If you’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin banana recipes this season, look no further than my easy Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins! With crunchy oats, creamy pumpkin, sweet bananas, and warming spices, they pack all the cozy flavors of autumn in one bite – with minimal hassle in the kitchen.
Muffins might be the great equalizer among breakfast lovers around the globe. They’re best enjoyed in the morning because of their grab-and-go convenience – and as a busy mom, you cannot convince me otherwise!
My Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins are a huge hit no matter where or how they are devoured, but as the fall season makes its debut, I find myself whipping these up weekly as easy, handheld breakfasts that I can easily freeze, thaw, and reheat in the microwave during the chaotic weekday mornings.
This bakery-style banana pumpkin muffins recipe comes together quickly, is super easy to modify, and boasts all things pumpkin, sugar, and spice. Plus, if you have any soft, overripe bananas sitting on your counter, they’re a great way to put them to work!
For more sweet breakfast recipes, try out my Blueberry French Toast Casserole, Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls, and Easy Biscoff Overnight Oats.
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Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Easy recipes and my kitchen are a match made in heaven. Whether you’re a busy parent juggling all the tasks like me, or you’re a novice baker looking to get your feet wet, you’ll love this foolproof recipe for bakery-style pumpkin banana muffins with oats.
- Quick and Easy to Make: These muffins are on your table within 30 minutes – so fast it feels like magic. And that’s a busy mom win in my book!
- No Extra Grocery Store Trips: I’m all about using simple ingredients. Before you head to the grocery store, check your pantry – you probably have everything you need already!
- Make-Ahead Snack or Breakfast: Bake a few dozen of these muffins over the weekend and freeze them in advance for simple grab-and-go breakfasts for everyone in the household. Trust me, it makes those busy school mornings a little less hectic.
🥂Make it A Rosy Moment
There are few things more comforting than warm muffins fresh from the oven, here are three elevated ways to make these Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins truly shine:
- Autumn Espresso Affogato-Style - Slice a muffin in half, warm it slightly, then nestle a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between the halves. Drizzle with a shot of warm espresso or rich cold brew over the top. The contrast of creamy, cold, bitter, and sweet plus that is a unique way to serve up a muffin at brunch.
- Harvest Spread for A Gathering Brunch - Arrange the muffins on your favorite charcuterie board alongside small bowls of whipped maple butter, spiced apple-chutney, and toasted pecans. Let your girls build their perfect bites. Serve alongside my Apple Pie Granola and greek yogurt for a feast!
- Decadent Dessert - Cut the muffin in half, layer with mascarpone whipped cream (lightly sweetened!), drizzle caramel sauce, and top with crunchy cinnamon sugar pecans. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a few slices of poached pear or persimmon. Suddenly, your muffin is a dinner party dessert. Serve it at a Friendsgiving for a show stopping dessert.
Important Ingredients
Banana and pumpkin muffins call for the usual baking ingredients, plus a couple more. From there, it couldn’t be easier!
- Flour: Flour is the base of these muffins, giving them structure and crumb. I always sift the flour first – this helps aerate the mixture and ensures a lighter texture. All-purpose or whole wheat flour is best.
- Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: Your leavening agents that cause the muffin batter to rise and become light and fluffy! Salt makes all the flavors pop.
- Rolled Oats: The chewy crunch in these muffins is thanks to old-fashioned oats, which also prevent sogginess and dryness. Plus, we could all use some added fiber in our diets!
- Pumpkin Puree: With a nice earthy flavor, pumpkin puree gives a nod to the warmth of fall (think pumpkin pie filling…mmm!). It also makes perfectly moist muffins. If you’re feeling up to the task, peel, roast, and puree baking pumpkins yourself at home, but using canned pumpkin makes things easy.
- Mashed Ripe Banana: Don’t toss out those overripe bananas just yet! For the best banana pumpkin muffins, the spottier the banana peel, the better the banana flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Achieving a rich caramelized flavor calls for light brown sugar, and pack it well when measuring. You can use white sugar, but add slightly more than the recipe calls for.
- Eggs: You need eggs to bind everything together and add moisture. Bring the eggs to room temperature beforehand.
- Maple Syrup: The maple deepens the flavor and offers natural sweetness. Agave nectar and honey can be used in its place.
