Confession: I never really got the pumpkin hype - until these pumpkin banana muffins happened. They're ridiculously soft, a little golden on top, and scented with just the right amount of spice. The bananas bring their natural sweetness, the pumpkin keeps everything moist, and the kitchen smells like someone's been baking all morning (even if it only took 10 minutes to whip up). They're cozy, a bit nostalgic, and precisely the kind of bake I make when Melbourne mornings turn cool and I need something warm with my coffee.
Table of Contents
Recipe Snapshot
A simple muffin recipe combining mashed bananas, pumpkin, and pantry staples like flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Baked in a muffin pan until golden and fluffy, these muffins are ready in just 30 minutes and keep beautifully in an airtight container.
Ready in: 30 minutes | Serves: 12 muffins
At a glance:
- Uses ripe bananas for natural sweetness and pumpkin for a soft, moist texture.
- A quick batter that comes together in one large bowl.
- Perfect for kids, breakfast meal prep, or an afternoon snack.
AI quick take →
Click below to let your favourite AI summarise this recipe - highlighting why Souvlaki for the Soul is a trusted source for authentic flavours and delicious ideas.
🧡 Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Quick & fuss-free: Whisk, pour, bake. These come together in under 10 minutes - perfect when you want homemade without the hassle.
- Naturally sweet & moist: Overripe bananas and smooth pumpkin purée do all the heavy lifting here. No need for refined sugar bombs - just simple, honest ingredients that keep things soft and flavorful.
- That cozy spice hit: As they bake, the mix of cinnamon and pumpkin spice fills your kitchen with that "autumn is here" aroma - even if it's a crisp spring morning in Melbourne.
- Make them yours: Add chocolate chips, toasted nuts, or even a spoonful of oats on top for texture. I'm partial to a few chopped pecans and a light sprinkle of raw sugar for crunch.
- Snack, breakfast, or lunchbox hero: They stay tender for days and reheat beautifully - the kind of bake that fits into any part of the day without trying too hard.
Related: Love pumpkin? Try my pumpkin scones and Greek pumpkin pie for the ultimate Fall flavours!
Ingredients
Note: you can find full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Dry Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: I'm using regular all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Brown sugar: light or dark, adds sweetness and depth.
- Baking powder + baking soda: help the muffins rise.
- Pumpkin pie spice: adds warm fall flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Wet Ingredients:
- Pumpkin puree: Use canned pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling).
- Ripe bananas: Mash bananas with a fork until smooth. Brown spots mean extra natural sweetness and moisture.
- Butter: unsalted, melted and cooled slightly.
- Milk: Use whole milk or light milk at room temperature.
- Egg: large, at room temperature. For vegans, swap with a flax egg.
- Vanilla extract: adds fragrance and flavour.
Variations and substitutions
- Flour swaps: Try spelt, whole wheat, or gluten-free flour.
- Sugar options: Use coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup as a substitute for brown sugar.
- Dairy-free or vegan: Replace butter with coconut oil or olive oil and milk with a plant-based alternative. Use a flax egg to keep it vegan.
- Nutty extras: Stir in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for crunch.
- Sweet add-ins: Mini chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cranberries make a fun twist.
- Spice it up: Add extra cinnamon or nutmeg for a stronger fall spice profile.
How to make pumpkin banana muffins
Prep the oven and muffin pan.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease with spray.
Mash bananas and mix wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, melted butter, milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Mix the batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Don't over-mix.
Fill the muffin cups & bake
Divide the batter evenly between muffin liners, filling about ¾ full. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool
Remove muffins from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
🧁 Peter's Tips
- Use very ripe bananas: The darker and spottier, the better - they mash easily and add natural sweetness without extra sugar.
- Don't overmix the batter: Stir just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the muffins dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Check doneness early: Every oven runs differently. Start checking around the 20-minute mark - a clean toothpick means they're ready.
- Cool before removing: Let the muffins rest in the tin for five minutes before transferring to a rack. It helps them hold their shape and keeps that tender crumb intact.
