Healthy No Added Sugar Pumpkin Banana Bread

The best ever healthy no added sugar pumpkin banana bread is bursting with fall flavors and is made with no refined sugar, just healthy, real food ingredients. Enjoy it plain or add some mix-ins: walnuts, pecans, raisins, or my favorite, chocolate chips!

Ingredients for Healthy No Added Sugar Pumpkin Banana Bread

• Pumpkin puree: Make sure it is 100% pure pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling. They are not the same! 
• Mashed overripe bananas: Fresh or frozen and defrosted both work! For more info on using frozen bananas, see the section below. 
• Eggs: Regular ol’ large eggs are best. I’ve not tried this recipe with flax “egg” or other egg alternatives, so let me know if you do! 
• Oil: I prefer to use a neutral- to light-flavored oil like avocado oil or melted coconut oil.
• Pumpkin spice blend: If you don’t have pumpkin spice blend on hand, you can make this bread with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves. I recommend using 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves.
• Leaveners: A mix of baking powder and baking soda give this quickbread its rise. I used mostly baking powder since there is not a whole lot of acidity to counteract the alkalinity of baking soda. 
• Flavor extract: I’ve only used vanilla extract but if you want to elevate the pumpkin and/or banana flavor, you can substitute pumpkin and/or banana extract. 
• Kosher Salt: I use kosher salt in all of my recipes, but table salt or sea salt would also work. Since table salt is much finer than kosher salt or sea salt, I’d recommend reducing the amount of table salt just a smidge.
• Flour: This recipe calls for white whole wheat flour but I’ve also made it using 1 cup all-purpose flour + ¾ cup whole wheat flour and it turns out great!

How to make low sugar pumpkin bread

The key to making this low sugar pumpkin bread is sweetening it with overripe bananas rather than refined sugar. As bananas ripen, their fructose (sugar) content increases, making them sweeter and perfect for incorporating into baked goods in place of added sugar. Head to the recipe card for the step-by-step process!

FAQ

Is banana bread without added sugar still sweet?

It is! The key is using enough overly-ripe bananas. Overripe bananas actually have more fructose (sugar) than the lesser ripe ones we all love to eat, but this makes them perfect for baking.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, I rarely have enough overripe bananas at the same time so I typically use ones that I’ve frozen over the course of several weeks.

To freeze bananas, place peeled bananas in an airtight freezer bag and remove as much air as possible before freezing. Frozen bananas can last up to 6 months, maybe longer. 

To bake banana bread using frozen bananas, let them defrost completely in a freezer bag or bowl and come to room temperature. This is important because the banana bread will not cook through if the batter is cold. Then, mash or puree the bananas with the liquid using a fork, potato masher, or immersion blender.

HEALTHY NO-ADDED-SUGAR PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD

The best ever healthy, low sugar pumpkin banana bread is bursting with fall flavors and is made with no added sugar, just healthy, real food ingredients. Enjoy it plain or add some mix-ins!

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Total Time:1 hour 20 minutes 

Makes:12, 3-ounce slices

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas  (about 4–5 medium)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup avocado oil, melted coconut oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (see notes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, pumpkin, or banana extract
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour (see notes) 
• Optional: ½ cup mix-ins such as chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, chocolate chips (see notes)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven & prepare the pan(s). Set oven to 325F and lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or 3 mini loaf pans. 

Mix pumpkin, bananas,and oil. In a large bowl, mash your bananas if you haven’t already. Then, add the pumpkin and oil and mix everything together with a whisk. 

Add eggs, pumpkin spice, leavening, extract and salt. Add the eggs, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, extract and salt, and mix with the whisk just until combined. 

Stir in the flour. Using a big spoon, stir in the flour and any mix-ins just until combined. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan.

Bake and cool. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes (35-40 minutes for mini loaves), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool another 15-20 minutes before slicing.  

NOTES

FAVORITE EQUIPMENT    9×5 loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans 

INGREDIENT NOTES

Pumpkin spice blend: If you don’t have pumpkin spice blend on hand, you can make this bread with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves. I recommend using 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves.

Flour: If you don’t have white whole wheat flour you can also use a combination of 1 cup all-purpose + ¾ cup whole wheat flour

Mix-ins: Chocolate chips contain added sugar so, if you choose to add them, your bread will have some added sugar, but still far less than the average loaf.

NUTRITION NOTES

Nutrition calculated using avocado oil and kosher salt, and without mix-ins.

MAKE AHEAD

Mash the bananas; refrigerate up to 2 days 

Measure your dry ingredients; okay to combine pumpkin spice blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

LITTLE HELPERS

Involving little ones can decrease picky eating and increase appetite and willingness to try new foods. Here are a few ways they can help: 

Toddlers: Help with peeling and mashing the bananas, grease bread pan with a paper towel and dollop of oil; whisk ingredients together, stir in flour and mix-ins

Little Kids: Peel and mash the bananas, open canned pumpkin, measure ingredients; pour batter into the pan

Big Kids: All of the above!

FREEZING TIPS

Make a double batch and freeze one for later! Once the loaf has completely cooled, tightly wrap it in foil and place in an airtight freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Defrost overnight on the counter.

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 3-ounce slice   Calories: 154    Sugar: 5 g    Sodium: 147 mg     Fat: 6 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g     Unsaturated Fat: 5 g      Trans Fat: 0 g     Carbohydrates: 21 g

Fiber: 3 g     Protein: 4 g     Cholesterol: 31 mg

source: modernminimalism.com