Pumpkin Banana Muffins

4.97 from 199 votes

Easy pumpkin banana muffins made with ripe bananas, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. They bake up soft and work well for breakfast or snacks.

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Prep Time 12 minutes
Servings 12 muffins
Comments
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These pumpkin banana muffins came out of me having half a can of pumpkin puree and a couple of sad bananas on the counter at the same time (which happens to me a lot). Instead of picking one to make muffins with, I decided to use both, and they turned out soo good! I just mashed really ripe bananas with the pumpkin purée, with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. My kids will grab one of the pumpkin banana muffins for breakfast or a snack, and I am fine with that since they’re getting real banana and pumpkin, instead of artificial yuck.

Pumpkin Banana Muffins.
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 Recipe testing notes

For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.

Right away when I was writing this recipe, I knew the moisture from the bananas and the pumpkin was either going to work great or be a real problem. And at first it was a problem. My early batches came out dense and gummy in the middle because there was just too much wet stuff for the flour to deal with. Sticking to two bananas and only half a can (I tested with more than ¾ of a can first time around) of pumpkin was what finally balanced it out, so the muffins were moist but still baked all the way through instead of being heavy and gummy.

Don’t overmix the batter once the flour goes in. I say this with every muffin recipe, but it really matters here. I fold the muffin just until I don’t see flour streaks anymore and then stop, even if it still looks a little lumpy.

One thing to know is that these bake up really moist, so the toothpick test can trick you. A couple of times I thought they weren’t done because the toothpick came out with a little on it, but that was just the pumpkin and banana, not raw batter. Pull them when the tops spring back and the toothpick has a few moist crumbs on it, not wet batter.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Pumpkin Banana Muffins Ingredients

Ingredients for recipe: flour, pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, bananas, oil, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and sugar.
  • Bananas: I use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots because they mash easily and work best in muffins. Even very dark bananas are fine as long as they have not started fermenting. Since banana is one of the main ingredients in these pumpkin banana muffins, I would not use firm yellow bananas here.
  • Pumpkin puree: Make sure this is plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added. Since the recipe only uses ½ cup, I refrigerate the rest in an airtight container and use it in another pumpkin recipe.
  • Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt are whisked together before going into the batter. You can use 1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg if you’d like. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it instead of packing it down so the muffins do not end up too dense. I also like checking that my baking soda is fresh before baking since old baking soda can keep muffins from rising properly.
  • Sugars: Granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar are both used here. If I only have dark brown sugar, I can use the same ½ cup in place of the light brown sugar. The muffins will come out a little darker.
  • Wet ingredients: Olive oil, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla make up the rest of the batter. I let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it so it does not heat the eggs, and room-temperature eggs mix into the batter more evenly.

How to Make Pumpkin Banana Muffins

These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Pumpkin Banana Muffins. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Pumpkin Banana Muffins recipe below

1. Whisk Wet Ingredients

Sugars, oil, butter, and eggs in a bowl before whisking.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the sugars, butter, oil, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients are well-incorporated.

2. Add Banana and Pumpkin

After whisking smooth with banana, pumpkin, and vanilla added before combining.

Add the mashed banana, pumpkin, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Whisk to combine.

3. Add Dry Ingredients

After combining with dry ingredients added before mixing.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

4. Fold Batter Together

After mixing to show final batter.

Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. You don’t want any streaks or lumps of flour in the batter, but don’t overmix it.

5. Fill the Muffin Pan with Batter

Before baking.

Grease a muffin pan and fill each cup ¾ of the way full.

6. Bake Pumpkin Banana Muffins

After baking.

Bake until lightly browned along the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Full Pumpkin Banana Muffins Recipe

Pumpkin banana muffins on a plate.

Pumpkin Banana Muffins Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.97 from 199 votes
Pumpkin banana muffins made with pumpkin puree and warm spices mixed with ripe mashed bananas and baked until soft and fluffy.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings12 muffins

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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray a 12-count muffin tin with non-stick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, olive oil, butter, and eggs. Whisk for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and well combined. Add the banana, pumpkin, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

My Top Tip: Try to fill the muffin cups evenly. I usually eyeball it, but keeping the amount of batter similar in each cup helps all 12 muffins finish baking at about the same time.
Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Place them in a freezer bag or an airtight container. They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or warm them up in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 232mg, Potassium: 134mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 1758IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Recipe Variations

