Pumpkin Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

These pumpkin banana muffins with a pumpkin spice streusel topping are THE BEST seasonal muffins for all my basic pumpkin fans! The flavors perfectly balance each other out with neither the banana or pumpkin overpowering the other. You get a tender and moist muffin with the perfect bit of sweetness. And to add some extra sweetness, top them with this pumpkin spice glaze.

If you love banana bread, pumpkin pie spice and easy, grab and go breakfast treats, then these are the muffins for you. These super moist muffins are not overly sweet, and really light and tender. You’re gonna LOVE these easy pumpkin banana muffins. And if you want other pumpkin recipes, check out my pumpkin smoothie here, or my pumpkin donuts here. And for a great quick bread, try my Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread.

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• Simple Ingredients
• Step-by-step directions
• Additional expert tips
• Pumpkin Banana Muffins with a Pumpkin Spice Streusel Topping

Why this recipe works

• Moist, light and fluffy taste and texture. Muffins can often be dense and dry, but thanks to the moistness of the bananas and pumpkin puree, you get a muffin that is light and airy.
• Delicious and not overly sweet. Store bought breakfast muffins are often nothing more than a cupcake in disguise; super sugary and sweet. Thanks to the mixture of earthy pumpkin, the flavors are well balanced and you don’t feel completely guilty enjoying one of these for breakfast.
• Great grab-and-go quick breakfast food. These muffins are the perfect size and texture to eat on the go. Not overly crumbly to make a mess all over the car, and small enough to be gobbled up in just a few bites.
• Quick and easy to bake up. Baking banana based breads can take quite a while to bake (minimum 50 minutes all the way up to 70!). But these muffins take just a few ingredients, whip up in less than 10 minutes, and bake in 30.

Simple Ingredients

• Pumpkin puree – if you are really particular, check the label to make sure the brand you buy is 100% pumpkin. Some brands use a squash mixture as opposed to pure pumpkin. And definitely make sure you get just the puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Ripe or banana – when making banana bread, you always want to use very ripe or overripe bananas. The more black spots the better. The riper they are, the more sweet they will be and the easier they are to mash.
• Butter – melted and cooled. Unsalted preferred but if you only have salted on hand, just omit added salt in the recipe. You can sub in vegetable oil, but I love the nutty flavor that butter provides.
• Greek yogurt – this helps to cut down a bit on the amount of butter needed, and also makes the muffins extra moist and fluffy.
• Large eggs – can be cold or at room temperature
• Optional pumpkin flavor pumpkin extract – just gives a little extra hint of pumpkin spice but not necessary. You could also use vanilla extract instead.
• Flour – I used all purpose flour in these banana pumpkin muffins, but you could also use white whole wheat flour or a combo of the two.
• Sugar – Basic granulated sugar can be used, or maple syrup. If you use maple syrup though, make sure to add an extra tablespoonful of flour to the muffins, to compensate for the extra liquid.
• Baking powder – I prefer baking powder to baking soda, as it seems to provide more consistent results.

For the streusel top, you will need more butter, flour, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Directions to follow.

Step-by-step directions

Begin by making the streusel topping. Melt ¼ cup of butter and add it to a small bowl along with ½ cup flour, ¼ cup of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice. Mix well until crumbly and a grainy consistency. Place in the fridge to firm up while you make the muffins.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients; pumpkin puree, smashed banana, eggs, melted butter, yogurt and extract if using. Whisk together till well combined.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix the muffin mixture.

Grease a standard muffin pan with cooking spray or butter, or line with muffin liners. Spoon in the muffin batter at least ¾ full, or all the way to the top. Filling up the muffin cups will make 9-10 larger, medium-sized muffins. Filling the cups only about half way full will make an even dozen. I personally prefer making a smaller quantity of larger muffins.

Now remove the streusel topping from the fridge, and get it all nice and crumbly with your fingers. Sprinkle generously atop each muffin, concentrating in the center and piling it up.

Bake at 350 degrees f for 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting center of muffin with a toothpick or butter knife.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove from muffin tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Or enjoy them while still warm and steamy; I won’t judge.

This is one of my favorite muffin recipes because they are so moist and have just enough banana flavor to not be overpowering. And the pumpkin puree turns the muffins into this pretty warm orange color. The warm spices and crunchy texture is just the perfect delicious combination

Additional expert tips

• For best results when storing, place in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want warm muffins again, you can reheat in the microwave or toaster oven for about 20 seconds-2 minutes respectively.
• If you want to use an entire can of pumpkin puree, make a double batch of batter and freeze the second batch of muffins in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• You can easily make homemade pumpkin puree using your Instant Pot.
• To make a little less indulgent “healthy pumpkin banana muffins”, sub out the sugar for maple syrup and ½ of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. These 2 little subs will lower the glycemic load and add more fiber.

I hope you love these pumpkin banana bread muffins! These tasty muffins can also be enjoyed a an afternoon snack to get you through dinner time. Make them all season long and please do share a comment if you enjoyed them!

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