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Easy Family Recipes

Banana Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Crumble

Around here, bananas are either gone in a day or nobody touches them. There does not seem to be much in-between. When they start getting too ripe, I would rather turn them into something good than let them go to waste. This banana pumpkin bread combines ripe banana, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in one soft, easy batter.

The same batter can become one loaf, regular muffins, or mini muffins. We can leave it plain or add chocolate chips, nuts, cinnamon crumble, or chocolate chips and crumble together. It doubles easily when several ripe bananas need to be used, which makes it practical to keep some out and freeze the rest.

Loaf bakes 55–70 minutes1 standard 9x5-inch loafJump to Recipe
Finished banana pumpkin bread topped with cinnamon crumble in a glass loaf pan.

Why Banana and Pumpkin Work So Well Together

Very ripe banana brings sweetness, moisture, and the familiar banana flavor, while pumpkin adds a little more softness and a subtle fall flavor. Brown sugar gives the bread richness, and cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger round everything out. The pumpkin flavor is subtle — you still taste the banana, while the pumpkin adds a little extra softness and warm fall flavor without taking over. It still feels familiar like banana bread, just warmer and more fall-inspired.

Ingredients for homemade banana pumpkin bread including ripe bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, and warm spices.
The ingredients set out before mixing the banana pumpkin bread batter.

How to Make Banana Pumpkin Bread

Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Pour the banana-pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips or nuts if using, add the batter to a loaf pan or muffin pans, sprinkle on crumble if using, and bake according to the format you chose.

Banana pumpkin mixture being poured into dry ingredients for banana pumpkin bread batter.
The wet banana-pumpkin mixture going into the dry ingredients.
Thick banana pumpkin bread batter on a wooden spoon after mixing.
The thick batter after stirring only until everything is combined.

Ways to Make It

The basic banana pumpkin bread recipe is easy to change without adding anything beyond a few simple options.

  • Plain: Bake the batter as written without additions.
  • Chocolate Chip: Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
  • Banana Nut: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
  • Chocolate Chip + Nut: Use 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips plus 1/3 cup chopped nuts.
  • Cinnamon Crumble: Leave the batter plain and add the cinnamon crumble before baking.
  • Chocolate Chip + Crumble: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter and add crumble over the top.
Mini chocolate chips added to banana pumpkin muffin batter.
Mini chocolate chips folded into one portion of the batter.

Cinnamon Crumble Topping

Mix 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Stir in 4 tablespoons melted butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. For chunkier crumble, refrigerate it for about 20 minutes before adding it to the batter. That is what I did with the photographed loaf and crumble muffins.

Homemade cinnamon crumble topping made with flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter.
The cinnamon crumble mixed into coarse crumbs.
Banana pumpkin loaf and muffins topped with cinnamon crumble before baking.
The chilled crumble added just before baking.

Make It as a Loaf or Muffins

For a loaf, use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F on regular Bake for approximately 55–70 minutes, beginning to check around 50–55 minutes. If the crumble or top becomes too brown before the center is finished, loosely tent it with foil. For regular muffins, fill the cups about 3/4 full and bake at 350°F on regular Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, or at 325°F on Convection or Pure Convection for approximately 18–20 minutes. For mini muffins, fill the cups about 3/4 full and bake at 350°F on regular Bake for approximately 12–16 minutes, or at 325°F on Convection or Pure Convection for approximately 15 minutes. In my actual bake, the mini muffins took about 15 minutes and the regular muffins took about 20 minutes. Muffins are done when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Mini banana pumpkin chocolate chip muffins cooling on a wire rack.
Mini banana pumpkin chocolate chip muffins cooling on the rack.
Banana pumpkin muffins topped with baked cinnamon crumble cooling on a wire rack.
Regular banana pumpkin muffins with cinnamon crumble.

Easy to Double

Sometimes the kids eat all the bananas almost immediately, and sometimes they suddenly stop touching them. When several bananas reach the overripe stage at once, this recipe is easy to double. A larger batch lets us make a mix of loaves, regular muffins, and mini muffins, then keep some out to eat and freeze the rest.

Tips for the Best Banana Pumpkin Bread

A few simple things help the loaf and muffins bake evenly without making the method complicated.

  • Use very ripe bananas.
  • Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately first.
  • Stir just until combined, and do not overmix.
  • Begin checking the loaf early because ovens vary.
  • Tent the loaf loosely with foil if the crumble browns too quickly.
  • Refrigerate the crumble about 20 minutes if you want chunkier crumbs.
  • Cool the loaf about 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
  • Cool bread and muffins completely before freezing.

How to Freeze Banana Pumpkin Bread and Muffins

Allow the bread or muffins to cool completely. For bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or place it in a freezer bag. Put muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze either one for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. This is one reason I like making a larger batch when we have several ripe bananas waiting on the counter.

More Easy Family Recipes

For more practical recipes from our kitchen, see our family cinnamon rolls, overnight sausage breakfast casserole, loaded breakfast biscuits, classic chocolate chip cookies, or browse all Easy Family Recipes.

Banana pumpkin muffin split open to show the soft interior and cinnamon crumble topping.
The inside stays moist and soft, with the banana still noticeable beneath the subtle pumpkin and warm spices.

Printable Recipe Card

Banana Pumpkin Bread

Oven: 350°F regular Bake • Loaf: 55–70 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mashed very ripe banana
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • OPTIONAL MIX-INS
  • Choose one or combine:
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • CINNAMON CRUMBLE OPTION
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 Tbsp butter, melted

Yield: 1 standard 9x5-inch loaf

Instructions

  1. 1Heat oven to 350°F on regular Bake.
  2. 2Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
  3. 3In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, pumpkin, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
  4. 4In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
  5. 5Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
  6. 6If using chocolate chips or nuts, gently fold them into the batter.
  7. 7Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
  8. 8For cinnamon crumble, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.
  9. 9Stir in melted butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form.
  10. 10For chunkier crumble, refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
  11. 11Sprinkle crumble evenly over the batter just before baking.
  12. 12Bake at 350°F for approximately 55–70 minutes.
  13. 13Begin checking around 50–55 minutes. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  14. 14If the crumble or top is getting too brown before the center is finished, loosely tent the loaf with foil.
  15. 15Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.

Option Ideas

  • Chocolate Chip: Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
  • Banana Nut: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
  • Chocolate Chip + Nut: Use 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips + 1/3 cup chopped nuts.
  • Cinnamon Crumble: Leave the batter plain and add cinnamon crumble before baking.
  • Chocolate Chip + Crumble: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter and add crumble over the top.

Regular Muffins

Divide batter into a lined or greased standard muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F on regular Bake for about 18–22 minutes, or at 325°F on Convection or Pure Convection for about 18–20 minutes.

Mini Muffins

Fill mini muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F on regular Bake for about 12–16 minutes, or at 325°F on Convection or Pure Convection for about 15 minutes.

Muffin Notes

For muffins with crumble, sprinkle chilled cinnamon crumble over the tops just before baking. For chocolate chip muffins, fold mini chocolate chips into the batter before filling the cups. Muffins are done when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Freezing

Allow bread or muffins to cool completely. Wrap bread tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or place it in a freezer bag. Freeze muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Products Used

  • Glass loaf pan
  • Standard muffin pan
  • Mini muffin pan
  • Cooling rack
  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons

See everything we actually use

This is exactly the kind of recipe I like for using what we already have. The banana still comes through, the pumpkin gives it a subtle fall flavor, and the same batter can become a loaf or a whole batch of muffins depending on what we need. Find more in Easy Family Recipes.

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