Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Updated Sep 21, 2026
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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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.
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 1 cup (I tested with the whole 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.
I also recently retested it and found that the batter feels a little short for 12 full muffins, so I increased the flour by ¼ cup and it worked out really well.
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
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Pumpkin Banana Muffins Ingredients
- 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 1 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
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
Add the mashed banana, pumpkin, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Whisk to combine.
3. Add Dry Ingredients
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
4. Fold Batter Together
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
Grease a muffin pan and fill each cup ¾ of the way full.
6. Bake Pumpkin Banana Muffins
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 Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons melted butter cooled slightly
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 cup can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with non-stick cupcake liners.
- 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 1 minute, 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. Divide the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Equipment
- Parchment Paper Cupcake Liners (optional)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
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.
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.
Comments
Hi Yumna!
These look delicious! Before I make them, is it 1/2 cup pumpkin or 1 cup? There is a discrepancy between the notes and the recipe itself. Thank you! 🙂
It’s 1 cup! Thanks for catching that, I just updated it. Hope you enjoy them!!
What is the Olive oil brand you used .. and was it EVOO or just plain Olive oil?
Hi! I use this Pompeian Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
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