This Healthy Banana Pumpkin Bread is basically a combination of two of my favorite baked goods - banana bread and pumpkin bread! It's perfectly moist, slightly sweet with warming spices, and made healthier by using less sugar since overripe bananas add sweetness. And pumpkin adds fiber and vitamins A & C. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
As a dietitian, I love baked goods as much as anyone! But I prefer to make healthier versions of my favorites with less sugar and saturated fats so that they don't give me a sugar crash! And this super moist pumpkin banana bread is just what I'm looking for the time of year when the fall season rolls around. It's easy to make and I love to top it with some almond butter or peanut butter and enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon pick-me-up!
3 things make this a healthy pumpkin banana bread relative to other baked goods: 1. it has less sugar and it sweetened with maple syrup which is an unrefined sugar source, 2. it's made with avocado oil in place of butter, decreasing the amount of cholesterol and saturated fats, and 3. it calls for oat flour which is higher in protein and fiber than other fibers. With that said, you can absolutely use regular flour and it's still a healthy banana bread option!
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
- Easy Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Pumpkin Energy Balls
- Pumpkin Chia Pudding with Greek Yogurt
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
- Creamiest Ever Pumpkin Hummus
- Creamy Pumpkin Chili
- Turkey Pumpkin Skillet with White Beans
- Stuffed Pumpkins with Ground Beef, Rice, and Mushrooms
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This healthy pumpkin banana bread recipe is made using wholesome ingredients. Below are some notes but be sure to check the recipe card for measurements.
Wet Ingredients
- Bananas - use overripe bananas. Brown bananas work best to add natural sweetness.
- Pumpkin - the addition of pumpkin gives this bread a nice and moist texture and of course that great pumpkin flavor! It also adds vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber for a healthy gut. This recipe calls for anned pumpkin. When grabbing a can of pumpkin puree, be sure to look for real pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling which has added ingredients including sugar and salt. I love making all things pumpkin, so if you're like me and you have some leftover pumpkin, make these pumpkin protein bites or pumpkin season pancakes next.
- Eggs - a couple of large eggs add protein and fat-soluble vitamins. They also bind the muffins to give them structure. Use eggs at room temperature for the best results.
- Avocado Oil - avocado oil contains monounsaturated fats that have been shown to support brain health and heart health. It's a neutral oil (similar in flavor to vegetable oil) so it's great for baking. Extra Virgin olive oil or coconut oil work great here too.
- Pure Maple Syrup - I like to replace white sugar or brown sugar typically found in banana bread & pumpkin bread with maple syrup. It's a great way to sweeten them with a warm caramel-like taste. It's also less refined than regular sugar.
- Vanilla Extract - just a teaspoon of vanilla extract brings all the flavors together.
Dry Ingredients
- Oat Flour - oat flour is a whole grain-based flour that contains more protein than all-purpose flour or almond flour and is a source of dietary fiber for a healthy gut. It also provides several other important nutrients including antioxidants and B vitamins, and it works great for baked goods. If you prefer, substitute with almond flour, whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - pumpkin pie spice has all the fall flavors of pumpkin spice in one little bottle! It includes warm spices like ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda - leavening agents for fluffy muffins and to help them rise.
- Kosher Salt - a pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness!
- Chocolate Chips - all you need is a small amount to add sweetness to these delicious muffins. I use dark chocolate chips for this recipe, but you can use semi-sweet chocolate or even white chocolate chips.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with some photos that I hope are helpful! Check out the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177°C). Prep a 9x5 inch loaf pan by either spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk the dry ingredients including the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
- Step 2: In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk it together until it's well combined, about 1 minute. Mash the bananas using either a potato masher or a fork until they are almost liquid. Whisk the mashed banana and pumpkin puree into the egg mixture.
- Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients (the flour mixture) in with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. I do this part gently with a spatula.
- Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. The bread is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf rest at least 10-15 minutes before enjoying!
Hint: Don't overmix the batter or they will turn out tough! You just need to stir in the dry ingredients until they are moist.
Dietitian Tip
You don't need a lot of added sugar for this bread because the bananas are a great way to add natural sweetness! Ingredients like vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt enhance the sweetness too.
Variations
The best part of making this healthy pumpkin bread recipe at home is that you can customize it to your taste! Below are some ideas.
- Oil-Free - if you want to make this muffin recipe oil-free, you can replace the avocado oil with Greek yogurt.
- Apple Cinnamon - replace half cup of the pumpkin with applesauce or add in chopped or grated apples and a half teaspoon of extra cinnamon.
Storage
- Tip for storing - let the bread cool completely and then line an airtight container with a paper towel, place the bread in the container and add another paper towel on top to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Room temperature - store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer - slice the bread before storing in the freezer if you want to be able to take it out to thasw one serving at a time. Store the slices in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating in either the microwave or oven.
Expert Tips
- Sift the flour and measure it with a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Use room-temperature eggs and bananas to create a fluffier texture.
- The more brown the banana, the sweeter it will be.
- Use a liquid measuring cup for the avocado oil & maple syrup
- Let the muffins cool for ~10 minutes in the loaf pan before taking it out of the pan.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this bread is a nutrient-rich option. It contains dietary fiber for gut health, heart healthy avocado oil that contains fatty acids important for brain health, and nutrients like antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium from the banana and pumpkin. This banana pumpkin bread is lower in added sugar, especially refined sugar, and saturated fats than many baked goods. Happy baking!
Absolutely! It's a 1:1 ratio so just replace the oat flour with all-purpose flour if you want.
For sure! You can use olive oil instead. It's a less neutral oil so it has a stronger flavor than avocado oil is the reason I use avocado oil instead.
Related
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe, Moist
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan (9x5 inch)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cup oat flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large bananas, I suggest measuring it though)
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177°C). Prep a loaf pan by either spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk the dry ingredients including the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk it together until it's well combined, about 1 minute. Mash the bananas using either a potato masher or a fork until they are almost liquid. Whisk the mashed banana and pumpkin puree into the egg mixture.
- Mix the dry ingredients (the flour mixture) in with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. I do this part gently with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. The bread is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf rest at least 10-15 minutes before enjoying.
- Hint: Don't overmix the batter or they will turn out tough! You just need to stir in the dry ingredients until they are moist.
Notes
- Sift the flour and measure it with a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Use room-temperature eggs and bananas to create a fluffier texture. The more brown the banana, the sweeter it will be.
- Use a liquid measuring cup for the avocado oil & maple syrup.
- Let the muffins cool for ~10 minutes in the loaf pan before taking it out of the pan.
- Tip for storing - let the bread cool completely and then line an airtight container with a paper towel, place the bread in the container and add another paper towel on top to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Room temperature - store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer - slice the bread before storing in the freezer if you want to be able to take it out to thasw one serving at a time. Store the slices in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating in either the microwave or oven.
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