Pumpkin Banana Bread

Moist, sweet, and spiced — Pumpkin Banana Bread is the ultimate fall treat! It’s filled with bananas, pumpkin purée, and a hint of chocolate.

Like so many others, pumpkin-flavored everything is one of my favorite parts of fall. I love using it in desserts like pumpkin crisp, as well as in savory dishes like my pumpkin chili. Pumpkin banana bread is just one more way to incorporate this fall-centric ingredient into your life.

Why This Recipe Works

As the temperatures cool down, I can’t help but get excited about fall. I like summer just as much as the next person, but there’s something so special about this time of year. It also means comfort food is on the menu!

Soups, stews, and other hot meals are slowly but surely making their way onto my weekly menu. And, I can’t help but think about all of the baked goods I’m going to whip up.

Pumpkin has been on my mind and I’ve been experimenting with different ways to use it. I put a bit of pumpkin purée in my banana bread and boy, was I thrilled with the results!

Ingredients Needed

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin Purée: Simply use pumpkin in a can that is available at most grocery stores. Check the label to ensure it is purée and not pie filling.
• Bananas: Make sure to use ripe bananas. You’ll be able to tell that they’re perfect for banana pumpkin bread when you see a lot of little black and brown spots crop up.
• Maple Syrup: I love the addition of maple syrup in this recipe. It adds a hint of caramel to the mix which I can’t get enough of.
• Brown Sugar: Use brown sugar instead of white for this recipe. Like maple syrup, it boasts a caramel, toffee, and molasses-like flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your materials. Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan so that your pumpkin banana bread doesn’t stick.

2. Assemble the wet ingredients. Place the bananas, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and mix to combine.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. Using a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Put everything together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined — be careful not to overmix.
5. Add the chocolate. Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter and pour them into the baking pan. Here, you may also sprinkle a little extra chocolate on top if you’d like.

6. Bake. Place your baking pan in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let your banana pumpkin bread cool for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Slice and enjoy!

Storage and or Freezing Instructions

• Make-ahead instructions: While I recommend eating this fresh out of the oven, you can make it up to 1-2 days in advance. Once it has cooled, remove the bread from the loaf pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store it on your countertop.
• Freezing instructions: You can store fully cooled pumpkin banana bread in the freezer for up to 3 months. Again, remove it from the baking dish and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Then, wrap it again in aluminum foil. To reheat, allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight. You can reheat it slice by slice in the microwave, or as a whole in your oven.
• Storage instructions: Store your banana pumpkin bread in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. It will keep for 1-2 days at room temperature and 5 days when you keep it in the fridge.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Use the same recipe for muffins. You can absolutely use this recipe to create pumpkin banana muffins instead of bread. Simply use a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.
• A great way to use ripe bananas. This recipe is a great way to combat food waste. Instead of throwing away overly ripe bananas, use them in this banana pumpkin bread recipe.
• Double the recipe and freeze for later. While you’re in the kitchen, why not make two loaves so that you always have one on hand? This is an especially good idea if you have a whole bunch of ripe bananas laying around.

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