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Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins are perfect for fall baking! Healthier ingredient swaps, warmly spiced, sweetened with maple syrup, and topped with mini chocolate chips, these gorgeous big muffins make a delicious breakfast or snack!
- Fall Baking! - Isn't the best part of autumn the baked treats?! These soft and tender pumpkin spiced muffins are the perfect addition to all things fall and Halloween!
- Better Ingredients! - These muffins are nutrient-dense and packed full of lots of pumpkin puree and banana, plus almond flour and real maple syrup for a treat that can be called and healthy snack!
- If you LOVE Fall Baking, try my Apple Cherry Crisp, Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins and these Banana Carrot Oatmeal Muffins!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
A healthier pumpkin banana bread muffin with maple syrup instead of sugar, almond flour, coconut oil, and LOTS of real fruits and vegetables!
- Flour and Almond Flour - I love adding a little almond flour to the mixture for extra protein. You can really sub any kinds of flour or combination. Regular rolled oats could be subbed in the mix.
- Spices - I used a mixture of cinnamon with a bit of ginger and nutmeg. Cinnamon is most important, if you don't have the others you can leave one or both out. This is similar to store-bought pumpkin spice, and you could use 2 teaspoons of that if you have it!
- Maple Syrup - I love baking with real maple syrup for a healthier sugar swap. It adds rich flavor that goes so well with pumpkin and cinnamon! If you don't have it, you can substitute brown sugar.
- Coconut Oil - A healthier swap to canola or vegetable oil, coconut oil makes these muffins soft and tender. You could also use melted butter.
- Banana - Banana bread meets pumpkin muffins, a match made in heaven! Use 2 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork, they give the muffins nice texture. Try these Apple Banana Bread Muffins and these Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins too!
- Pumpkin Puree - This recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin puree, so yes, it's a lot! You can use homemade pumpkin puree, and these muffins are also a great use-up for Thanksgiving leftovers! You could use 2 cups of leftover Mashed Butternut Squash or Butternut Squash Casserole or even Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Casserole. The nut topping is delicious mixed in the muffins. All the sweet, spiced, orange flavors here are similar and make amazing muffins! You can even freeze these leftovers in 1 or 2 cup portions to make muffins later! Remember, canned pumpkin puree is available all year, so these are a healthy muffin for any season!
- Mini Chocolate Chips - I love the mini chocolate chips for baking! It just feels like you're getting so many more chips per muffins, the kids love them too! Mix some in the batter, but be generous when topping the muffins!
See recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
No mixer required, these muffins mix up quick and easy in one bowl, and are ready to pop in the oven!
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients.
Step 2 - Add all other ingredients and mix until combined.
Save half the chocolate chips for topping the muffins.
Step 3 - Line a muffin tin with paper liners and use a portion scoop to evenly distribute the batter.
Step 4 - Batter makes 12 very full muffin cups. Top with the remaining mini chocolate chips.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
Step 5 - Really make sure you bake them long enough and don't peek in the oven until at least 35 minutes! Allow to cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Bake Longer than you Think! - While most muffins bake up quicker, these need longer than you think! At least 35 minutes, but probably closer to 40 or 45 to cook all the way through. This is because these are 12 BIG muffins! Plus they contain a lot of pumpkin puree and banana, which just takes longer to bake through and set up.
- Don't Peek While the Muffins Bake! - This is so important! Don't open the oven door! All muffins, especially these large pumpkin muffins, need consistent hot heat to get them to rise all the way. Opening the oven door to check on them will cause them to sink in the middle. Wait at least 35 minutes to check on the muffins.
- These are BIG muffins! - Yes you can fit all that batter into 12 muffin cups! They will be really full, which makes those huge beautiful muffin tops! If you want smaller muffins, go ahead and divide them into 14 or 15 muffins. I like to squeeze them into one pan! Just remember, big muffins need longer to cook!
- Let them Cool - It's tempting to want to eat one right from the oven, but you really need to wait with these muffins! That pumpkin puree is like molten lava hot from the oven, carry over cooking will continue to help these muffins set up! Leave them in the pan at least 30 minutes.
- Storage and Freezing - Store muffins in an airtight container on the counter for a day or two, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Muffins can sink in the middle if they aren't cooked long enough, or if the oven door is opened before they are done. Don't open the oven door to peek until at least 35 minutes, muffins need consistent heat. These muffins need longer to bake than most muffins, about 35 to 45 minutes. Make sure your oven is preheated and allow muffins to cool in the pan before handling.
Yes, just substitute the almond flour for either more regular flour, oat flour, regular rolled oats, or any other type of nut-free flour mix.
These pumpkin banana muffins can be topped with white chocolate chips, or chopped dark chocolate chunks. You could top them with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Try using up the Halloween candy and top them with chopped candy bars or peanut butter cups!
More Fall Baking Recipes!
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil or butter melted
- 1 egg
- 2 bananas mashed
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips half in the batter, half for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add all other ingredients, including half the chocolate chips, and mix until incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly into 12 paper-lined muffin cups. They will be very full! Generously top with the rest of the mini chocolate chips.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Don't open the oven to peek or check until at least 35 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes!
Notes
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- Bake Longer than you Think! - You really need to bake these muffins at least 35 minutes but probably closer to 40 or 45 to cook all the way through. These are 12 BIG muffins, that contain lots of pumpkin puree and banana which just takes longer to bake through and set up.
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- Don't Peek in the Oven! - This will cause your muffins to sink in the middle when they are trying to rise. Large muffins need consistent hot heat, wait at least 35 minutes to check on the muffins.
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- Let them Cool - You really need to wait with these muffins, that pumpkin puree is like molten lava hot from the oven, carry over cooking will continue to help them set up! Leave them in the pan at least 30 minutes.
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- Maple Syrup can be substitute with brown sugar.
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- Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg could be substituted with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice.
Ann says
This is a delicious recipe combining the comfort of banana bread with the smoothness of the pumpkin, and just a touch of chocolate. Came together easily, filled 12 muffin cups perfectly, and the bake time was correct. Try it!!!
Meryl Downing says
Thanks Ann, so happy to hear that!