This pumpkin banana bread recipe is the perfect fall treat! With a delicious combination of pumpkin, banana, and warm spices, it’s easy to make and sure to impress your friends and family.
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I love pumpkin bread and banana bread, so I had to combine them! At first, the banana kept taking over the pumpkin. After a few tests, I made the perfect banana pumpkin chocolate chip bread by using a little less banana and a little more spice.
I also bloomed the spices in warm brown butter, which helps the flavors come alive. The result is a cozy, flavorful loaf with melty chocolate chips in every bite.
For more recipes, try my pumpkin banana bread muffins classic banana bread recipe and pumpkin spice bread!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect balance of pumpkin and banana flavor. This pumpkin banana chocolate chip bread is super cozy just like my banana and cinnamon bread!
- Slightly spicier and aromatic from bloomed spices in brown butter. Blooming spices also brings out the flavor of my turmeric cookies recipe and hibiscus cookies recipe!
- Every bite is soft and moist just like my banana bread with ricotta!
- Chocolate chips give melty pockets in every bite just like these chocolate chip pumpkin cookies
- No mixer needed. The recipe’s simple to mix up with basic ingredients
- This recipe’s full of upgrades- both pumpkin and banana, chocolate chips, warm spices and brown butter!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients needed to make pumpkin chocolate chip banana bread.
- 1-2 very ripe bananas: Use overripe bananas. Overripe bananas will have brownish peels or peels with brown spots. They are soft, sweet and perfect for baking! You’ll need ¾ cup (135 g) mashed banana. That is about 1 large or 1½ medium bananas. If you have more overripe bananas, you’ll love my spiced banana cake and sour cream banana muffins!
- Pumpkin puree: I recommend canned pumpkin puree. Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. For most consistent results, use canned pumpkin. This recipe hasn’t been tested with homemade pumpkin puree.
- Sugars: We’re using brown sugar and granulated sugar. Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, but salted works too. No need for room temperature butter—we’re browning it for extra toasty, nutty flavor. Melt over medium heat until golden with small brown bits; those bits are toasted milk solids that add rich flavor.
- 2 eggs: Use large, room temperature eggs.
- Spices: This recipe uses pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg for warmth. I like a pinch of ginger or cloves too, but that’s optional. If you’re missing one spice, just use a little extra cinnamon instead. The amount of spice sounds generous, but it won’t overpower the bread. Pumpkin needs the boost since banana naturally has a stronger flavor. For more warmly spiced treats, try my recipe for snickerdoodle bars and cinnamon chocolate chip cookies!
- Sour cream– Use full fat, room temperature sour cream.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use buttermilk or unsweetened plain whole Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- This recipe calls for unsalted butter and ¾ tsp salt. If using salted butter, reduce added salt to ½ tsp to avoid over-seasoning.
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Bread Video
Quick Video Recap
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–8 minutes until golden-brown bits form and it smells nutty.Remove from heat. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). Pour into a mixing bowl. Stir in pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional cloves/ginger. Let spices bloom in the hot butter. Let the butter cool 5–10 minutes until warm but not hot to the touch.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above).Add the sugars and whisk until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Mix in pumpkin, banana, sour cream, and vanilla until evenly incorporated.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined (do not overmix). Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Pour batter into prepared 9×5 in (1.25 lb) loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 55-65 minutes.
Expert Tips
- You’ll need ¾ cup (135 g) mashed banana. That is about 1 large or 1½ medium bananas.
- Frozen overripe bananas can be used. Thaw the bananas, drain off excess liquid, mash then use as instructed.
- Use the bottom of your whisk to mash the banana.
- This recipe was tested in a 1.25 lb (9×5 in) loaf pan. You can use a 1 lb (8×4 in) pan, but loaf will be taller and may need extra bake time.
- I recommend using a light-colored loaf pan — dark pans can brown sides/bottom too fast.
- This recipe calls for unsalted butter and ¾ tsp salt. If using salted butter, reduce added salt to ½ tsp to avoid over-seasoning.
- Freeze leftover pumpkin puree for up to 4–6 months in a Ziploc; thaw before using.
Recipe FAQs
Use very ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moisture. Ingredients like brown sugar or sour cream help keep it soft. Don’t overmix after adding flour, and bake until the center is set but not overbaked.
Yes! Both have warm, cozy flavors. Banana adds sweetness and moisture. Pumpkin adds moisture and spice. Together they make a soft, flavorful treat.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter browned or just melted
- 2½ teaspoons (5 g) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.25 g) ground ginger optional, or ground cloves
- ⅔ cup (146.67 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (245 g) canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ cup (135 g) mashed overripe banana about 1 large or 1½ medium
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (76.67 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 1⅔ cups (208.33 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) salt
- 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or grease the sides with butter and line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Brown the butter: Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, stirring occasionally. The butter will start to bubble and foam, and after a few minutes it will take on a golden amber color. Once you see brown bits forming and smell a nutty aroma—usually 5 to 8 minutes—remove from the heat. Pour the butter into a medium bowl, scraping up all the brown bits from the pan. Remove from heat and immediately pour into a large heatproof mixing bowl,. Make sure to scrape up all the brown bits from the pan with a spatula since those add flavor. Melt the butter: If you prefer, you can skip browning and just melt the butter instead. Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave then pour it in a large mixing bowl then continue with the next step.
- Add the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional cloves or ginger into the hot butter. Stir to incorporate then allow butter to cool 5–10 minutes until warm but not hot to the touch.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the butter until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in pumpkin, mashed banana, sour cream, and vanilla until evenly incorporated.
- Use a spatula to fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined (do not overmix).
- Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared 9×5 in (1.25 lb) loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula or offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips evenly over the top. Add up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top if you prefer!
- Bake 55–65 minutes. About halfway through baking, rotate the loaf pan 180° for even baking. This step is optional but helps if your oven has hot spots. Bake until toothpick comes out mostly clean with no wet batter when inserted in the center of the bread. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes before removing.
- Lift out with parchment overhang and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. This allows the crumb to set, so the slices hold together and don’t fall apart.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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