of foil to over the top to protect it.
- Cool off completely for about 3 hours before drizzling with cinnamon glaze and cutting into it.
