Healthy Banana Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
These vegan, gluten-free Banana Pumpkin Muffins combine the rich, comforting, warm fall flavors of ripe banana and spiced pumpkin. Irresistibly moist, sweet, and delicious.
NOTE: This post has been updated since it was originally published on October 21, 2022. Enjoy!
There is something irresistibly cozy about the smell of fresh-baked muffins, and these vegan, gluten-free banana pumpkin muffins are no exception.
This simple breakfast bread recipe will quickly become one of your favorite fall baking weekend treats and is perfect for the cooler season, or any time of year.
When it comes to vegan pumpkin muffins, this is one of my favorite muffin recipes, and it has quickly become a weekend breakfast standby recipe for my whole family.
Most muffin recipes have too much sugar and fat in them but this great recipe is low in fat and sugar. So feel free to eat a slice or two without the guilt.
The taste is perfectly pumpkin, not too much or too little. and the texture of these moist muffins is perfect for eating plain or for lathering a bit of savory melted vegan butter or sweet yummy jam.
So let me show you how to whip up a batch of these delightfully moist, naturally sweet, healthy pumpkin banana muffins. Sure to fill your kitchen with a warm, comforting smell, and bring a satisfying smile to your face.
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Handy Kitchen Tools For This Recipe
- Food Processor – using a strong food processor makes this recipe a breeze.
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cup and spoon
- Muffin pan & cooling rack – this is a beautiful set to add to your kitchen. And they come in such pretty colors!
- Cookie scoop – or a large spoon for scooping the batter.
Vegan Banana Pumpkin Muffin Ingredients
- Rolled oats. Preferably organic to make oat flour. Instant oats are not recommended.
- Pumpkin puree. If you have time you can make your own homemade pumpkin puree, however, to save time, I just use a can of pumpkin puree that does not have any other added ingredients.
- Banana. Fresh overripe bananas work best.
- Maple syrup. Pure maple syrup without additional ingredients.
- Apple cider vinegar. This ingredient adds the perfect amount of tang to this recipe.
- Vanilla. Preferably pure vanilla extract without alcohol.
- Baking soda. Preferably aluminum-free
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon. I like to use Ceylon ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Sea salt
optional ingredients you may want to consider
- Nuts. Such as chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Chocolate. Mini vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe are a fabulous addition.
- Sourdough starter or discard. If you really want to get fancy, and for a delicious flavor, consider swapping out 1/4 cup of rolled oats with 1/2 cup of sourdough starter or discard. So yummy!
How To Make Vegan Banana Pumpkin Muffins: Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP1. PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit, and place the oven rack on the second to lowest level.
STEP 2. PREPARE THE BATTER
Add all of the dry ingredients to a strong food processor – rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and sea salt.
Mix, blend, and grind the flour mixture on medium speed until you achieve a fine crumb.
Add the ripe banana and all of the other wet ingredients – pumpkin puree, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and pure vanilla extract.
Blend the banana pumpkin batter until it is just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Once blended, using a cookie scoop, fill each muffin cup evenly with batter.
STEP 3. BAKE
Place the muffin pan into the oven for about 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375° Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the muffins are a dark golden brown and a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out perfectly clean.
Once thoroughly cooked, remove the muffins from the oven, and place them onto a cooling rack for approximately 10-15 minutes or until they get to room temperature.
STEP 4. SERVE AND ENJOY!
When the muffins are cool enough to eat, place one or two onto your favorite serving plate, make yourself a steaming cup of coffee or tea, sit down, relax, and enjoy these delicious banana pumpkin muffins to your heart’s content.
How To Store
These vegan banana pumpkin muffins are stored well in a glass airtight container, plastic wrap, or a tightly sealed plastic bag (BPA-free preferred).
They will last on your kitchen counter for approximately 3-4 days. These pumpkin muffins will last even longer if you store them in the fridge – approximately 5-6 days.
Consider storing these muffins in the freezer using a freezer bag for longer than a few days. They will last in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
When ready to eat, take the muffins out of the freezer and let them defrost on your kitchen counter on a rack.
For best results, consider reheating the muffins in the oven for a few minutes to bring back their wonderful freshness.
Recipe Tips
Use a strong food processor for this recipe so that you can create a fine crumb with the dry ingredients, and then blend everything well.
Do not use instant oats for this pumpkin bread. It is best to use traditional, regular, rolled oats. Or, if you want a little bit more of a whole-grain texture, you can use extra thick rolled oats.
It is always an option to use muffin liners if you wish. Especially if you are not using a nonstick muffin pan.
You can make mini muffins with this recipe by using a mini muffin tin instead of a regular muffin pan. Just reduce the baking time to approximately 20-25 minutes.
VIDEO: Step-by-step instruction on how to make vegan & gluten-free Banana Pumpkin Bread
Packed With Nutrients: What Makes These Muffins So Healthy
This recipe is made with real, simple ingredients. Check out some of the healthy nutrients in these vegan, gluten-free, banana pumpkin muffins.
