This soft pumpkin banana bread recipe combines sweet cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice for the ultimate Fall inspired healthy breakfast.
Healthy pumpkin banana bread
If you love pumpkin, you need to try this moist pumpkin banana bread.
The delicious recipe is packed with two whole cups of canned pumpkin and mashed banana, adding unbelievable moisture, softness, and flavor without all the extra fat.
I’ve already made the classic pumpkin recipe five times this year, with no plans to stop. It is absolutely wonderful for breakfast, snack, dessert, or any meal in between.
Plus, leftover banana bread slices freeze well too!
You may also like these Sweet Potato Brownies
Easy recipe tips and tricks
When adding the dry ingredients to the liquid, do not over mix.
Instead, stir the batter only until just evenly combined. This step guards against over activating the gluten.
It also prevents too many air bubbles from being introduced into the dough, which could cause tough, dense, and overly chewy final results.
My traditional banana bread recipes consistently come out perfectly after forty minutes in the oven. Due to climate, humidity, elevation, and uncalibrated oven temperature variations, yours may need to bake a little longer.
Do not open the oven even a crack until the cooking time is up. Every time a hot oven door is opened, the internal temperature can decrease by twenty degrees or more.
This pumpkin banana quick bread makes a great healthy snack or dessert. Turn it into a high protein breakfast by serving alongside Greek yogurt or Tofu Scramble.
Spread with almond butter, Coconut Butter, pumpkin butter, or cream cheese if desired. If you love chocolate, the loaf is fantastic with Homemade Nutella.
Finally, be sure to eat a copious amount of chocolate chips while baking, to make up for all of those calories you’re burning!
Leftover pumpkin? Make Applesauce Muffins
The best pumpkin banana bread ingredients
This quick loaf recipe is a great way to use up canned pumpkin and ripe bananas.
To make the bread, you need flour, ground cinnamon, powdered ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sweetener of choice, milk of choice or water, pure vanilla extract, optional oil and large or mini chocolate chips, and of course the mashed banana and pumpkin puree.
You can roast your own pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin puree. Or go with the easy option of buying regular or organic canned pumpkin puree at the grocery store.
For vegan pumpkin banana bread, use your favorite dairy free and plant based milk of choice, such as almond milk or coconut milk. There are no eggs and no butter required.
Feel free to sprinkle in a handful of walnuts, pecans, shredded coconut, or raisins.
No pumpkin on hand? An equal amount of roasted mashed sweet potato or winter squash (such as butternut squash or kabocha) are great substitutions.
Types of flour that work include spelt, white, or oat flour. Some brands of all purpose gluten free flour also work. And there is a flourless option included below. I have not tried whole wheat flour and do not recommend coconut flour here because it will yield a very dry bread.
Grain free option: Almond Flour Banana Bread
Pumpkin banana quick bread recipe video
Watch the step by step recipe video, above
The recipe was inspired by my Healthy Banana Bread and Carrot Cake Banana Bread.
Adding extra cinnamon and pumpkin took it over the top in deliciousness.
This particular version is hands down the best banana bread recipe I’ve tried so far.
How to make pumpkin banana bread
Start by gathering all of the ingredients and greasing a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
I also like to add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan, because this helps the homemade pumpkin banana cake loaf pop out easily after it’s baked.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the mashed banana, pureed pumpkin, pure vanilla extract, and other liquid ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
The dry ingredients can be combined ahead of time in a separate bowl. Or turn it into a one bowl recipe by stirring the dry ingredients straight into the mixing bowl.
Stir all of the ingredients together, then smooth the banana bread batter into the prepared baking pan.
If desired, sprinkle chopped nuts, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips on top of the pumpkin bread. Place the loaf pan on the center rack of the oven.
Bake the quick bread for forty five minutes or until the pumpkin banana loaf is golden in color and has domed on top. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out mostly clean.
Remove the loaf pan from the oven, and let the recipe cool before going around the sides with a knife and popping the bread out of the pan.
If you are a true pumpkin lover, serve the quick bread with a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
How to store pumpkin banana bread
Once cooled, I like to loosely cover the recipe on the counter or in the refrigerator and let it sit in the pan overnight.
The taste and texture are even better the next day, because excess moisture evaporates, resulting in a light and fluffy pumpkin loaf.
This makes a fantastic holiday gift and can be wrapped up and given to friends and family who live locally. If you choose overnight shipping, it can also be shipped to friends who live further away.
And if you are tasked with bringing a dish to share at a brunch or a potluck party, the healthy pumpkin recipe is easy to transport and always a hit with guests.
