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    Home » Breads & Muffins » Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread

    Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread

    Published: Oct 19, 2022 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    46 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This healthy pumpkin banana bread is flavorful, perfectly spiced, moist and tender. It’s healthier than a traditional pumpkin banana bread because it has less sugar, and is made with wholesome ingredients. A great tasting bread that doesn’t sacrifice flavor for nutrition, and that your whole family will love. It’s a great alternative to my pumpkin banana muffins, if you want something a bit healthier.

    A loaf of healthy pumpkin banana bread sliced on a wire rack and covered with glaze

    I by no means frown upon traditional baking techniques and ingredients, but sometimes it is nice to have other options! Perhaps you have a family member with health concerns or they just are sensitive to foods with lots of added sugars. What I enjoy about experimenting with healthier baking options is that often, the ingredients swaps don’t taste all that noticeable! So it’s my motto that if you can add in or swap out healthier alternatives that taste just as good, why not do it? Let me show you how to make this delicious quick bread I think you’re really going to love, just in time for pumpkin season!

    Why I love this recipe

    • More fiber and protein – the addition of Greek yogurt, ground flax seed and whole wheat flour adds in both fiber and protein, which achieves two things. More balanced blood sugar and leaves you feeling more satiated.
    • Flavorful & moist, not dense and bland – I love the saying “progress over perfection” and think it suits this bread perfectly. While not sugar free, this is a low sugar pumpkin bread. It has nutritious add-ins, but still has the traditional ingredients like yummy nutty butter and some all-purpose flour. This results in a great tasting bread you’ll actually enjoy, not a bland dry loaf you’ll be challenged to eat.
    • Quick and easy – quick breads have that name for a reason, they’re quick to put together and almost fool-proof. Quick breads use baking soda and or powder as the leavening agent, rather than yeast, which is a bit more temperamental. All you have to do is mix wet with dry ingredients, toss it in a pan and let it do its thing!
    raw ingredients to make pumpkin banana bread in white bowls
    ingredients needed to make healthy pumpkin banana bread

    Simple ingredients needed

    • Whole wheat and all purpose flour. Using a combination of the two will add more fiber and result in a lower glycemic index, while also keeping the bread airy and moist. Pure whole wheat flour may result in dry and heavy bread, which we definitely don’t want! BTW, you can use standard whole wheat or white whole wheat flour interchangeably. The final product will have a slightly sweeter flavor when using white wwf.
    • Overripe bananas – this pumpkin banana bread recipe uses 2 bananas versus 3, since we are also add in pumpkin puree. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be!
    • Pumpkin puree – of course it’s easiest to use canned pumpkin, but you can also easily make homemade pumpkin puree in the Instant Pot or stovetop. Just make sure you don’t use pumpkin pie filling!
    • Greek yogurt – this adds moisture and helps make the bread more tender. It also helps cut down a bit on the amount of butter used. You can also use sour cream instead, if you prefer.
    • Melted butter & eggs – standard baked good ingredients. Allow eggs to come to room temperature and let melted butter cool a bit before incorporating into the bread.
    • Ground flax seed – this adds fiber, protein and a decent dose of Omega-3 fatty acids, which provides benefits to the brain and heart. It also gives the bread a slight nutty taste that is quite good!
    • Pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin spice extract (optional) and baking powder help flavor and leaven the bread.

    Easy steps to make this tasty banana pumpkin bread

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.

    In a large mixing bowl, add the two different flours, baking powder and flax seed. Whisk to combine and set aside.

    white mixing bowl filled with dry baking ingredients flour and baking powder and a separate mixing bowl filled with wet baking ingredients
    left – flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and flax seed whisked together in a mixing bowl.
    right – eggs, sugar, butter, pumpkin puree, bananas and extract stirred together

    In a separate bowl, mash the bananas, then add in the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, melted butter, pumpkin spice and pumpkin spice extract (or vanilla extract). Stir till ingredients are completely mixed together.

    Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir just to combine with a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix or else bread can get tough and chewy.

    mixing bowl with pumpkin banana bread batter and then batter poured into a glass loaf pan
    left – mix wet and dry ingredients to make batter. right – pour batter into a greased loaf pan

    Grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan and pour in batter.

    Bake for 55-65 minutes, till a toothpick comes out clean. Note that baking time will vary depending on the type of pan you are using. Glass pans sometimes take longer to bake than a metal pan, so keep that in mind. When bread is done, pull from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

    baked healthy pumpkin banana bread in a glass loaf pan cooling

    This healthy pumpkin banana bread recipe is great because it has a perfect balance of pumpkin flavor and banana flavor. The natural sweetness of the bananas is nice too, as it makes this bread not overly sweet. It’s so good for breakfast with a couple of scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee. Ask me how I know ha!

    Recipe FAQ’s

    Can I make this pumpkin banana bread gluten-free?

    While I did not recipe test it with gluten-free flour, you can certainly swap out the regular flour for your trusted GF swap. I know there are so many great options out there that allow for a cup-for-cup swap, you should have no problem making this adjustment.

    Can I use pure maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar?

