As the autumn chill settles in, step into my cozy tavern where the scent of warm spices and baked bread fills the air. Today’s special is a pumpkin spiced banana bread crumble — soft, moist, and just sweet enough, crowned with a crunchy oat and pumpkin seed topping. It’s the kind of treat meant to be shared by the hearth, with a steaming mug of something comforting in hand.
This recipe shines brightest in the fall, when pumpkins, warm spices, and cozy baked goods are at the heart of the season.
It’s perfect for harvest gatherings, Halloween parties, and especially Thanksgiving, where it can be served as a lighter, gut-friendly alternative to pumpkin pie. Because it uses both banana and pumpkin, it bridges the late-summer to autumn transition beautifully — making it a staple from September through the holidays. By winter, it still holds its charm as a comforting loaf to slice up on chilly mornings or share with loved ones around the holidays.
This was inspired by my Caramel & Chamomile Pear Crumble and my Peach & Lavender Honey Cinnamon Roll Crumble.
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Ingredients
~*~*~ see recipe card for quantities ~*~*~
Banana Bread
- ripe bananas
- pumpkin pure
- large eggs
- maple syrup or raw honey
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
- oat flour
- almond flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- pumpkin pie spice (ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
- sea salt
Crumble Topping
- rolled oats
- almond flour
- pumpkin seds
- maple syrup (or coconut sugar/brown sugar)
- coconut oil
- ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Whisk the Wet: Mash bananas, then stir in pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Blend the Dry: In a separate bowl, mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Fold into the wet mixture and let rest a few minutes.
- Crumble Magic: Combine oats, almond flour, pumpkin seeds, sugar, oil, and cinnamon until crumbly.
- Bake & Enjoy: Spread batter into a pan, top with crumble, and bake until golden and set. Cool before slicing into tavern-style servings.
Hint: For the best texture, let your loaf cool completely before slicing — it may be tempting to cut in while it’s warm, but giving it time helps the crumble set and keeps the bread from becoming too crumbly.
Substitutions
- Eggs: Replace with flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water each) for a plant-based loaf.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup, raw honey, coconut sugar, or date syrup all work.
- Pumpkin seeds: Swap with walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds for the crumble.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls (1 large, 1 medium, 1 small)
- Whisk and spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Loaf pan (8x4 or 9x5 inch)
- Parchment paper (optional, for easier removal)
- Wire cooling rack
- Knife for slicing
Pumpkin Spiced Banana Bread Crumble
Equipment
- 3 mixing bowls 1 large, 1 medium, 1 small
- 1 Whisk
- 1 spoon/spatula
- Measuring cups
- loaf pan
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 2 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree unsweetened
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups oat flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar/brown sugar
- 2-3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee melted
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Let the batter rest 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid.
- In a small bowl, stir oats, almond flour, nuts, sugar/maple syrup, oil and cinnamon to make the crumble.
- Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle crumble on top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. If topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with parchment.
- Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Slice once fully cooled for best texture.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Keeps well for 5–6 days; slice and separate with parchment for easy grabbing.
Freezer: Wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or warm gently in the oven/toaster before serving.
FAQ
Absolutely! Swap the eggs for flax eggs and use coconut oil or plant-based butter instead of ghee.
It’s better to use plain pumpkin puree; pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and spiced, which can alter the flavor and texture.
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