Pumpkin. Not only is pumpkin flavorful but it is full of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and iron. It is also an excellent source of fiber.
Banana. Bananas are a great source of potassium, magnesium, vitamins B6 and C, as well as fiber. Research shows bananas can aid in digestion, contribute to cardiovascular health, and help to control body weight.
Apple Cider Vinegar. I put apple cider vinegar on everything, and it is a great probiotic that, if consumed regularly, can aid in gut health and build up the immune system.
Choosing Healthy Ingredients For Your Banana Pumpkin Muffins
When cooking and baking in the kitchen, for health purposes, it is always a good idea to buy the highest quality ingredients you can find, even when it comes to the not-so-good-for-you ingredients like sugar and flour.
For example, whenever a recipe calls for white sugar, I make sure to use fresh, certified organic, pure, white cane sugar. Sometimes I will even use organic turbinado sugar which has a higher nutrient value than white sugar, due to its molasses content.
Conventional white sugar is highly processed, and most often comes from sugarcane or sugar beets that have been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides.
So consuming conventional white sugar is almost like a double whammy. You are eating food that is not particularly healthy for you to begin with, but you are also consuming chemicals on top of that.
If you use certified organic white sugar, it still may not be the healthiest for you but at least you won’t be consuming all of the pesticides that are sprayed on the conventional crop.
And the same goes for any kind of flour product. I always make sure to use certified organic flour, whether that is whole wheat flour or even an all-purpose white flour.
Overall, for healthy eating, pay attention to the quality of your ingredients whenever you are cooking and baking from scratch.
Some of the other ingredients in these vegan, gluten-free, banana pumpkin muffins are quite healthy, and they provide more nutritional value than a conventional breakfast bread recipe.
Healthy Muffins Fresh From The Oven
These vegan banana pumpkin muffins are a healthy treat for anyone craving a little something sweet but who also is looking to indulge mindfully.
These muffins are packed with nutrients and made with simple ingredients, and they come together effortlessly, sure to be a breakfast staple for you and your family.
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Let’s Connect
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Printable Recipe Card To Enjoy
Healthy Banana Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Food Processor – best to use a strong food processor.
- mixing bowls
- measuring cup and spoon
- cookie scoop – or a large spoon.
- muffin pan and cooling rack – this is a beautiful set to add to your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups organic rolled oats – instant oats not recommended.
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 med ripe banana – mashed.
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Step 1: Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit and place the oven rack on the second lowest level.
- Grease or use muffin liners if you are not using a non-stick pan.
Step 2: Prepare the Batter
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a strong food processor – rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and sea salt.
- Mix, blend, and grind the flour mixture on medium speed until you achieve a fine crumb.
- Add the mashed banana, and all of the other wet ingredients – pumpkin puree, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, pure vanilla extract.
- Blend the banana pumpkin batter until it is just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Once blended, using a cookie scoop, fill each muffin cup evenly with batter.
Step 3: Bake
- Place the muffin pan into the oven for about 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375° Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the muffins are a dark golden brown and a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out perfectly clean.
- Once thoroughly cooked, remove the muffins from the oven, and place them onto a cooling rack for approximately 10-15 minutes or until they get to room temperature.
Step 4: Serve and Enjoy!
- When the muffins are cool enough to eat, place one or two onto your favorite serving plate, make yourself a steaming cup of coffee or tea, sit down, relax, and enjoy these delicious banana pumpkin muffins to your heart’s content.
Notes
- Use a strong food processor for this recipe so that you can create a fine crumb with the dry ingredients, and then blend everything well.
- Do not use instant oats for this pumpkin bread. It is best to use traditional, regular, rolled oats. Or, if you want a little bit more of a whole-grain texture, you can use extra thick rolled oats.
- It is always an option to use muffin liners if you wish. Especially if you are not using a nonstick muffin pan.
- You can make mini muffins with this recipe by using a mini muffin tin instead of a regular muffin pan. Just reduce the baking time to approximately 20-25 minutes.
- These vegan banana pumpkin muffins are stored well in a glass airtight container, plastic wrap, or a tightly sealed plastic bag (BPA-free preferred).
- They will last on your kitchen counter for approximately 3-4 days. These pumpkin muffins will last even longer if you store them in the fridge- approximately 5-6 days.
- For longer storage than a few days, consider storing these muffins in the freezer using a freezer bag. They will last in your freezer for up to 3-4 months.
- When ready to eat, take the muffins out of the freezer and let them defrost on your kitchen counter on a rack.
- For best results, consider reheating the muffins in the oven for a few minutes to bring back their wonderful freshness.
This pumpkin bread recipe was so easy to make and just as delicious. I added walnuts for some extra crunch. So yummy!! My husband loved it too! He kept saying how flavorful it was. I will be keeping this one to use again and again. Thank you, Dawn, for sharing.
I am so glad you and your husband liked it! Thank you for your input. Means a lot!
So easy and so delicious! Just made this as a pumpkin loaf and turned out great
Nice! Great idea. Fall is coming! 😉