There is something about the first hint of fall that makes us want to turn on the oven, pull out the pumpkin spice, and bake something cozy.
Our Nutty Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Bread combines two favorites—pumpkin bread and banana bread—into one moist, warmly spiced loaf. And because we Curry Girls love a recipe that can do double duty, you can make the same batter into 12 delicious muffins!
Pumpkin puree gives the bread that unmistakable fall flavor, while overripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture. Maple syrup, coconut sugar, almond butter, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice round everything out.
But we couldn’t stop there.
The top gets covered in a crunchy cinnamon nut streusel made with pecans, walnuts, or your favorite nuts.
Warm bread + crunchy streusel + that pumpkin-banana goodness?
Yes, please!
The Perfect Recipe for Fall
Fall is one of our favorite times to get back into the kitchen.
Pumpkins and winter squash are showing up at the farmers markets, the mornings are getting cooler, and suddenly a warm slice of pumpkin bread with a cup of coffee or tea sounds pretty darn good.
This recipe is also a wonderful way to use those overripe bananas sitting on your counter. You know the ones—the bananas everyone has decided are suddenly too brown to eat?
Don’t toss them!
The riper the bananas, the sweeter and softer they become, making them wonderful for baking.
Combined with pumpkin, they help create a bread that’s moist and satisfying without relying on loads of refined sugar.
Bread or Muffins? You Choose!
One of our favorite things about this recipe is its versatility.
Make it as a traditional loaf for a cozy weekend breakfast or brunch. Slice it up and enjoy it warm, pack a piece for an afternoon snack, or add it to your holiday table.
Or turn the exact same batter into 12 individual muffins.
Muffins are great for busy mornings, school lunches, road trips, or when you want something you can easily grab on the way out the door.
Either way, don’t skip that nutty streusel topping!
Print
Nutty Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Bread or Muffins
Gluten Free | Dairy-Free Option
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Pamela’s Pancake and Baking Flour
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs or flax eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 overripe bananas
- 1–2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/3 cup cashew, hazelnut, or almond milk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- Streusel Nut Topping, recipe below
Dairy-Free Flour Note
For a dairy-free version, do not use Pamela’s Baking Mix.
Instead, use a dairy-free gluten-free baking blend such as King Arthur, Cup4Cup, or Bob’s Red Mill, and add:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Streusel Nut Topping
- 2 tablespoons softened butter or dairy-free butter alternative
- 1/2 cup roughly ground pecans, walnuts, or your favorite nuts
- 2 teaspoons or more cinnamon
- 1–2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 heaping tablespoon gluten-free flour blend
Using your fingers or a fork, gently combine the ingredients until you have a crumbly streusel.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper or grease the inside with coconut oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coconut sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. If you’re using the dairy-free flour substitution, add your baking soda and baking powder here as well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or mixer, add the mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, milk, almond butter, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.
- Blend the wet ingredients together for about 30 seconds.
- On low speed—or by gently folding by hand—add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the Streusel Nut Topping generously over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Then loosely cover the loaf with parchment-lined foil or use a covered loaf tin. This helps prevent the top from becoming overly browned.
- Continue baking for another 10–20 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow your bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Don’t overwork it! If you mix your streusel too much, it can become mushy instead of giving you those delicious little crumbles we’re looking for.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
A Little Taste of the Season
Food is one of our favorite ways to celebrate the changing seasons.
Pumpkin, squash, apples, grapes, root vegetables, warming spices—fall gives us an entirely new palette of flavors to play with in the kitchen.
And recipes like this don’t need to be complicated.
Sometimes it’s simply taking the bananas already sitting on your counter, adding a little pumpkin and spice, and turning them into something your whole family can gather around and enjoy.
Make the loaf.
Make the muffins.
Or make both!
Happy fall baking from our kitchen to yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make this Pumpkin Banana Bread dairy free?
Yes! To make the recipe dairy free, use a dairy-free gluten-free baking blend instead of Pamela’s Baking Mix and add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. Choose a non-dairy milk such as almond, cashew, or hazelnut milk, and use a dairy-free butter alternative in your streusel topping.
2. Can I make Pumpkin Banana Muffins instead of a loaf?
Absolutely. The same batter can be used to make 12 muffins. Divide the batter into a greased 12-cup muffin tin, add the streusel topping, and bake at 350°F for approximately 15–18 minutes. Allow them to rest for 5–10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
3. How do I know when my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Bread is finished baking?
After the first 30 minutes, loosely cover your bread to keep the streusel and top from becoming too brown. Continue baking for another 10–20 minutes. Insert a knife into the center of the loaf; when it comes out clean, your bread is ready. Because ovens can vary, begin checking toward the earlier end of the suggested baking time.