    I initially recipe tested this bread using maple syrup instead of sugar, but found it made the bread too moist and did not want to bake all the way through. So stick with granulated sugar or coconut sugar. Or if you really want to limit the amount of added sugar, I have had success with Swerve sweetener, as seen in my Healthy Apple Crumble.

    loaf of pumpkin quick bread covered in pumpkin spice glaze

    Tips for storing and freezing baked bread

    To keep your moist pumpkin banana bread fresh, make sure to store it on the countertop in an airtight container or cover it in plastic wrap. Do not store it in the fridge, as refrigerators circulate cold air which can dry out your yummy bread.

    Banana bread will stay fresh your counter for about 4 days. By days 5 and 6, the bread may begin to dry out a bit. I usually pop a slice in the microwave for a few seconds. Spread on some butter, and it tastes just as good. But once a week+ hits, you will likely start to see mold appear, which of course means it’s time to ditch it.

    You will want to bake this yummy banana pumpkin recipe all Fall season long, and may even want to make a double batch each time you bake. You can gift one loaf or freeze it.

    To freeze

    Wrap your loaf in foil, place in a Ziploc or Stasher bag, and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to four months.

    To thaw

    Simply remove from the freezer and bag, set on the counter and leave out for a few hours.

    Optional add-ins

    You can add in nuts like walnuts or pecans to give this yummy a bread a bit of crunch. Of course pumpkin seeds would also be apropos and add a definite earthy vibe. Golden raisins or chocolate chips would make it a bit sweeter of course. Or if you want to get indulgent, counteract the healthiness of this bread by topping it with a pumpkin spice glaze ha!

    a loaf of pumpkin banana bread sliced into 4 pieces and covered in a powdered sugar bread glaze

    More great Fall Recipes!

    I hope you love this recipe! If you are looking for more Fall cooking inspiration, take a peek at the seasonal recipes below. Happy baking!

    • 6 Sweet and Savory Cottage Cheese Toast Ideas
    • Miso Butter Salmon – Quick & Easy!
    • Nourishing Fiesta Salad Recipe
    • Easy Creamy Protein Hummus

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!

    sliced pumpkin banana bread loaf with a powdered sugar glaze

    Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread

    This healthy pumpkin banana bread is flavorful, perfectly spiced and moist and tender. It’s healthier than a traditional pumpkin banana bread because it has less sugar, and is made with wholesome ingredients like Greek yogurt, ground flax seed and whole wheat flour. A great tasting bread that doesn’t sacrifice flavor for nutrition.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Author:Andrea

    Equipment

    • 1 Loaf Pan greased
    • 2 Mixing bowls
    • 1 Whisk
    • 1 Spatula
    • Measuring cups and spoons

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup All purpose flour
    • 1 cup Whole wheat flour can also use white whole wheat flour
    • 2 tbsp Baking powder
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • 2 tbsp Ground flax seed
    • 2 Very ripe bananas smashed
    • ⅔ cup Pumpkin puree
    • ½ cup Sugar
    • 2 Large eggs
    • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
    • 6 tbsp Butter melted and cooled
    • 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
    • 1 tsp Pumpkin spice extract or vanilla extract
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f
    • Add both flours, the baking powder, salt and flax seed to a large mixing bowl and whisk together
      1 cup All purpose flour, 1 cup Whole wheat flour, 2 tbsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Salt, 2 tbsp Ground flax seed
    • In a separate bowl add the bananas, pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, pumpkin pie spice and extract. Stir together
      2 Very ripe bananas, ⅔ cup Pumpkin puree, ½ cup Sugar, 2 Large eggs, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 6 tbsp Butter, 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp Pumpkin spice extract
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir together until well combined, but do not overmix. Pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan.
    • Bake for 50-75 minutes, removing from oven when toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. See recipe note about cooking times and doneness

    Notes

    This bread holds a lot of moisture, so don’t be surprised if it takes a bit longer to bake than a traditional banana bread.
    Your toothpick should be mostly clean when inserted and removed. It should not come out with lots of wet batter on it, but if it has been baking for 60-70 minutes and still has a very small amount of batter on it, the bread should be done.
    It will continue to bake a bit after you remove it from the oven. If you try to bake long enough to get a completely clean toothpick, it may dry out and get overdone. This bread was recipe tested multiple times in a glass loaf and was perfect after approximately 65 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2346IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!
    « Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Bacon & Burrata
    Pumpkin Spice Glaze for Pumpkin Bread »

    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Natalie says

      November 15, 2022 at 3:16 pm

      what are the flax seeds for in this recipe? what can be a substitute?

      Reply
      • Andrea Howe says

        November 16, 2022 at 8:38 am

        the flax is just to add more fiber and protein as well as Omega 3’s. You can delete if you have an allergy or just don’t have them. Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Shirley A Barner says

      October 25, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      Thank you!
      A very interesting recipe.
      Question:
      Is possible to exempt from the salt, while preparing this recipe ❓

      Reply
      • Andrea Howe says

        October 25, 2022 at 7:20 pm

        yes, definitely okay to omit the salt

        Reply

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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

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