If I was to tell you that I didn’t care about pumpkin, I’d be lying. Although, I can definitely say that I love all squash, and that I think Pumpkin (spice) hogs the spotlight a little too much. Alas, sometimes I just need to satiate that pumpkin craving, and these muffins were perfect for that. These vegan pumpkin banana chocolate chip nut muffins are ultra-moist, filled with spices, crunchy pecans, and rich chocolate chips. Are you drooling yet?
What do you do when you have overripe bananas and a half-empty can of pumpkin that need to be used up, stat? The former because they need to be liberated from the relentless onslaught of the fruit fly army ), and the latter because it also requires liberation… albeit from the oppressive confines of a BPA-free can. It’s tragic stuff, really.
No more fruit fly fodder sitting on your counter, and no more leftover pumpkin taunting you from the depths of your fridge. Use me. Use me. Use me before I go bad and start sprouting little white colonies on my otherwise gloopy orange surface. The struggle is real, friends, and it’s all because canned pumpkin doesn’t come in the right sizes. Like why can’t they start selling different sized cans so you can buy as much as you need without having to worry about having a bunch of extra squash hanging around after everything is said and done.
Pumpkin and baking go hand in hand, in fact when I start brain storming pumpkin recipes, the baking ones always come first to my mind. I like savoury pumpkin recipes too but baked goods always make it first to the list. I am sure most of you like banana muffins. We all love them and make them often. And I am sure you guys must like pumpkin bread/muffins too. So I just combined the two and came up with these pumpkin banana muffins. These muffins get a bit of flavour from both which makes them a great option for breakfast or afternoon tea or a snack!
Parchment paper liners are definitely the way to go with these. I always have the best luck with them and no muffin ever sticks. I use pumpkin pie spice to keep it super easy. It’s commonly found in almost every store or you can make your own if you’re feeling ambitious. It’s a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s definitely worth buying pre-made to keep recipes simple.
As usual, I recommend using really ripe bananas for these muffins. You don’t want to use firm bananas here. The ripe ones give the muffins a more pronounced banana flavour and not to forget they make the muffins naturally sweeter too. For the pumpkin puree, I went with the canned stuff, you may of course use fresh pumpkin puree. As a food blogger, I often have to prepare recipes well in advance and that’s why have to resort to canned stuff like this pumpkin puree.
Banana is basically a natural sweetener and I love adding it to my baked goods. To finish these off, I added chocolate chips…because why not?! They add just the perfect chocolatey taste without overpowering the pumpkin.
These would make the perfect take-along snack for work or school. They would also make a lovely holiday gift or dessert for fall parties. These bad boys are quick, easy, and super moist. The pumpkin taste isn’t overwhelming, so even picky pumpkin nay-sayers will approve.
Fresh from the oven is the best way to enjoy these, but they can be stored in the fridge and warmed up as well. Or you can eat them cold from the fridge- also very good! Either way, baking season is back. Like, grab your favourite cozy oven mitts, the whisk that can actually withstand the strength and sturdy fortitude that is cookie dough, and the cutest cupcake liners you’ve ever seen… and get ready to get your bake on!
So if you find yourself with some overripe bananas and leftover canned pumpkin on hand, grab a big bowl (you only need one), toss in all the ingredients below, and whip yourself up a batch of these jumbo pumpkin banana muffins.
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