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Fluffy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Bread with Pecans

gluten-free pumpkin banana bread - featured image
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This gluten-free pumpkin banana bread is a kitchen accident turned favorite—soft, tender, and perfectly moist thanks to the combination of pumpkin and banana. Toasted pecans add crunch, while warm spices make every slice taste like fall.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or neutral oil like avocado or vegetable)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (e.g., King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
  • 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the exposed ends.
  2. Toast the pecans (optional): Spread chopped pecans on a small baking sheet and toast in the preheating oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine).
  4. Add pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently with a spatula after each addition. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
  7. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of toasted pecans for the top. Gently fold the remaining pecans into the batter.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle reserved pecans on top, pressing them in gently. If using, sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top.
  9. Bake for 50-60 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the bread—if the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment sling to lift it out and transfer to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip the parchment paper sling—it makes removal effortless. Let ingredients come to room temperature to prevent coconut oil from seizing. Measure gluten-free flour correctly by fluffing, spooning, and leveling. Check for doneness early (at 45 minutes) as ovens vary. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbliness. For a vegan version, replace eggs with flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water). For a nut-free version, swap pecans for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: gluten-free pumpkin banana bread, pumpkin banana bread, gluten-free bread, fall baking, pumpkin bread, banana bread, pecans

Find it online: https://jollyfork.com/fluffy-gluten-free-pumpkin-banana-bread-with-pecans/