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Pumpkin banana muffins stacked with bite taken out

Recipes

,

Flavor

The BEST Pumpkin Banana Muffins

prep 15 minutes mins
cook 20 minutes mins
Additional Time 1 hour hr

What do you get when you have one brown banana and a leftover open can of pumpkin puree – the BEST pumpkin banana muffins ever. Perfectly moist and fluffy, good balance of pumpkin and banana and all the fall spices. 

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The BEST Pumpkin Banana Muffins

November 7, 2022
September 11, 2025

What do you get when you have one brown banana and a leftover open can of pumpkin puree – the BEST pumpkin banana muffins ever. Perfectly moist and fluffy, good balance of pumpkin and banana and all the fall spices. 

Pumpkin banana muffins stacked with bite taken out
Table of Contents
  • Why you'll love these pumpkin banana muffins
  • Ingredients & Substitutions
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Pro Tips for the best muffin tops:
  • Frequently Asked Questions 
  • How to store these muffins
    • How to freeze muffins
  • Pumpkin Banana Muffins Recipe
    • Muffins
    • Brown Sugar Glaze
    • Pumpkin Muffins
    • Brown Sugar Glaze

I know I’ve made a lot of muffins lately but I couldn’t not share these with you. I don’t want to just create content that I think will perform well, I want to also share stuff that will be useful and things I make on repeat for my own family (although my family does eat everything I make lol). 

Really though, these muffins came to be because I had one brown banana and an open can of pumpkin puree. I called them “the BEST” because I’m honestly obsessed with them and they may be my new favorite muffin…after blueberry of course, lol. 

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”pjLLssy5″ upload-date=”2023-04-17T17:16:12.000Z” name=”Pumpkin Banana Muffins.MOV” description=”What do you get when you have one brown banana and a leftover open can of pumpkin puree – the BEST pumpkin banana muffins ever. Perfectly moist and fluffy, good balance of pumpkin and banana and all the fall spices. ” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
one pumpkin banana muffin with brown sugar glaze

Why you’ll love these pumpkin banana muffins

  • Convenient because they use up leftover pumpkin and a brown banana
  • They’re large and have perfectly domed muffin tops but can also be made smaller.
  • Flavor is balanced between the banana and the pumpkin and tied together with all the fall spices
  • Super tender and stay moist for days
  • Although they still have sugar, the rest of the ingredients can be healthy. 

I also have a streusel pumpkin muffin with maple glaze and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Make sure to also check out my pumpkin bread and banana bread recipes! 

pumpkin banana muffins on a linen with bananas next to it

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Flour: I use all purpose flour in most of my recipes and I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as flour is so often over measured.
    • If you want to make these a little healthier, you can swap half the flour for whole wheat flour or all of the flour for white whole wheat flour. 
    • 1:1 Gluten-free flour substitutes also work. 
  • Baking Powder & Baking Soda: We’re going to need both here and a lot of them to get that gorgeous muffin top.
  • Sugar: I used light brown sugar but granulated or dark brown will work well in this recipe as well.
  • Oil: I used oil in this recipe because I wanted to keep the muffins a little fluffier and spongier. I used olive oil but any neutral oil works fine as well. 
  • Egg: I use one room temperature large egg. Pop them in hot water for a few minutes if they’re cold.
  • Banana: I used one medium/large ripe banana. Make sure to mash it really well so there are no chunks left.
    • If you want to make these and you don’t have a ripe banana, you can bake it unpeeled at 300F (150C) for 10-20 minutes.
  • Pumpkin: I usually use Libby’s pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). I’ve also used Kroger brand or Whole Foods 365 brand. 
  • Spices: I make my own pumpkin pie spice at home or you can just buy some. It’s just a combination of spices with a higher ratio of cinnamon. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mash the banana well, until there are no more large chunks and it looks like puree.

banana mashed in a bowl
mash the banana until it’s puree

Step 2: Add the sugar and the oil, and whisk aggressively until they’re well combined.

bowl with mashed bananas, sugar and oil
add the brown sugar and olive oil, whisk well.

Step 3: Whisk in the egg. This is important; whisking the egg for about 30-60 seconds, until it’s completely combined, pale and fluffy.

Step 4: Add the pumpkin whisk in the pumpkin until it’s completely smooth.

bowl with all wet ingredients combined
add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the pumpkin

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients together whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into the wet ingredients until they’re completely combined.

bowl with finished batter
add the dry ingredients, whisking just until the flour is combined..

Step 6: Rest the batter – another important step – Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. This allows the gluten to relax and the leaveners to get a head start. (If you’re in a rush, 30 minutes is fine but definitely don’t go past 90 minutes or you’ll get a wonky bake).

Step 7: Fill 12 muffin tins all the way to the top rim (or make 18 smaller ones).

muffins tins filled with batter
fill the muffins tins to the top with the batter

Step 8: Bake for five minutes at 425 F (218C) and then reduce oven temperature to 375 F (190C) and bake for another 13-15 minutes. 

baked muffins

Step 9: Once the muffins have cooled, make the glaze by whisking together all the ingredients in a saucepan, over medium heat, until they’re completely smooth. Drizzle onto the muffins.

brown sugar glaze in a saucepan

Pro Tips for the best muffin tops:

  • The baking powder and baking soda seem excessive but you’ll need that much to get a nice muffin top, especially on a batter with heavy ingredients like pumpkin and banana, so don’t reduce or skip one of them.
  • The resting allows the baking soda to activate before it hits the oven, helping you get that nice large muffin top. 
  • Make sure to whisk each ingredient well before adding the next. This is especially important with the eggs. Beating a little air into the batter with each egg will help make these muffins fluffier. 
  • If you’re baking in a regular sized pan with 12 muffin tins, bake the muffins in every other tin to allow equal air flow. 
  • If you double the recipe and make 12 muffins, feel free to bake them all in one batch, right next to each other. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! You can certainly double the recipe if you have two brown bananas and extra pumpkin puree. Bake all 12 muffins together in a pan the same way. 