  • Try some mix-ins. I like to add ½ cup of chocolate chips, toasted pecans, or raisins to the muffin batter. For even more flavor, soak the raisins in apple cider for a few hours first.
  • Add a topping. Finish the muffins with a sprinkle of turbinado (coarse sugar) or old-fashioned oats (or both!) before baking.
  • Glaze it. Here’s my recipe for how to make a glaze with just three ingredients.
  • Make mini muffins: Keep the oven at 350°F and start checking them around 10–12 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe Tips

  1. Try to fill the muffin cups evenly. I usually eyeball it, but keeping the amount of batter similar in each cup helps all 12 muffins finish baking at about the same time.
  2. Check the center muffins first. The muffins toward the middle of the pan can take a little longer than the ones around the outside. I test one of those with a toothpick before pulling the whole pan from the oven.
  3. Don’t over-mix the batter. The more you mix, the more the gluten strands in the flour activate, which makes tough muffins without much rise. As soon as you see that there are no more streaks of flour in the batter, stop stirring.
  4. Let the muffins cool completely. They’ll bake a bit longer after you remove them from the oven, so let them come to room temperature before you try them. They’re worth the wait!

Troubleshooting

Why did my pumpkin banana muffins turn out dense?

The two most common causes are using too much flour or overmixing after the flour is added. I spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping directly from the bag, then fold the batter only until the flour disappears.

Why are my muffins gummy in the middle?

They likely need more time in the oven. Both pumpkin and mashed banana add a lot of moisture, so I test a center muffin with a toothpick before taking the pan out. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Why didn’t my muffins rise very much?

Check the baking soda first. If it has been sitting open in the pantry for a long time, it may no longer have enough strength to give the muffins a good rise.

Pumpkin banana muffin on a small plate with a bite taken out to show inside texture.

More Muffin Recipes

Banana Bread Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Cranberry Lemon Muffins

Carrot Cake Muffins

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Zucchini Bread Muffins

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Sweet Potato Muffins

4.97 from 199 votes (84 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Holly says:

    Forgive me if this is in the comments somewhere already, but if I were to use pumpkin pie spice instead of the listed spices, how much would you recommend? Many thanks.

  2. Nikki says:

    If I wanted to make mini muffins, what would the bake time be?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi! I would keep the oven at 350°F and start checking them around 10–12 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Hope you enjoy!

  3. Lori Pena says:

    Perfect recipe! I added an extra teaspoon of Cinnamon to a doubled recipe just because my grandkids are crazy for it (and it’s healthy). Looking now for a pumpkin bread recipe.

  4. Jaysmyn says:

    Skipped the nutmeg and ginger, added a bit more pumpkin, did not melt my butter all of the way and used overripe bananas. THE BEST!! I had to stop myself from eating them all and will probably use these as an easy grab and go morning breakfast going into the fall. I think adding more pumpkin in a recipe like this is always a great choice because it makes them so moist!!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So nice to hear! Love the little tweaks you made to make the muffins extra pumpkin-y. It’ll be fall before you know it, glad this will be a go-to recipe for you!

  5. Linda Lee says:

    This is my most favorite muffin recipe. Such amazing flavor even after I reduced the sugar and butter. I use half of wheat flour and half white all purpose flour.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      I’m so happy to hear it’s your favorite! Love that you made it your own, Linda!

  6. Donna Chorley says:

    Five Star Recipe. So light, fluffy and flavourful! Thank you for sharing.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yay! So happy you liked it!

  7. Metaxia says:

    We just tried this recipe using our Halloween pumpkin! I added dates instead of vanilla and some ground almond and I must say they are soooo delicious! My 11mo loves them and I am a happy mom!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      I love this, amazing!

  8. Dominique says:

    Everyone looooved these at home!!! I did as you recommended and added raisins to the batter. I had 3/4 cup of pumpkin instead of 1/2 and I went ahead and used all of it which made them sooo moist. I also changed half the white flour for wheat flour for more fiber. I doubled the batch and shared the joy! A real winner! Will be making these again and again! 🙂

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yay!! Aww, I’m so happy they were a hit! Thank you so much, Dominique!

  9. Diane says:

    I made a double batch and gave some away. General consensus very good, so moist and flavourable. Making more very soon.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yay! So happy everyone enjoyed them!! Thanks, Diane!

  10. Emily Carbonella says:

    Could I adapt this recipe to use with a mix? We love Kodiak Cakes pancake/waffle mix, but I’m wondering if I could add pumpkin and spices to the mix.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      I haven’t tried that but I think it could work! I would love to hear how it turns out if you end up trying it.

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