Pumpkin Banana Muffins with Pecans

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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Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and FAQs
• Other fun baking recipes on OMG! Yummy
• Banana Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans

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 ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon of allspice, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of cloves. For a little extra something, add an ⅛ 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.

1. Measure all dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and whisk it all together

2. 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.

3. Add the pecans and gently fold in.

4. 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

1. 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 ¼ cups.
2. As mentioned above, use pumpkin pie spice or make your own using my 4 to 1 ratio. ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to ⅛ 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.
3. Don't overmix the batter - just combine until you can't see any giant lumps of flour.
4. To decorate the muffin tops, use extra chopped pecans or some some regular or turbinado sugar or even one large pecan.
5. 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!

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