Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
Start your morning with the cozy flavor of freshly baked Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins. These moist and delicious fall muffins are made with wholesome ingredients and are always a family favorite. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes, they bring together pumpkin spice and banana bread in every bite.
In our house, muffins rarely last more than a day. The moment the smell of pumpkin spice and banana bread starts drifting through the kitchen, my kids come running to see if they can sneak one straight from the pan.
Honestly, I don’t mind, because I love knowing they’re reaching for a snack that’s both wholesome and homemade. Recipes like this make me feel good as a mom. I can give my family something cozy, sweet, and nourishing that’s free from processed ingredients.
Do you know what comes to mind every time I bite into these muffins? Monkey bread! The glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding that sticky-sweet flavor that instantly brings back cozy memories of this classic treat.
Spotlight on these Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
- They are made with wholesome ingredients. These muffins are clean, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, so you can feel good serving them to your family any time of day.
- They are tried and true. I tested and retested these muffins until every detail was just right. The texture, sweetness, and flavor are exactly what I was aiming for, and I’m confident you’ll love them just as much as I do.
- They are kid-friendly. My girls absolutely devour these muffins, and I can see why. They’re soft, lightly sweet, and perfect for little hands to grab after school or as a lunchbox treat.
- They are 100% vegan. No dairy, no eggs, no problem. This plant-based muffin recipe uses simple swaps to create a moist and fluffy texture everyone will love.
- They are easy to make. With just a few basic steps, these muffins come together quickly. My kids even enjoy helping me measure, stir, and taste-test along the way.
- They are naturally sweetened. Lightly sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup, these muffins are perfectly balanced without being overly sugary.
The Ingredients
For the muffins, you will need the following ingredients.
Ground flaxseed and water: Mix these together to create a flax “egg,” a perfect vegan egg replacement that helps bind the muffins naturally.
Oat flour: While not gluten-free, oat flour is minimally processed and ideal for clean baking, giving these muffins a wholesome texture.
Oats: Use Old-Fashioned rolled oats for the best structure and chewy bite in this muffin recipe.
Cinnamon and nutmeg: These cozy fall spices add warmth and depth, making each bite taste like autumn.
Baking powder, baking soda, and salt: These pantry staples ensure the muffins rise beautifully while staying moist and fluffy.
Bananas: Very ripe bananas provide natural sweetness and that classic banana bread flavor everyone loves.
Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use canned pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for a clean, wholesome pumpkin flavor.
Maple syrup: This natural sweetener adds just the right touch of sweetness while infusing the muffins with a subtle maple flavor.
Almond milk: Any plant-based milk works here, but almond milk adds a light nuttiness that pairs beautifully with pumpkin and banana.
Almond butter: Rich in healthy fats and protein, almond butter adds depth and makes these muffins even more satisfying.
Coconut oil: Slightly melt and cool the coconut oil before mixing it in. It adds moisture and keeps the muffins tender.
For the melted cinnamon and butter glaze, you will need the following ingredients.
Vegan butter: When combined with natural sweeteners, vegan butter creates the most ooey-gooey topping that melts beautifully over these muffins.
Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup for a rich, naturally sweet finish that enhances the pumpkin and banana flavors.
Coconut sugar: This unrefined sweetener adds a deep caramel-like flavor to the glaze, making it one of the best parts of these muffins.
Cinnamon: The warm cinnamon glaze gives the muffins that monkey bread-style topping; sticky, caramelized, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Banana slices: Optional but highly recommended, banana slices caramelize as they bake, adding extra sweetness and a picture-perfect presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
These muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, while the glaze adds an extra layer of sweetness. If you prefer a less-sweet muffin, simply leave out the coconut sugar from the glaze for a lighter finish.
Yes, these muffins freeze beautifully! Store them in an airtight container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm them in the microwave.
Yes! They will devour them for sure! I will note that one of my daughters does not like the look of the banana slice on top, but loves the muffins.
Don’t worry if the muffins feel extra moist when they first come out of the oven. That’s completely normal and part of what makes them so delicious. As they cool to room temperature and are stored in the fridge, they’ll firm up slightly and settle into the perfect texture.
