Pumpkin banana muffins with pecans are the perfect fall treat. Flavored with pumpkin pie spice, these are a great way to use up overripe bananas and leftover pumpkin. Eat as a quick breakfast, snack, dessert or tuck some away in the freezer for a rainy day.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
The first recipe I ever baked on my own was banana chocolate chip loaf. Middle school home economics. I still make the same recipe to this day. We know and love it so much in our house, we don’t really use words to request it – a sideways glance to the overripe bananas usually does the trick.
In the fall, I usually have part of a can of pumpkin hanging out in the fridge after making my often-requested pumpkin pancakes. So why not combine the banana and pumpkin for this super tasty but simple-to-make pumpkin banana muffin?!
I used olive oil instead of butter, making it even easier to prepare. I love the muffin approach – easy to share, take to school or work or freeze, but you can certainly bake this up as a loaf if you prefer. Or even mini loaves as I do with my banana chocolate chip version.
Ingredients and Substitutions
If you bake at all, you’ll probably have everything you need in your pantry for these fun banana pumpkin muffins.
- All-purpose flour: any brand will do
- Baking powder & soda: I used both for a little extra lightness and lift – for my banana bread, I just use baking soda.
- Pumpkin pie spice: If you have the blend in your spice drawer, use it. If not, you can substitute individual spices – I like a 4 to 1 ratio of cinnamon to ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves so 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice equals 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon of allspice, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of cloves. For a little extra something, add an 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom as well.
- Cinnamon: If you’re a cinnamon lover like me, add a little extra!
- Olive oil: I use a mild extra virgin olive oil but I tested this recipe with vegetable oil and it worked out nicely as well. Canola oil would also work.
- Eggs: I test all my recipes with large eggs.
- Sugar: I like a blend of granulated and brown for this recipe. Light or dark brown will work.
- Banana: the riper the better
- Pumpkin puree: Any brand of canned pumpkin will work – but not pumpkin pie filling!
- Pecans: I like to toast them first since they will be baking inside the loaf. You could also use walnuts or even chocolate chips or blueberries!
How to make this recipe
I’ve made this all in one bowl or in two, the more classic method. Both will work! The pictures show the two-bowl method. If you want to make it one bowl, use a medium-sized bowl and mix all the wet ingredients plus the sugar first, then add the dry ingredients and gently mix and fold them in with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Measure all dry ingredients – flour, baking soda and powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and whisk it all together
Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and sugars to a slightly larger bowl and whisk briskly. Then add the mashed banana and pumpkin puree and whisk to combine again.
Add the pecans and gently fold in.
Spoon batter into lined muffin tins and bake as directed in the recipe card below.
See my pumpkin banana muffin web story for a quick visual overview of how to make this recipe.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- You can play with the balance of pumpkin vs banana in these pumpkin banana muffins. I tested the recipe with more banana than pumpkin and vice versa. Just keep the total to 1 1/4 cups.
- As mentioned above, use pumpkin pie spice or make your own using my 4 to 1 ratio. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to 1/8 teaspoon of ginger, cloves, allspice, and ginger to make 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Or play with the spices to match your own taste buds – just stay somewhere near the total amount specified.
- Don’t overmix the batter – just combine until you can’t see any giant lumps of flour.
- To decorate the muffin tops, use extra chopped pecans or some some regular or turbinado sugar or even one large pecan.
- For breakfast, cut these banana pumpkin muffins in half, give them a quick toast and use a bit of butter or cream cheese on each half. YUM!
Absolutely. Like any baked good, be sure to wrap them air tight and they should last in the freezer for 2 or 3 months.
Should be fine – I didn’t test it that way but if it were me, I would totally try it. Same for all banana.
I would leave them on the counter for the first 2 – 3 days and then refrigerate them, if there are still any left. Because of the oil, these will actually become more moist after the first day.
I haven’t tested them with any gluten-free flour blends. But be sure to check out some gluten-free tested muffin recipes on the blog Fearless Dining. These pumpkin cheesecakes muffins look delicious!
Other fun baking recipes on OMG! Yummy
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Banana Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 6 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup mashed banana
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup toasted and roughly chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk dry ingredients – flour, baking soda and powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and sugars to another medium bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.
- Add in the mashed banana and pumpkin puree and whisk again to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Gently fold in the pecans.
- Spoon batter into lined muffin tins and bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then turn temperature down to 375°F and bake for 17 minutes more. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center and see that it comes out clean or gently (and carefully) press the center with your finger to see if it's squishy or soft but firm. Soft but firm means it's done. Because every oven is different, I would check for doneness at 15 minutes into the 375°F baking time.
Notes
- You can play with the balance of pumpkin vs banana. I tested the recipe with more banana than pumpkin and vice versa. Just keep the total to 1 1/4 cups.
- As mentioned above, use pumpkin pie spice or make your own using my 4 to 1 ratio. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to 1/8 teaspoon of ginger, cloves, allspice, and ginger to make 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Or play with the spices to match your own taste buds – just stay somewhere near the total amount specified.
- Don’t overmix the batter – just combine until you can’t see any giant lumps of flour.
- I usually have a little extra chopped pecans to throw on top or you could use some regular or turbinado sugar or even one large pecan.
- Try cutting these banana pumpkin muffins in half, give them a quick toast and use a bit of butter or cream cheese on each half. YUM!
Nutrition
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Cheryl
These muffins baked up so beautifully and stayed moist for days!
Beth Lee
Yay – I am so glad you like them Cheryl!