For optimal freshness, it is best to refrigerate any leftovers after a day. In a covered container in the refrigerator, the loaf should stay good for up to four days.
You may also slice and freeze leftover banana bread for up to three months in an airtight covered container. Place a layer of parchment paper in between slices, so they do not stick together.
Thaw frozen pumpkin banana bread slices on the countertop, or in a microwave, stove top, or a warm oven before serving.
For a high protein option, try this Protein Banana Bread
Pumpkin Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (spelt, white or oat, or try this Keto Pumpkin Bread)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or additional cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cup mashed banana
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey or agave
- 1/3 cup oil or water or milk of choice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- To make pumpkin banana bread, preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Whisk all liquid ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour wet into dry and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the prepared pan. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the top. Bake on the center rack 45 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Let cool completely. Slice and enjoy! Taste and texture are even better the second day if you can wait. Leftovers can be sliced and frozen if desired.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
The Best Pumpkin Recipes
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Swirl Bread
From the Hello Breakfast Cookbook
Made this! 30 min (+ 10 with over off) is definitely not enough. 55 straight minutes is the sweet spot. I replaced oil/milk with apple sauce, omitted the chips (didn’t have any) and adjusted the spices a little (didn’t have pumpkin pie spice). I didn’t need the excess sweetener either (only maple syrup).
Verdict: DELICIOUS! Moist! Hearty!
I made the chocolate version and 55 min was perfect. 30 min seemed very little time but I tried it…waited 10 min, still raw…cooked additional 10, let it sit in oven additional 10 min, still under cooked…made with half white and half whole wheat pastry flour. Next time will try 55 min like the chocolate. I am in New England, as location seems to matter!
Just made this and it turned out great! I used 2 ripe bananas and 1 cup pumpkin puree. I also used 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (to get monounsaturated fat in there) and a tiny splash of almond milk. I skipped the stevia because I personally don’t like the taste. I used 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 maple syrup. I didn’t have chocolate chips, but had half a dark chocolate bar, so I crushed it up and it worked well! Perfect amount of sweetness, nice consistency. Overall great recipe. Thank you!
This is by far the best recipe I have tried. used oat flour (ground my own sprouted rolled oats), also did 1 cup pumpkin and 1 cup banana to make 2 cups total. Made muffins, they are super delicious and perfect in texture. I froze the leftovers and pop one in the microwave to defrost everyday! These will be a staple from this point on..:)
I could not find pumpkin purée so I substituted with sweet potato purée. It was yummy!
I used this recipe to make pumpkin bread without the banana because I made your chocolate banana bread today also so I didn’t want to be on overload with the bananas. Let me start by saying I was hesitant to use oat flour because all I had on hand was “steel cut oats”. I put it in the processor and measured 2 cups and followed everything as stated except the bananas. I also added a half cup of walnuts to the mix….Katie, I don’t know if I messed it up with the steel oats but IT WAS FANTASTIC! It actually taste like oatmeal, chocolate chip walnut bread. The fact that it is much healthier than anything I could have purchased in a store and not loaded with sugar.
Thanks for taking the time to post your recipes. They do come in handy.
Kind regards….Tamara
Thanks for experimenting to make a just-pumpkin bread! I will have to try it!
Is there anything that can be substituted for the banana?
oh wait, I see the previous poster just said she made it leaving the banana bread out…I will try that.
This is a fabulous recipe. I made several over the Thanksgiving holiday – easy and welcomed at all venues! I was making a different pumpkin bread recipe over the last couple of years but this one is better. Thanks much!
I just made this in muffin form. I ddin’t have enough banana so added more pumpkin and applesauce as another commentor did. Also, I used less maple syrup because hubby doesn’t want so much and added 1/8 t liquid stevia. Even with the adjustments this is so very good! I will be making this again.
So, I made the mistake of leaving it in a bit longer and taking it out to set (because I couldn’t turn off the oven – had pumpkin cookies to throw in right after). The batter was completely raw in the middle; I ended up cooking it at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes, and letting it sit. Did the trick, though still a bit undercooked. May want to leave this in longer if you’re working with a cooler over.
That said, I made this late last night and it’s already almost gone – my vegan roomies LOVED this! I mixed flour, vegan butter, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar to make a crumble topping at it was DOPE. A. F.
Great recipe, but should probably be cooked a bit longer than the recipe states. But SUPER SUPER YUMMY!
I love and have made this recipe multiple times. Can you recommend how to adapt baking this in mini-loaf pans?
Thanks!