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This pumpkin banana bread came from one extra ripe banana and a cup of leftover pumpkin puree sitting in my fridge. Instead of picking between my moist brown butter banana bread and my easy pumpkin bread recipe, I put them together in one loaf, and it’s been my fall bake ever since.
This pumpkin banana bread is soft, warmly spiced, and only needs one banana. No mixer, no second bowl to wash, and a warm slice with butter tastes exactly like September.
Quick Look: Pumpkin Banana Bread (one Bowl, Just 1 Banana)
- 🍞 What it is: A moist, one bowl pumpkin banana bread with warm fall spices.
- ⭐ Why it works: A full cup of pumpkin keeps it moist, so one banana is plenty.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: Melted butter, one bowl, no mixer, and one lonely banana finally gets used.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: Top browning before the center sets? Tent with foil for the last 15 minutes.
- 🍳 Pan notes: 9×5 pan bakes 55 to 60 minutes; a taller 8.5×4.5 loaf needs 60 to 70.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Keeps 2 days on the counter, 5 in the fridge, 3 months frozen.
Why This Recipe Works
- Nothing goes to waste. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin holds about 1 3/4 cups, so you’ll have roughly 3/4 cup left, which is exactly what my small batch pumpkin donuts that use up the rest of the can call for.
- The pumpkin does the heavy lifting. A full cup of puree keeps this pumpkin banana bread moist, so one very ripe banana is enough to sweeten the loaf and give it that banana bread flavor.
- It’s truly one bowl. For this easy pumpkin banana bread, the melted butter, banana, pumpkin, sugars, eggs, and vanilla get whisked together, then the flour and spices go straight into the same bowl.
- Four real spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger give you a true pumpkin spice banana bread without buying a jar of pumpkin pie spice.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this pumpkin banana loaf. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Very ripe banana: You need 1/2 cup mashed, which is about one medium banana. The more brown spots, the sweeter and more moist your pumpkin banana bread.
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices in it.
- Butter: Melted and slightly cooled. Salted or unsalted both work.
- Granulated and brown sugar: Using both gives you sweetness plus extra depth of flavor.
- Eggs and vanilla: Bring the eggs to room temperature so they whisk smoothly into the melted butter.
- Flour and baking soda: All-purpose flour works great, and baking soda is the only leavener you need.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground ginger.
- Honey (optional): Brushed over the warm loaf for a glossy top.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
Pumpkin banana bread is easy to make your own. Here’s what works.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Swap the four spices for about 4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice total, or use my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Gluten-free flour: Reader Laura swapped the all-purpose flour for 3/4 cup almond flour plus 1 cup gluten-free flour and loved it. I haven’t tested this swap myself.
- Nuts: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch. If you love nuts in your loaf, my pecan banana bread with streusel topping is worth baking too.
- Chocolate chips: Stir in chocolate chips or chunks, the same way I do in my healthy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips.
- Crunchy top: Sprinkle granulated sugar over the batter before baking. For a full crumb topping, borrow the one from my streusel topped pumpkin bread.
- Banana slices: Lay a few slices on top of the batter for a little extra banana flavor in every bite.
How to make pumpkin banana bread
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, mashed banana, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger right into the same bowl. Mix just until the flour disappears, then stop.
- Pour the pumpkin banana bread batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Add any toppings now.
- Bake the pumpkin banana bread for 55 to 60 minutes in a 9×5 pan, or 60 to 70 minutes in an 8.5×4.5 pan. If the top is getting too dark before the center is set, loosely cover the pan with foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Brush the hot loaf with honey if you want a glossy top. Let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then move it to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. I love a slice plain, with peanut butter or apple butter, or with a swipe of copycat Texas Roadhouse cinnamon butter.
Pumpkin Banana Bread FAQs
No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so your pumpkin banana bread would come out too sweet and the spices would be off. Stick with 100% pure pumpkin puree, canned or homemade. If using homemade make sure to use a paper towel to blot/dry off excess water before using it.
Yes! Pumpkin brings moisture and that earthy fall flavor, and banana adds natural sweetness. With one banana to a full cup of pumpkin, this banana pumpkin bread leans toward pumpkin bread with the banana in the background. Want more banana? Reader Chele added a little extra banana and still loved how it turned out.
Yes. I haven’t baked this batter as muffins myself, but reader Angela did. She baked them at 400°F for about 18 minutes, stirred in about 1 cup of chocolate chips, and brushed them with honey butter while warm. If you want a muffin recipe I’ve fully tested, go with my bakery-style pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
A wooden skewer or thin knife inserted in the center should come out clean, with no wet batter. Start checking at 55 minutes for a 9×5 pan and 60 minutes for the taller 8.5×4.5 loaf.
Expert tip: if the crust is browning faster than the middle is baking, tent it with foil and keep going.
Keep pumpkin banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, let the loaf cool completely, slice it or leave it whole, wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Fall Quick Breads To Bake
If you bake this pumpkin banana bread, leave a star rating 🌟 and a comment below. I love hearing what you mixed in! And if your kitchen is in full fall mode, my fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls and moist pumpkin sheet cake baked in an 8×8 pan are next on the list.
Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup mashed bananas very ripe, about 1 medium
- 1 cup pumpkin puree 100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 & 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 & 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground all spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp honey optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 or 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, mashed banana, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup mashed bananas, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger to the same bowl. Mix just until the flour disappears.1 & 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 & 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground all spice, 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes in a 9×5 pan or 60 to 70 minutes in an 8.5×4.5 pan, until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
- For a glossy top, brush the hot loaf with honey.2 tbsp honey
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Pan sizes: A 9×5 pan bakes in 55 to 60 minutes. An 8.5×4.5 pan makes a taller loaf and needs 60 to 70 minutes. If the top darkens early, tent with foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Leftover pumpkin: A 15-ounce can leaves about 3/4 cup, exactly enough for Small Batch Pumpkin Donuts.
- Spice swap: Use 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.
- Muffins (reader-tested): Reader Angela baked this batter as muffins at 400°F for about 18 minutes.
- Storage: 2 days at room temperature, 5 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months frozen, wrapped in plastic and foil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I thought this was gluten free and realized it wasn’t yet made it so.
I swapped the ap flour for:
3/4 C of almond flour; 1 c gf flour
I swapped pumpkin spice for the other spices and added in cinnamon.
I added chocolate chips to half.
I sprinkled brown sugar over the top to give a nice crunch.
I added vanilla paste as well.
Love it!
Ooo nice! Thank you for sharing that! 😁
So easy and so yummy! This girl is my go to for all recipes!!
Thank you so much McKenzie!
This was very easy to make and tasted lovely. I added a bit more banana just to use them up and a 1/4 cup of Italian mixed peel to add a bit of brightness. Next time I make it I’ll probably add a cinnamon sugar topping just because my husband is mad for it but a really nice bread.
The cinnamon-sugar topping sounds divine! I will have to do that too!
I just made these into muffins! Amazing recipe!! I added about 1 cup chocolate chips, baked them at 400 for about 18 minutes, and put honey butter on them while they were still warm. I am definitely making these again!! My first time combining bananas with pumpkin in a recipe. So good!!!
no longer will my forgotten bananas go to waste!! i have made this twice now, and i usually divide it into half bread and half muffin, since i also usually double it:) such a good recipe, and leaves everything smelling fantastic. a literal staple in my home
Thank you so much Abigail for such a thorough review! So happy that this recipe has become a staple in your home.
Chahinez
So delicious and very easy to make! I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much for trying this pumpkin banana bread! Glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
Chahinez