- Vanilla Extract: Boosts the flavors from the pumpkin, banana, and spices. Use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: All the warming spices in one! Use a pre-made blend, or make your own by combining nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Swaps and Substitutions
One of the reasons I love this muffin recipe is how modifiable it is. Don’t be afraid to swap out ingredients to accommodate dietary restrictions or time constraints.
- Gluten-Free: Swap out the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour mixture. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes before baking and cool them completely before enjoying. Other than that, follow the recipe as listed!
- Vegan/Dairy-Free: Swap the eggs with flax eggs or dairy-free yogurt. You can also include melted coconut oil or avocado oil for added fats.
- Cake or Pancake Mix: If you’re experiencing an extra crazy week, simplify the recipe by substituting pancake mix for the dry ingredients. Incorporate the wet ingredients and pumpkin pie spice, and boom – you’ve saved time, hassle, and extra measuring cups to clean up.
- Healthier Option: Replace the all-purpose flour with almond flour, and use cane sugar or coconut sugar (used in a 1:1 ratio) instead of brown sugar for a lighter muffin with all the same tasty flavors.
Full Recipe Below
Find the full list of ingredients & measurements below!
Step by Step Instructions
Ready? Here are five simple steps that'll take you closer to your favorite morning or afternoon snack!
- In a large bowl and mix all your wet ingredients (maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, vanilla extract) along with baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.
2. Next, add your remaining dry ingredients (oats and flour) to your pumpkin mixture and stir till well incorporated.
3. Scoop out the mixture in the muffin cups (equally) and sprinkle some more oats on top.
4. Bake your yummy, fluffy muffins for 20 minutes and enjoy!
Top Tip
Allow your muffins to cool before biting into them. This isn’t just to prevent burns or a practice in patience – right out of the oven, the muffins are still “baking” so giving them time to cool off properly sets the structure, ensuring we have muffins with a tender, moist crumb.
Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
From mixing to storing, I’m giving you my best tricks for your very own scrumptious pumpkin banana muffins.
- Avoid overmixing! Overworking the muffin batter will cause the muffins to become dense and chewy rather than light and fluffy. Instead, gently fold in the ingredients until they’ve combined.
- Prevent sticking. You can use muffin liners or any paper liners you have. If you don’t have those on hand, coat a layer of melted butter on the inside of each muffin cup.
- Freeze leftover muffin batter. Save some to bake fresh treats later by transferring some (or an extra batch) of the muffin batter to a freezer-safe bag and freezing for up to 3 months.
- Storage Directions: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
The pumpkin muffin options are endless! If you want a different take, here are a few ideas to experiment with:
- Pumpkin Banana Cream Cheese Muffins: Add a dollop of cream cheese to the center of each muffin before baking. So rich and decadent!
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: Biting into an ooey-gooey chocolate chip muffin is pure bliss. Toss dark chocolate chips in the batter, and don’t be modest! Then, sprinkle a few extra on top of each muffin before popping the tin in the oven.
- Mini Pumpkin Banana Muffins: More muffins, but bite-sized! The recipe stays the same, just use a muffin tin with smaller cups and bake for 15 minutes.
- Pumpkin Banana Bread: Same ingredients and directions that this recipe calls for, just baked in a loaf pan. Bake for 50-65 minutes. For the full pumpkin banana bread experience, sprinkle in a handful of walnuts or pecans.
Related Recipes
If you tried these Pumpkin Banana Muffins with Oats or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
Equipment
- 2 muffin tins
- muffin liners
- 2 glass mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup pumpkin puree 100% pure pumpkin
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup mashed ripe banana
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line the muffin tins with 12 muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin, mashed banana, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt.
- To the pumpkin mixture add in the oats and flour and stir until just combined.
- Evenly divide the mixture between the muffin cups and sprinkle with a few extra oats
- Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool and then enjoy!
Notes
- Allow your muffins to cool before biting into them. This isn’t just to prevent burns or a practice in patience – right out of the oven, the muffins are still “baking” so giving them time to cool off properly sets the structure, ensuring we have muffins with a tender, moist crumb.
- Avoid overmixing! Overworking the muffin batter will cause the muffins to become dense and chewy rather than light and fluffy. Instead, gently fold in the ingredients until they’ve combined.
- Prevent sticking. You can use muffin liners or any paper liners you have. If you don’t have those on hand, coat a layer of melted butter on the inside of each muffin cup.
- Freeze leftover muffin batter. Save some to bake fresh treats later by transferring some (or an extra batch) of the muffin batter to a freezer-safe bag and freezing for up to 3 months.
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