This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
These healthy pumpkin banana muffins are one of my favorite ways to use up ripe bananas and leftover pumpkin. This version adds a can of white beans to the batter for extra protein and fiber, and my kids ask for them on repeat.
Recipe at a Glance
- More protein, no bean taste: White beans blend in completely, adding protein and fiber a typical pumpkin banana muffin doesn’t have.
- One bowl, one blender: Dry ingredients in a bowl, wet ingredients in the blender. Minimal cleanup, 30 minutes total.
- Naturally sweetened: Ripe banana and pumpkin carry most of the sweetness. Add maple syrup or dates only if you want more.
- Baby, toddler, and grown-up approved: Soft enough for baby-led weaning, sized right for lunchboxes, and good with your coffee too.
- Freezer-friendly: Bake once, freeze the rest, and breakfast is ready to go for weeks.
“Excellent recipe! Kiddos love it, and has protein in a muffin so this mom is happy. It’s on constant rotation at our house along with the banana spinach muffins.” – Gina
Looking for more ways to use up that leftover pumpkin? Try my healthy pumpkin muffins (no banana) or my pumpkin oatmeal muffins, or pumpkin banana bread.
Table of Contents
Struggling with Decision Fatigue?
Go ad-free and unlock all my recipes, EXCLUSIVE favorites, and weekly meal plans made just for you!
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin – Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, since pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced. Homemade pumpkin puree works too.
- Bananas – Use overripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best natural sweetness.
- White beans – The star ingredient. Any white bean works, including cannellini, Great Northern, or garbanzo/chickpeas. They blend into the batter completely and add protein and fiber without changing the flavor, the same way they do in these sweet potato cookies.
- Pumpkin spice – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, or 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if that’s what you have on hand.
- Maple syrup (optional) – For extra sweetness. See Substitutions below for other options.
Substitutions
- Flour – Swap 1-to-1 for white whole wheat flour, or use 1 cup all-purpose plus ½ cup whole wheat for a middle-ground texture. For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free blend or oat flour. Avoid all whole wheat flour (too dense) or almond flour (doesn’t work).
- White beans – Swap 1-to-1 for chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Several readers have made this swap successfully.
- Egg – Replace with 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from canned white beans) or a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water, rested 8 to 10 minutes). Readers have had the best luck with aquafaba.
- Want it sweeter? Blend 3 to 4 soaked, pitted dates in with the wet ingredients, or add up to 4 tbsp maple syrup or honey.
Related: Healthy Recipes with Pumpkin Puree
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Step 1: In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Stir to evenly combine.
Step 2: In a food processor/blender, add all the wet ingredients. Puree until smooth.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine everything together. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 4: Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- Spoon your flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping it out of the bag. Scooping packs in extra flour and dries out the muffins.
- Don’t overmix once the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Mix just until you don’t see streaks of flour. Overmixing is the number one cause of dense, tough muffins.
- Blend the wet ingredients until completely smooth. This is what makes the beans undetectable. A quick pulse isn’t enough.
- Want mini muffins? This batter makes about 24 mini muffins at the same temperature. Start checking for doneness at 12 to 14 minutes.
Variations
Delicious as is, but if you want more texture, stir one of these in at the end:
- Pecans or walnuts, finely chopped if serving to babies
- Mini chocolate chips
- Dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates
Serving Suggestions
For babies and toddlers, cut a muffin into quarters or strips, since whole muffins are a choking hazard for little ones. Add a smear of one of these to boost flavor and nutrition:
- Plain whole fat yogurt
- Peanut butter, nut butter, or seed butter
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Mashed frui
t s, such as banana, mango, peach, avocado
Pumpkin Banana Muffins FAQs
No. Once fully blended, white beans have almost no flavor of their own, and they disappear into the pumpkin and banana. This is why blending the wet ingredients until completely smooth matters. See Expert Tips above for how.
Yes, in moderation as part of a varied diet. This recipe has no refined sugar as written, and the beans add protein and fiber that most muffins don’t have. For babies starting solids, cut into strips or quarters rather than serving whole.
Yes. Use an equal amount of homemade pumpkin puree in place of canned. Just make sure it’s well-drained, since fresh puree can be watery and will make the batter too wet.
This is almost always from overmixing the batter or packing in too much flour. Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until you don’t see streaks of flour, and spoon your flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Refrigeration actually makes the banana flavor more pronounced, so the muffins taste sweeter.
To freeze, cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
Here’s everything you need to know about storing and freezing muffins.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, or spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 2 medium over ripe banana (240g weighed without the peel)
- 3/4 cup (180g) unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 egg, see note
- 1/2 cup (90g) canned white beans, rinsed and drained (look for no or low-salt-added)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup or date syrup
- 1/4 cup dried fruits like raisins, chopped dates
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Stir to evenly combine.
- In a food processor/blender, add all the wet ingredients. Puree until smooth.
- Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine everything together. Don't overmix.
- Divide batter evenly into a greased, lined or silicone 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Add 3-4 soaked dates (discard the pit and the soaking liquid) to the blender along with the rest of the wet ingredients
- Add up to 4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey
- Stir in 1/3 cup dried fruits or chocolate chips at the end
my kids loved them1
I’m so glad!!
Hey! At my grocery store they have white navy beans or white kidney beans. Which ones do you use? Thanks!
I would try with white navy beans!
Thank you! Will be making today!
Could I use greek yogurt instead of beans. We eat a lot of soaked sprouted beans & rather not use in this. Will that make the texture of muffin different? The recipe sounds very healthy.
Thank you.
I haven’t tried so can’t say for certain but I love adding yogurt to muffins so worth a try!
I am from South Africa and just made these for my son who refuses to eat any fruits and vegetables… as i type this… he is on his second one.. 🙂
Aww I LOVE that he’s enjoying these muffins!! Yay!!
I’ve been making many of your recipes and love how simple, nutritious and tasty they are. I love the idea of using beans in this recipe. However, I’m trying to reduce orange-colored foods for my child, what can I substitute for the pumpkin?
I haven’t tried but maybe applesauce?
Is the spelt flour supposed to be white or whole grain?
It’s whole grains!
Can you make with garbanzo beans?
Sure!
Great recipe! My toddler loves the taste and I love the extra iron he gets from the beans.
My one and three-year-olds both love these muffins, and I love the protein from the beans and all the good stuff from pumpkin. Another great muffin from Min!
Thanks so much!!
My son tried these and loved them!
So glad to hear!