Pumpkin banana muffins are rich, sweet, and incredibly moist.
They’re a delightful fusion of autumn comfort and year-round favorite flavors. And they’re the perfect breakfast on the go or mid-morning pick-me-up with a cup of coffee.
Plus, they make my house smell amazing – who needs scented candles when you can bake these?
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Perfectly Moist Texture: Thanks to the pumpkin puree, mashed banana, brown sugar, and oil, these muffins boast a wonderfully moist and tender crumb.
Seasonal Delight: They capture the essence of fall but can be enjoyed year-round for a cozy, comforting treat.
Easy to Make: With straightforward instructions and pantry staple ingredients, this recipe is perfect for both novice and experienced bakers alike.
Versatile Flavors: Feel free to add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a streusel topping.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree and Mashed Banana: The keys to the unique flavor and soft texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the muffin, providing structure and substance.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The dynamic duo that makes these muffins rise to the occasion.
- Ground Cinnamon: A warm, cozy spice to complement the pumpkin and banana.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the other flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar: Add the perfect amount of sweetness to make these muffins irresistible.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the muffins moist and helps create a tender crumb.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla elevates the overall flavor profile.
- Large Eggs: Act as a binder, holding all the ingredients together in harmony.
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Combining pumpkin and banana in a muffin is pure genius. It’s like fall and summer had a delicious baby!
But as impressive as they look and taste, they’re surprisingly easy to whip up.
1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
2. MIX: Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, then gently stir until just combined.
3. BAKE: Divide the batter between the 12 liners, filling each to the top. Bake for 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 375°F, and bake for 15 more minutes.
4. COOL: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool fully. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Pumpkin Banana Muffins
These little beauties are moist, fluffy, and packed with warm cinnamon flavor.
They’re a hit with both kids and adults, and they’re my go-to when I need to bring something to a potluck or brunch.
And since I’ve made them so many times, I have a few handy dandy tips for you below.
- Use ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. Choose yellow fruit with brown spots.
- Measure accurately. Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cup or weigh it so you don’t get too much.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Get everything out of the fridge 20-30 minutes early. This allows for easier mixing.
- Mash thoroughly. Mash the bananas until no large lumps remain for an even distribution of flavor throughout the muffins.
- Avoid overmixing. Mix the dry and wet ingredients by hand with a spatula until just combined to prevent dense, tough muffins.
- Fill properly. Fill muffin cups to the top and bake at a high heat to get that bakery-style, domed top.
- Bake in batches. Bake 6 muffins in a 12-count muffin tin. Spread them out with gaps between each so they have better heat flow and room to rise.
- Cool completely. To prevent muffins from becoming soggy, allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
- Variations. Try adding 1 cup chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips. For extra texture, add a streusel topping.
How to Store
Are you ready to embrace pumpkin season? Trust me, once you try these, you’ll be hooked!
Just remember to store them properly so they last as long as possible – if you can keep your hands off them, that is!
To Store: Place cooled muffins in an airtight container lined with paper towels. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
To Freeze: Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.
To Reheat: Microwave individual muffins for 10-15 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. For best texture, allow refrigerated muffins to come to room temperature before reheating.
More Pumpkin Treats You’ll Love
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin Cream Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Pumpkin Banana Muffins
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kcalPumpkin banana muffins are rich, sweet, and incredibly moist. They’re the perfect breakfast on the go or mid-morning pick-me-up with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly blended. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the sugars, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin puree and mashed bananas until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stop when no streaks of flour are visible.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Bake 6 muffins in one 12-count muffin tray so they have better heat flow and room to move.
- Rest the muffin batter for 30-60 minutes at room temp for even taller muffins.
Could I use almond flour?
Hi Theresa!
A 1:1 swap for almond flour wouldn’t work in this case.
The pumpkin and banana makes the batter quite thick and dense, so adding almond flour will make it even more so.
If you want them gluten-free, I’d recommend a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose blend instead.
Or, if you prefer almond flour, you could replace some of the flour. Maybe 1 cup, and then 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.
If you add too much almond flour, the end muffins will come out grainy. And the added fat might also make them a but greasy.
I suggest trying it out with a smaller batch! And let me know how they come out 🙂
Ok thank you so much, I let you know ☺️
What does the banana add to the recipe and what would it replace? I have someone with food allergy to bananas.Thank you.
Hi, Ann!
So, in this particular recipe, the bananas actually do quite a lot.
Firstly, they add their own particular flavor to the muffins. (You’d be surprised at how well bananas and pumpkin complement one another!)
They also:
– Add moisture
– Add a natural sweetness
– Act as a binding agent to hold everything together
– Contribute to the density of the recipe for a very specific texture
You COULD leave them out, but I’m not sure how you’d adjust the other ingredients to compensate. Hmmm….
I’d guess you’d need at least 1 more egg to help hold the batter together. And probably at least another 1/4 cup of sugar for sweetness. You could up the pumpkin puree to 2 cups to compensate for the lack of moisture and flavor the bananas would normally supply.
Honestly, if you were going to leave out the bananas, I might just try another pumpkin muffin recipe instead.
These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are DELICIOUS. So are these pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
If you do go ahead with this recipe, please come back and let me know what changes you made and how it turned out! <3