Can I add in other mix-ins?

Omg yes. You can add some chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to these muffins extra indulgent.
Or you can even add ½ cup of chopped pecans (or praline) to the batter as well. 

What kind of pumpkin should I use

I just use canned pumpkin puree. Someday I’ll get to making my own pumpkin puree but that day is not today. I recommend Libby’s brand or something of similar consistency.
Make sure you don’t accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling. 

Can I add a streusel?

Yup! You can add the same streusel that I use on my pumpkin muffins or just sprinkle the top of the muffins with a little sugar to make them crispy. 

Can I make pumpkin banana bread instead? 

Yes! I actually have a recipe for that as well because I couldn’t decide which version to post. To make a bread/loaf cake out of this recipe, you’ll need to double the recipe and skip the resting. 

Can I make batter ahead (or save some for later)?

To get that gorgeous muffin top I increased the leavening agents a little more than usual. Allowing the batter to rest for an hour gives you the perfect bake but if you wait longer, the muffins will bake with a wonky, lop sided muffin top.
I haven’t tested this yet, but if you want to make the batter ahead of time, I would try skipping the baking soda.

Can I make these muffins dairy free?

You can use dairy free butter, milk, cream, yogurt or sour cream in any of my muffins but the flavor/texture will be a tiny bit changed 🙂

Can I make these muffin gluten-free?

I haven’t tested with these muffins but 1:1 gluten-free flour blends like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill work well with all my cakes, cupcakes and cookies so I don’t see why not!

close up of a pumpkin banana muffin with bite taken out

How to store these muffins

I place the muffins under a cake dome or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If it’s longer you can refrigerate for a couple of days but they dry out quicker in the fridge, so I recommend freezing instead. You can freeze them and bring them back to room temperature before serving.

How to freeze muffins

Bakes stay more fresh when they’re frozen. Place muffins in an airtight container and then place the container in a freezer bag. 

You can also wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then place those in a freezer bag so you can easily remove one at a time.

Freeze for up to a couple of months. Bring back to room temperature before serving. 

Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below. Make sure to leave it in the comment section because I can’t answer in the rating section :).

If you make this pumpkin banana muffins recipe I would love to see it so make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram!

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

Pumpkin banana muffins stacked with bite taken out
Recipes
Flavor

Pumpkin Banana Muffins Recipe

4.74 from 45 votes
prep 15 minutes mins
cook 20 minutes mins
Additional Time 1 hour hr
total 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Serves 6 large muffins
What do you get when you have one brown banana and a leftover open can of pumpkin puree – the BEST pumpkin banana muffins ever. Perfectly moist and fluffy, good balance of pumpkin and banana and all the fall spices. 
Author: Bernice Baran
Print Recipe Pin Recipe email recipe
Servings 6 large muffins
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Equipment

  • Whisk
  • Cupcake Liners
  • Muffin Pan 

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 125 grams mashed banana, 1 medium banana
  • 60 mL olive oil
  • 133 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 125 grams pumpkin puree
  • 150 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Brown Sugar Glaze

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 25 grams brown sugar
  • 30 mL heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 30 grams powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Pumpkin Muffins

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spices. Set aside.
    150 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1/2 Tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  2. In a large bowl mash the banana until it's completely smooth and there are no more large chunks.
    125 grams mashed banana 1 medium banana
  3. Add the sugar and oil and whisk together until they’re well combined.
    60 mL olive oil, 133 grams light brown sugar lightly packed
  4. Add in the egg and whisk until it’s well combined and has lightened in color, about 30-60 seconds.
    1 large egg room temperature
  5. Add in the pumpkin puree and whisk until it's completely smooth.
    125 grams pumpkin puree
  6. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until the last streak of flour is incorporated. 
  7. Cover with a lid, plastic wrap or a tea towel and set aside to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. 
  8. Use a large cookie scooper to fill the muffin tins to the top, the batter should be enough for 6 large muffins.
  9. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F (218C) and then reduce the oven temperature to 375F (190C) and bake for another 13-15 minutes, just until the muffins no longer look wet on top and spring back when you press on the center gently. 
  10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10-20 minutes before serving.

Brown Sugar Glaze

  1. In a small pot, combine the butter, brown sugar and heavy cream. Whisk together until they're smooth and stir over medium heat until it starts to bubble around the edge and the sugar is fully dissolved.
    1 Tbsp butter, 25 grams brown sugar, 30 mL heavy whipping cream
  2. Place the powdered sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and pour in HALF of the brown sugar mixture. Stir together until its makes a thick paste. Then add the other half and mix until it's well combined (if you add in all of the brown sugar mixture at once, the powdered sugar will get clumpy and you'll have to strain it after).
    30 grams powdered sugar spooned and leveled, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  3. Stir in the vanilla and drizzle the brown sugar glaze on top of the muffins.
    1 tsp vanilla extract

Notes

  • Muffins can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days, refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for 1-2 months.
  • Muffins can be made smaller – make sure to check for doneness a few minutes sooner though.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 426mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27g
Course: Muffins
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fluffy pumpkin muffins, pumpkin crumb muffins, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin muffins with streusel topping, pumpkin streusel muffins

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