This pumpkin banana bread is naturally sweetened and made with whole wheat flour, ripe bananas, pumpkin puree and warm fall spices. It’s tender, moist and easy to make!
You’re in for a real treat with this new pumpkin banana bread recipe I’m sharing today! It’s as if my healthy banana bread and healthy pumpkin bread had a baby to create this delicious loaf that’s perfectly fluffy, moist and loaded with warm spices and pumpkin flavor.
It’s the perfect recipe to make when you’re craving banana bread, but are also wanting something with cozy fall flavors. Now you don’t have to choose between the two!
I love serving a slice for breakfast topped with nut butter alongside these egg white bites for some protein and my pumpkin spice latte because you can never have too much pumpkin, am I right?! For those warmer fall mornings I’ll usually make my pumpkin cream cold brew instead. The combo is so good! I can’t wait for you to try this one.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cozy Fall Vibes – This pumpkin banana bread is everything you love about fall in a single slice. The blend of pumpkin and warm spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice makes it a perfect companion for those cozy autumn mornings or afternoons.
- Naturally Sweetened Goodness – With maple syrup and coconut sugar, this bread is naturally sweetened, giving you a delicious treat without the need for refined sugars.
- Versatile Snack or Treat – Enjoy this bread with a cup of tea in the morning, or serve it up as a simple dessert with some ice cream!
- Customizable and Fun – Want to mix things up? Try adding dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a swirl of nut butter right into the batter. It’s an easy way to make this bread your own and add a little extra something to each slice.
Ingredients Needed
- whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour – this forms the base of your bread. I love using whole wheat pastry flour because it adds a bit of extra nutrition while keeping the texture light and tender. All-purpose flour works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
- pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon – essential for that cozy, fall flavor. The combination of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon brings out the best in both the pumpkin and banana.
- baking powder and baking soda – these help the bread rise, giving it that perfect fluffy texture.
- eggs – provides structure and helps the bread rise.
- pumpkin puree – pumpkin puree adds moisture and that classic pumpkin flavor we all love. Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which is loaded with sugar. You can use store-bought or make homemade pumpkin puree.
- mashed bananas – you can’t have banana bread without the bananas! These add natural sweetness and help keep the bread tender (just make sure they are extra ripe).
- maple syrup – my favorite natural sweetener! This adds a lovely depth of flavor while complementing the pumpkin and banana perfectly.
- melted oil – a little bit of healthy fat keeps the bread moist and adds richness.
- coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- chopped nuts or dark chocolate chips – this is totally optional, but if you want to add something extra you could mix in some chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans or almonds or for something more decadent mix in some chocolate chips.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Recipe Substitutions
- Oil: I’m using coconut oil in this recipe, but avocado or olive oil will work just as well. If you want something richer go with melted butter
- Flour: If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute half all-purpose flour and half regular whole wheat flour. You could also use all whole wheat flour or all all-purpose flour, but the texture will be denser.
- Sugar: If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, brown sugar or white sugar will work as a substitute. And for a maple syrup substitute you can use honey or agave.
- Need a gluten-free option? I haven’t tested this with gluten-free flour but you should be able to swap the whole wheat pastry flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you’re looking for a gluten-free banana bread try this tahini banana bread, coconut flour banana bread or almond flour banana bread instead. For a gluten-free pumpkin recipe try my flourless pumpkin muffins or healthy pumpkin cake!
- Want to make it vegan? I haven’t tested this recipe with flax eggs so I’m not sure how it would turn out, but if you try it let me know in the comments below! If you’re looking for a vegan recipe try this vegan banana bread or vegan pumpkin muffins instead.
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Bread
Step 1: Preheat your oven and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Then, combine all your dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a separate large mixing bowl whisk together all your wet ingredients.
Step 3: Add your dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients. Stir to combine but don’t over-mix!
Step 4: Stir in any mix-ins (nuts or chocolate) if using.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips or nuts on top, if using.
Step 6: Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Brittany’s Tip!
It’s tempting to slice into your bread as soon as it comes out of the oven, but letting it cool completely on a wire rack will make it much easier to slice. Plus, the texture will be better once it’s had a chance to cool. Just be sure to take it out of the pan after about 10 minutes otherwise it’ll continue baking in the pan and become dry if left for too long.
How to Store
After your pumpkin banana bread has completely cooled either wrap it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container on your countertop for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
If you want to store it for longer, you can store this loaf in the freezer for up to 3 months! You can freeze the full loaf or pre-slice it for easy serving when you’re ready to thaw and enjoy. To thaw, place bread in the fridge overnight, at room temperature or defrost in the microwave or toaster oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make homemade pumpkin pie spice by mixing together 2 Tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cloves and 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for later use!
Absolutely! If you have overripe bananas stored in the freezer, just thaw them out before using. They might be a bit more watery, so I’d recommend draining off any excess liquid before mashing them for the recipe.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Be sure to check out the full collection of pumpkin recipes and all my quick bread recipes here on EBF.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
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Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, stir together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, mashed banana, maple syrup oli, coconut sugar and vanilla.
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Add dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until just combined, making sure to not over-mix!
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Gently stir in mix-in’s, if using.
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and top with additional chocolate chips or nuts, if using. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
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Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Flour: If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute half all-purpose flour and half regular whole wheat flour. You could also use all whole wheat flour or all all-purpose flour, but the texture will be denser.
- Sugar: If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, brown sugar or white sugar will work as a substitute. And for a maple syrup substitute you can use honey or agave.
- Make it gluten-free: I haven’t tested this with gluten-free flour but you should be able to swap the whole wheat pastry flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Make it vegan: I haven’t tested this recipe with flax eggs so I’m not sure how it would turn out, but if you try it let me know in the comments below!
Serving: 1 slice (with walnuts) | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