The Instructions
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and add 12 cupcake liners to a muffin tin.
Step two: Make a flax egg. Place one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and three tablespoons of water in a small ramekin, mix it well, and place it in the fridge to thicken.
Step three: In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and use a whisk to mix. This includes oat flour, Old-Fashioned oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step four: In a medium mixing bowl, add all of the wet ingredients and use the whisk to blend until fully mixed. This includes mashed banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, the flax egg, almond milk, almond butter, and coconut oil.
*Make sure your melted coconut oil has had a chance to slightly cool and is not hot. This will help prevent the coconut oil from hardening. I also recommend placing the coconut oil into the bowl last and then stirring.
Step five: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients. Mix only until incorporated.
Step six: Use a large cookie scoop to transfer the muffin mixture evenly to the 12 cupcake liners.
Step seven: For the cinnamon banana glaze, add all of the ingredients except the banana slices to a small ramekin. This includes vegan butter, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Defrost in the microwave for one minute and then stir until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is creamy.
Step eight: Pour one spoonful of the melted butter mixture over the top of each filled muffin. Use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly and allow the mixture to pour over the sides. Make sure to leave a little in the bowl to dip the banana slices in.
Take each of the 12 banana slices and one by one dip each side into the remaining melted butter mixture and then press them into the top middle of each muffin.
Step nine: Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes or until cool to the touch. Carefully transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and allow them to come to room temperature.
Storage
Once the muffins have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
I actually love them chilled! The cooler temperature helps the muffins firm up slightly, making them less moist and giving them the perfect texture straight from the fridge.
To freeze muffins, place completely cooled muffins into a freezer-safe airtight container or a reusable freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2–3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw a muffin at room temperature for a couple of hours, or warm it in the microwave.
Tips + Modifications
It’s important not to overmix the batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, and too much can make the muffins dense, chewy, or tough instead of soft and fluffy.
Use ripe bananas! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. Speckled bananas work best.
Cool completely before storing. Let muffins cool on a wire rack before placing them in a container to prevent excess moisture.
Chill for the best texture. These muffins taste amazing straight from the fridge, and the cool temperature helps them firm up perfectly. You can heat them in the microwave for 15 seconds if you would prefer a warm muffin.
Feel free to skip the banana slices on top if you’d prefer.
More Vegan Fall Recipes
Spiced Nut and Date Overnight Oats
Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 2 small ramekins
- 1 muffin tin lined with 12 cupcake liners
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- 2 cups oat flour
- ¼ cup Old-Fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, slightly melted and slightly cooled
For the melted butter topping
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 banana slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and add 12 cupcake liners to a muffin tin.
- Make a flax egg. Place one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and three tablespoons of water in a small ramekin, mix it well, and place it in the fridge to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and use a whisk to mix. This includes oat flour, Old-Fashioned oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all of the wet ingredients and use the whisk to blend until fully mixed. This includes mashed banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, the flax egg, almond milk, almond butter, and coconut oil. *Make sure your melted coconut oil has had a chance to slightly cool and is not hot. This will help prevent the coconut oil from hardening. I also recommend placing the coconut oil into the bowl last and then stirring.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients. Mix only until incorporated.
- Use a large cookie scoop to transfer the muffin dough evenly to the 12 cupcake liners.
- For the cinnamon banana glaze, add all of the ingredients except the banana slices to a small ramekin. This includes vegan butter, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Defrost in the microwave for one minute and then stir until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is creamy.
- Pour one spoonful of the melted butter mixture over the top of each filled muffin. Use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly and allow the mixture to pour over the sides. Make sure to leave a little in the bowl to dip the banana slices in.Take each of the 12 banana slices and one by one dip each side into the remaining melted butter mixture and then press them into the top middle of each muffin.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes or until cool to the touch. Carefully transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and allow them to come to room temperature.
These vegan pumpkin banana bread muffins were so delicious. They were very flavorful and moist. My husband who is very picky, agrees they are one of the BEST muffins he has had. Can’t wait to have more!
Yay! I am so glad that you and your husband enjoyed them! My husband loves them too! Thanks for sharing!