Banana Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
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Banana pumpkin bread is moist, tender, and bursting with fall flavor! Make this recipe for delicious quick bread or pumpkin banana muffins.
Quick breads are popular for a reason – they’re simple to make, can be made with dozens of flavors, and are great for easy breakfast and snacking.
Despite the name, these breads still take about an hour to bake. They get the name “quick” because they require no yeast, so there’s no kneading or waiting for it to rise.
Did you know?
You can easily convert this quick bread recipe to make pumpkin banana muffins instead!
Check out the instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post… and while you’re there, watch the video to see how to make the banana pumpkin bread!
Banana pumpkin bread
The secret to the amazing flavor of this simple pumpkin quick bread is brown butter. It only takes a few minutes to make, and it adds a wonderful depth to the overall flavor of the bread.
If you prefer holiday flavors that are a little tart, make a loaf of cranberry nut bread with fresh or frozen cranberries.
Or, my recipe for brown butter walnut banana bread. It has those extra warm flavors, but without the pumpkin. Another great way to use up any over ripe bananas you have sitting on the counter!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Note: This is just a partial list of ingredients. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pumpkin butter – I like to use my homemade version, but store-bought will work just as well. If you aren’t familiar with this product, it’s simply pumpkin puree that has been simmered with sweeteners and spices to form a thick spread. If you’d like to use pure pumpkin puree instead, that also works.
- Brown butter – This is simply regular butter that has been simmered until the water is cooked out. Doing this caramelizes the milk solids to create a concentrated butter flavor with nutty sweetness. It’s simple to do, and you can find instructions in the recipe card below.
- Mix-ins – While this recipe is quite simple, feel free to mix in some chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts or pecans for extra flavor and texture. You could even sprinkle some pepitas over the top of the batter if you’d like.
Video: Making banana pumpkin bread
This recipe couldn’t be simpler to make! Just combine pumpkin butter or pumpkin puree with a handful of simple ingredients and bake into a tender, moist loaf.
Want to see this recipe in action? Watch the video located in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Enjoy a warm slice by itself or with butter. It’s even more wonderful with homemade apple butter spread on top!
Instructions for bread or pumpkin banana muffins
- Brown the butter.
- Melt the butter in a shallow skillet or saute pan until it starts to foam. After it stops foaming, it will begin to change color, from light golden to a caramel color.
- Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn, as it only takes a few minutes.
- When you notice a nutty aroma coming from the pan, remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter to cool.
- Mix the batter.
- This is a one-bowl recipe! Use either a mixing spatula to combine the ingredients, or feel free to use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
If you plan to use a stand mixer, keep the speed at medium so you don’t overmix the batter.
- Fill muffin tins or bread pan, bake and cool.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan or wells of a muffin pan.
- Whether you’re making the banana pumpkin bread or the muffins, allow them to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Recipe notes
- Prevent burning – Depending on your oven, the top of the bread may start to brown too quickly. If that’s the case, tent the pan with foil to protect the top while still allowing air circulation.
- Storage – Keep covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing – Once cooled, wrap the entire loaf of banana pumpkin bread in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Or, wrap individual slices and keep in a zip top storage bag for easy snacking. Defrost in the refrigerator or heat slices in the microwave.
- Double the recipe – Easily mix up twice the batter to bake two loaves of pumpkin bread at the same time.
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This post, originally published on Kevin is Cooking Oct. 16, 2020, was updated with new content on Oct. 22, 2021.
Banana Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin butter or Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
- 1 banana ripe and peeled
- 1/3 cup butter browned (instructions below)
- 1 large large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and coat a 4×8-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
To Make Brown Butter
- Melt butter in shallow skillet or saute pan over medium heat, occasionally swirling the pan to ensure butter melts evenly.
- A few minutes after it melts, the butter will begin to foam and the color will change from yellow to golden and then brown. When the butter has a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and allow brown butter to cool.
Pumpkin Bread
- Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl with a fork by hand until smooth or in a mixing bowl with paddle. Add the pumpkin butter, browned butter, sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to blend.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 -60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. If the bread is browning too quickly, tent the pan with aluminum foil.
- Remove from oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then run spatula between sides of pan and bread, tilt pan sideways and remove bread from loaf pan. Let cool on wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease wells of 12-cup muffin pan with butter, or if desired, use non-stick baking spray to grease paper liners.
- Make brown butter and bread batter as written above.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin pan and bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove pan from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Video
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is a great moist bread recipe. I especially like the brown butter.
Yes it really is! Thank you so much!
This bread looks amazing! I can tell how moist it is just from the pictures!
I hope you give it a try!
This Pumpkin Banana bread was a hit and did not last very long in my house! The pumpkin added perfect flavor and it was delicious for breakfast! thank you.
It didn’t last long at my house either! Next time I need to make two of them!
I am always down for a good homemade banana bread! Love the pumpkin in this one. 🙂
Me too! I hope you give this one a try!
I tried this with the kids today (no school) so it was perfect timing. They loved it. I am thankful they love the pumpkin flavor!
I am so glad they enjoyed it! What a great way for them to enjoy being at home!
Easy and delicious especially warm out of the oven – cool rainy day on the east coast – I made three mini loaves to share baked 25 min
Oh yes right out of the oven is best!