Banana Pumpkin Muffins are a favorite mix of two classics: banana bread and pumpkin muffins! These muffins are easy to make and are a great way to enjoy pumpkin spice season!

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Pumpkin bread and banana bread fans unite, because I have a new recipe that will more than satisfy the taste buds of both!

Banana pumpkin muffins are an easy and delicious recipe that's as perfect to enjoy for an after dinner treat as it is to savor with coffee or tea for breakfast. Oh, and let's not even talk about snack time. Toasted and spread with peanut butter or butter, these muffins satisfy and pull you out of a mid afternoon slump every time!

Though these muffins aren't developed for any special diet, they are super easy to adapt to be gluten-free and/or dairy-free. Just see my notes below and you'll have a treat to satisfy almost every one this fall!

Save this pumpkin banana muffin recipe for later on Pinterest:

Why you'll love this banana pumpkin muffin recipe:

• Simple and easy to make - ready in just a few steps and with easy-to-find and common pantry staples, you can whip up this fall muffin recipe in a snap!
• Festive and unique - of course, I am throwing no shade on traditional pumpkin spice recipes, but if you're ever looking for a new take on traditional flavors, this recipe is the way to do it! You get the traditional pumpkin flavor with sweet hits of banana. It's a real treat!
• Use up those overripe bananas - if you're anything like me, there can never be enough recipes for using up overripe bananas! This recipe calls for just 2 of the bananas, making it perfect for when you don't have enough to make a full loaf of banana bread.
• Perfect for the whole family - everyone from grandma and grandpa to the little ones will love this recipe! It's sweet and warmly spiced enough to satisfy a kid's palate but not too sweet for adult tastes.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree - choose pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix for this pumpkin banana muffin recipe!
• Mashed banana - the more overripe the banana (i.e. lots of brown spots), the better for this recipe.
• All-purpose flour - keeps the muffin light and fluffy and lets the flavor of the banana and pumpkin shine!
• Light brown sugar - packed firmly to get the most accurate measurement. This adds a nice and light molasses flavor to the muffins. Note: I do not recommend using dark brown sugar as a substitute for the light brown sugar in this recipe, as the flavor will be too strong.
• Sugar - adds sweetness to the muffins without making them overly sweet.
• Unsalted butter - adds richness and a moisture to the muffin crumb, not to mention amazing flavor.
• Eggs - binds the muffins together and adds flavor.
• Vanilla extract - for the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla extract.
• Baking soda - makes the muffins rise and keeps them light and tender.
• Seasonings - ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice blend, and salt add dimensional and warm spices to the muffins, making them oh-so-comforting and memorable!

Choosing the best pumpkin pie spice blend:

Though there are many great blends of pre-made pumpkin pie spice blends out in stores these days (Trader Joe's or McCormick's are some of my favorites), I recently started making my own pumpkin pie spice blend and the difference in the flavor is incredible!

When you make the pumpkin spice blend with fresh seasonings, the end result is more spicy and pronounced -- adding to-die-for warm notes to the pumpkin muffins. This pumpkin spice recipe is my favorite; I make a large batch of it and store it in a spice container to use for the season!

How to make banana pumpkin muffins:

For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Preheat the oven and prepare a muffin pan with non-stick spray or muffin cups.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
• Mix the eggs into the creamed butter until smooth and creamy.

• Mix in the Greek yogurt or sour cream, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.

• Slowly mix the flour into the pumpkin and banana mixture, just until the streaks of flour disappear.
• Mix in the mini chocolate chips, if using. 
• Scoop ½ cup portions of the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Recipe pro-tips:

• Don't over-mix the batter -- this makes the batter tough and chewy. Mix the flour into the batter just until no streaks of flour remain and the muffin crumb will be tender and light.
• To fill the muffin cups evenly, use a muffin scoop or large cookie scoop. If using the cookie scoop fill the muffin cups with 2 scoops of the batter.

Recipe variations:

One of my favorite variations is to mix in chocolate chips. Full-size chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips (as you see in some of the photos on this post) are both fantastic!

Other mix-in options are:

• chopped walnuts
• chopped pecans
• pumpkin seeds
• white chocolate chips
• dried cranberries

How to properly weigh flour:

Though I know this may sound nit-picky, but properly weighing the flour can make a big difference in the end result of your muffins. Weighing it incorrectly can add up to 20% extra flour to the recipe, making the muffins dense and heavy.

To measure the most accurately, use a food scale. Just add the mixing bowl to the scale, tare it, and then scoop the flour into the bowl until you've reached the desired weight (250g).

If you don't have a food scale, measure the flour by gently scooping the flour into measuring cups and level ingoff the top with a knife.

How to make this recipe gluten-free:

Using a quality measure-for-measure or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (I like King Arthur's Flour or Bob's Red Mill), substitute 2 cups (or 250g) of the gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.

Follow the rest of the recipe directions as written and let the muffins fully cool before enjoying them.

How to make this recipe dairy-free:

These muffins are also delicious dairy-free. When my friends taste-tested the dairy-free version, they had no idea they were dairy-free before I told them!

To make this recipe without lactose or dairy, just substitute ½ cup virgin coconut oil (softened to room temperature) for the unsalted butter and ¼ cup light mayonnaise (can be the avocado or olive oil variety) for the sour cream or Greek yogurt. If adding chocolate chips, use dairy-free or allergen free chips like Enjoy Life! chocolate chips.

Follow the rest of the recipe directions as written. For the dairy-free variation, you do not need to cool the muffins entirely before enjoying.

To make these muffins gluten-free and dairy-free, just just the above substitutions for both gluten-free and dairy-free and follow the directions as listed.

How to make banana pumpkin bread with this recipe:

It is super easy to make banana pumpkin bread with this recipe. Just:

• prepare an 8 x 4-inch baking pan with non-stick spray or parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray.
• Pour all of the batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake the bread for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
• Cool the bread on a wire cooling rack and enjoy when the bread has reached the desired temperature!

Note: using the above dairy-free and gluten-free variations, you can also make gluten-free and/or dairy-free banana pumpkin bread with this recipe!

Storage and freezing directions:

• Refrigeration: store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
• Freezing: leftover muffins can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
• Defrosting: defrost the muffins at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, or until thawed through.

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Measuring cups & spoons
• Food scale
• Mixing bowls
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Whisk
• Muffin tray
• Muffin liners (optional)

More banana and pumpkin recipes:

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
• Brown Butter Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
• Banana Bread Cookies
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
• Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie
• Spiced Pumpkin Muffins (Gluten-Free)

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