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If you have a leftover open can of pumpkin puree and ripe bananas, this fall bakery-style muffin recipe is for you! Perfect for breakfast or brunch or for a speedy snack with a cup of coffee or tea, these banana pumpkin muffins are sweet, moist, and flavorful. The sweet taste of banana and pumpkin is complemented with warm, earthy cinnamon as well as pumpkin pie spice. All your favorite fall flavors make these banana and pumpkin muffins an edible masterpiece.
You’re going to love these tasty pumpkin banana muffins. Soft, tender muffins are topped with a cinnamon-spiked streusel topping for maximum flavor appeal.
Love bananas? You might also go bananas for banana bread crumb cake, banana cream pie rum pudding shots, or this breakfast banana split.
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: These pumpkin banana muffins are simple to prepare. You just need to combine the ingredients for the muffins and the ones for the streusel topping, and bake until your kitchen smells incredible!
Really delicious: If you like banana and pumpkin flavors, you’re going to enjoy these tasty muffins.
A great grab-and-go option: Grab one of these muffins if you want breakfast on the go!
Portable snacks: They’re ideal for picnics, potluck meals and all kinds of occasions.
Pumpkin Banana Muffins Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: A key ingredient although you can sub gluten free flour if need be.
Pumpkin pie spice: Warm spices add so much amazing flavor.
Mashed bananas: Ripe ones work best.
Vanilla extract: To complement the overall flavor.
Pumpkin puree: 100% mashed pumpkin. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling!
Light brown sugar: For sweetness.
Salted butter: Substitute unsalted plus a pinch of salt if you like.
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Muffins
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the streusel: Combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and then mix in the butter.
Prepare the muffin batter: Whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine the eggs and white sugar, then add the olive oil and melted butter, followed by the banana, pumpkin puree and vanilla. Combine the dry and wet mixtures together.
Make the muffins: Scoop the muffin batter into muffin liners in a muffin pan and top with the streusel mixture.
The finishing touches: Bake until done, then cool completely and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten free option: If you want a gluten free version, use your favorite gluten free flour. Baking soda and baking powder are naturally free from gluten.
Go nuts: Add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the pumpkin banana muffins batter.
Chocolate chips: Throw in some chocolate chips.
Streusel alternative: Not keen on streusel? Feel free to substitute a brown sugar glaze or similar.
Serving Suggestions
Savory sides: Start breakfast or brunch with a savory item, perhaps breakfast burritos or a breakfast crunchwrap.
Sweet sides: Cream cheese berry danishes and homemade granola are both good.
And to drink: Enjoy a pineapple peach smoothie or a cup of coffee (or both!)
How to Store Pumpkin and Banana Muffins
Store: Keep the pumpkin banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. They can be refrigerated but will likely be a bit dry by day 2. I like to keep them in a container with a paper towel underneath and another on top to soak up any moisture (to help keep them fresh!)
Freeze: They freeze well for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour or so on the countertop.
Reheat: A few seconds in the microwave or a warm oven will warm these back up.
Top Tips
Pumpkin puree: Make sure you’re using 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which has spices and sugar in it already. Use homemade pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin puree.
Danish dough whisk: This is a great alternative to a hand mixer (I have this one!) and is an easy way to combine the batter ingredients.
Cooling the muffins: Cool them for a few minutes in the pan before transferring them on to a wire rack, otherwise the muffins might get soggy bottoms!
Pumpkin Banana Muffin FAQs
Ripe ones have a richer flavor and are easier to mash. Even over-ripe ones will work (those will lots of brown on the skin you might otherwise throw out are perfect!)
Use either a hand mixer or a Danish dough hook, and be careful not to overmix, otherwise you’ll end up with dense, dry muffins.
You should start baking the pumpkin banana muffins in a hot oven briefly, because this activates the baking powder and gets the muffins rising fast. After that, you turn the oven down because you don’t want them to overcook or get too brown.
Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffin Recipe
Banana Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- ½ Cup olive oil
- ¼ Cup salted butter, melted
- 2 bananas, ripe, mashed
- ¾ Cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Streusel:
- ¾ Cup all purpose flour
- ¼ Cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Make the Streusel:
- Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Add the butter to the dry mixture, mixing well with a fork.
Make the Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place muffin or cupcake liners in a muffin pan. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs and granulated sugar with a hand mixer.
- Add in the olive oil and melted butter. Mix well.
- Mix in the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Mix well. If you are using a hand mixer add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 increments. I prefer to use a Danish dough whisk and mix until the flour is incorporated.
- Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), to scoop the muffin batter into the muffin pan.
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the streusel mixture on each of the muffins.
- Bake for 5 minutes
- Decrease the oven to 350 degree F and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- Cool the muffins in the pan for 4 or 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Danish dough whisk: This is a great alternative to a hand mixer and is an easy way to combine the batter ingredients.
Cooling the muffins: Cool them for a few minutes in the pan before transferring them on to a wire rack, otherwise the muffins might get soggy bottoms!
Nutrition
These wonderful easy pumpkin banana muffins are made with pumpkin puree, banana, earthy warm spices and vanilla, and they have a cinnamon-flavored sweet streusel topping to make them even more delicious. You’ll love how easy this pumpkin banana muffin recipe is to make and, of course, how good the homemade muffins taste.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
These banana pumpkin muffins are perfect! My kids loved them for breakfast.
I’ve made it a few times, and it’s so perfect as a snack or breakfast.
This really is the perfect recipe to use up some leftover pumpkin puree! The pumpkin wasn’t overpowering due to the bananas.