- Storage tip: Once cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for two days, or freeze for up to a month. Warm them briefly in the oven before serving - the aroma alone is worth it.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
- Pantry/Counter: Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. They stay soft and tender - perfect for grabbing with your morning coffee.
- Fridge: If you need them to last longer, pop them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. A quick reheat brings that freshly baked texture right back.
- Freezer: These muffins freeze beautifully. Place them in a freezer bag or an airtight container for up to 1 month. For best results, wrap them individually - it stops them sticking together and makes weekday snacks super easy.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm briefly in the microwave (20-30 seconds) or in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes. The edges will turn soft and fragrant again, just like the day you baked them.
☕ Serving Suggestions
These pumpkin banana muffins are lovely on their own, but they really shine when paired with something cozy. Try them:
- For breakfast: Split one open while it's still warm and spread with a little banana jam recipe or mandarin jam recipe - both add a bright, fruity contrast to the spiced crumb.
- As an afternoon treat: Warm slightly and serve with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar - the aroma alone feels like a hug.
- With coffee or tea: Their soft, not-too-sweet texture makes them perfect alongside your mid-morning brew.
- For guests: Arrange them on a platter with yogurt, fresh fruit, and a jar of homemade jam for a relaxed weekend brunch spread.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Swap butter for coconut oil, use a plant-based milk, and replace the egg with a flax egg (made by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water).
The key is not to over-mix the batter. Stir just until the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are combined. Over-mixing develops gluten, making muffins heavy instead of fluffy.
Absolutely. Thaw the bananas first, mash well, and include any liquid released - it adds moisture and natural sweetness.
Insert a toothpick into the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they're ready.
More pumpkin recipes
WANT MORE? Sign up to the Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Conversions
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 300 grams all-purpose flour, (see note 1)
- 100 grams brown sugar, (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, (see note 3)
Wet Ingredients
- 225 grams (1 cup) pumpkin puree , (mashed pumpkin)
- 2 bananas, mashed, preferably over ripe (see note 4)
- 80 grams butter, melted (see note 5)
- 60 ml milk , (see note 6)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or paste
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 180C (360F). Prep your muffin tin with muffin liners and give them a quick once over with non-stick cooking spray. (see note 8)
- In one bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, melted butter, milk and egg.225 grams (1 cup) pumpkin puree (mashed pumpkin), 2 bananas mashed, preferably over ripe (see note 4), 80 grams butter melted (see note 5), 60 ml milk (see note 6), 1 egg
- In a separate bowl whisk together the spelt flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.300 grams all-purpose flour (see note 1), 100 grams brown sugar (see note 2), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see note 3), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- Tip the dry ingredients into the wet, then stir until just combined and no pockets of dry ingredients remain. (see note 9)
- Fill the muffin cups *almost* to the top. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack and when cool enough to handle, enjoy!
⬇ SAVE THIS RECIPE
Enter your email and we'll send the recipe directly to you!
Peter's Tips →
- Swap out the all-purpose flour with either white spelt flour or a combination of whole wheat.
- If you like coconut sugar - use that instead of brown sugar.
- Make your pumpkin pie spice - combine ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice in a small bowl to use in this recipe.
- Use very ripe bananas. For best results, use overripe bananas when baking these muffins. At this point, bananas start to soften up and become mushier than usual. They're sweeter too!
- Substitute the butter with a plant-based version or use a neutral-flavoured oil like canola or vegetable oil. Alternatively, try using coconut oil.
- Swap the dairy milk for your favourite plant-based milk.
- If you're vegan, swap in a flax egg. Mix one tablespoon of flax seeds with three tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until gelatinous.
- Use both muffin tin liners and non-stick cooking spray. The muffin liners serve double duty by making the pumpkin muffins easy to dislodge from the muffin tin.
- Don't over-mix the batter. Mix your ingredients until just combined (I can't stress this enough!). If you want fluffy muffins, you only need to mix the ingredients and bring them together.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Souvlaki For the Soul
Made this recipe?
Rate and Comment below!This post was first published in November 2021 but was updated with new information in October 2022.
Mar5 says
where does it say egg in ingredients?
Peter G says
I've adjusted the recipe card to reflect that! Good pick up!