These vegan pumpkin banana muffins are hearty, moist, and filling. Just imagine a fusion of pumpkin spice and banana bread flavors condensed in a muffin. You have to try it!
October is now over but does that mean that Pumpkin season is too? Ehh I don’t think so. It’s just this year that I finally gave in to the “pumpkin-tastes-good-in-desserts-movement” and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. These perfectly crunchy pumpkin biscotti cookies are my absolute favorite.
If you’re a busy bee and live for grab-and-go breakfast recipes, you need to bookmark this right now! They’re wholesome, perfect for breakfast or even a snack I made these delectable muffins with whole grain spelt flour, pumpkin puree, and warm spices. To add sweetness and moisture, I used overripe bananas and a liquid sweetener (agave).
These vegan pumpkin banana muffins are:
Perfect for children: This is a great way to add more nutrients into your child’s diet. Pumpkins and bananas are rich in nutrients, and they are equally as delicious. You will find the health benefits of pumpkin in my pumpkin spice smoothie recipe post.
Great for meal prep: you can make these for the week ahead and have them for breakfast or as a snack.
Nutrient rich: As I mentioned before, these healthy muffins are full of nutrients from the pumpkin and bananas. This recipe also uses whole grain spelt flour, it is egg free, refined sugar free and refined oil free.
Customizable: feel free to get creative and add in dried/fresh berries, chocolate, nuts or seeds.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that the amounts of the ingredients and the cooking instructions (in detail) are in the RECIPE CARD. Keep scrolling and you will find it down below.
Spelt Flour- It’s obvious now that I love baking with spelt flour. The flavor is great while being fiber and nutrient rich.
Pumpkin Puree- I used homemade pumpkin puree. A can of pumpkin puree will also work.
Mashed bananas- the riper the better. Use bananas that have dark freckles for sweeter muffins.
Vegan Buttermilk- makes these muffins extra fluffy. See recipe card on how to make vegan buttermilk yourself.
Arrowroot starch- used as an egg replacement/binding agent.
Pumpkin spice- a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. If you add freshly grated ginger, the pumpkin spice flavor will be deeper.
Agave- you can use any liquid sweetener of choice.
Baking soda- reacts with the vegan buttermilk to leaven the muffins.
Avocado oil- adds moisture.
Step-by-step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line your muffin tin with cupcake/muffin liners.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together vegan buttermilk, arrowroot starch, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, agave, vanilla extract, and oil. Set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, whisk together sifted spelt flour, salt, baking soda and pumpkin spice.
Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold mix ins into your batter if you so desire.
Scoop the batter into your lined muffin tin, filling them almost all the way up.
Bake the muffins in your oven for 7 minutes at 425°F (220°C) and then reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C ) and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
Remove your muffin tin from the oven, allow the muffins to stay in the muffin tin for 10 minutes then place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
Flour to use- You can attempt to make this recipe with cake flour, all purpose flour, or whole wheat flour.
Egg replacement- a flax egg can be used instead of the arrowroot starch.
Avocado oil- you can use a neutral oil instead or unsweetened applesauce.
Mix-ins- you can use about a ½ cup of chocolate chips, berries or chopped nuts.
Tips for Success
Use an oven thermometer- getting one of these made my baking results so much more consistent. Most ovens are inaccurate and using one will make sure that your muffins bake at the right temperature.
Measure your flour correctly- fluff your flour by mixing it around a bit in a large bowl, gently spoon it into your measuring cup without packing it down. Once it’s piled up, use the straight edge of a butter knife to scrape off the excess.
Do not over mix you batter- stop mixing once the dry ingredients are just combined with the wet ingredients. Over mixing these muffins will make them tough and dry.
Fill the muffin tins with the batter all the way to the top- this will ensure that your muffins come out with beautiful dome tops.
How to store pumpkin banana muffins
You can store them in a sealed container lined with a paper towel on the counter for up to three days.
Store them in the refrigerator for up to five days and reheat in a microwave or toaster oven for a minute.
You can freeze these healthy muffins in for up to three weeks. When you’re ready to have them, allow them to thaw completely at room temperature then reheat in your microwave or toaster oven until warm.
Vegan Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups spelt flour all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg or two teaspoons pumpkin spice mix
- 1 can pumpkin puree 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 cup mashed bananas/ 4 small bananas overripe
- 1 ½ cups vegan buttermilk plant milk and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon agave
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup avocado oil neutral oil or unsweetened applesauce
Instructions
- . Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line your muffin tin with cupcake/muffin liners.
- Make vegan buttermilk by adding two tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 ¼ cups of plant-based milk. Set aside for ten minutes, it should appear lumpy.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together vegan buttermilk, arrowroot starch, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, agave, vanilla extract, and oil. Set aside.
- In a separate, large bowl, whisk together sifted spelt flour, salt, baking soda and pumpkin spice.
- Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold mix ins into your batter if you so desire.
- Scoop the batter into your lined muffin tin, filling them almost all the way up.
- Bake the muffins in your oven for 7 minutes at 425°F (220°C) and then reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C ) and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
- Remove your muffin tin from the oven, allow the muffins to stay in the muffin tin for 10 minutes then place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Made this recipe? Let me know how it went by leaving a rating and comment below
I am obsessed with this website and all your recipes. This is so original. My parents are transitioning vegans, can’t wait to make it for them.
awe thank you! that’s exciting news…let me know how it goes