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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
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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
Great recipe! I didn’t use additional sweetener or baking powder and it still came out perfectly! My daughter just finished 1 1/2 muffins right after making it! Thank you!
Aww love hearing that! Thanks for sharing!
Can’t wait to make these? Do you have a recommended swap for flour if gluten free? (besides GF all purpose flour, so hard to find those without gums) Thank you!
I would try oat flour! I usually just buy rolled oats and grind them in a blender. Cheaper than buying oat flour ❤️
Great recipe! Loved the inclusion of beans and option to sweeten or not. I did half as written for my 7 month old. Then half I added maple syrup, plus a little flour to thicken again, and a few mini chocolate chips. My two toddlers loved them!
My toddler just hammered 2 of these, a happy customer! I substituted chickpeas for white beans and it came out great. It made 24 mini muffins with the same cook time and temp. Will make again! Please add flour gram measurement if possible. Thank you for the fantastic recipe
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.
Oh I love that! Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful recipe. Came together easily and fun to make with my toddler!
Instead of maple syrup I used honey, and they turned out great. We will make them again!!
Can I leave the beans out?
Yes! You can!
LOVE how quick and simple it is to bake this and it is always a hit in my household.
I have made it without and with maple syrup. Without maple syrup is bland, however I like the taste to it. My kids don’t mind it, however they prefer with the maple syrup. I, also, added semi chocolate chips which gives it a sweeter taste.
Do you think I can substitute the pumpkin with sweet potato that I’ve roasted and mashed?
Absolutely!
Delicious, super moistured, great texture. I was really surprised with the outcome with no fat.
I will check how they last in the fridge or freezer, but really great healthy option!