This delicious pumpkin oatmeal bread is sweetened with mashed bananas and maple syrup. It’s a gluten free, healthy pumpkin bread recipe that makes a great breakfast, dessert, or snack!
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Happy Monday, Veg World! It’s just another day here in pumpkin spice season! Today, I’m sharing my favorite pumpkin bread recipe to make during the fall.
Made with mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, and chocolate chips, this pumpkin oatmeal bread is a nutritious option that can still satisfy your sweet tooth! I love to eat a slice for breakfast on the side of eggs or yogurt or for an afternoon snack.
As the recipe name suggests, I used oat flour as the base for this bread. So, it packs some extra fiber and nutrition. As a dietitian, I can’t help myself from adding a lil’ extra nutrition wherever I can.
Eating the bread is great and all, but the process of baking it also has some perks! Baking with pumpkin spice, made with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, makes our house smell like heaven. It’s truly the aroma of fall.
Oh, and did I mention there’s chocolate?
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread
- First, grind the old fashioned oats into a fine flour using a food processor or blender. Combine the oats with the other dry ingredients in a bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, mashed banana, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean!
Expert Tips
- To ensure that the bread is gluten free, use certified gluten free old fashioned oats.
- For maximum sweetness, use very ripe bananas that have started to get brown spots on their peels.
- Pumpkin oatmeal bread will keep well in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze this bread, let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Place the bread in a freezer bag or Stasher bag. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before eating.
- You can enjoy the bread cold, at room temperature, warmed up in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes under the broiler, or toasted. Serve with a slab of butter, peanut butter, or cream cheese.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you love this healthy pumpkin banana bread, check out the Chocolate Cherry Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars, Vegan Pumpkin Chia Pudding, and Vegan Peanut Butter Cups with Pumpkin.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how you like it! Please rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments section.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Banana Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free old fashioned oats - also called rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅔ cup mashed banana - about 2 large
- ½ cup pumpkin puree - not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 eggs - lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan and set aside.
- To prepare the oat flour, grind old fashioned oats in a food processor or high-powered blender until they resemble a fine flour. Combine the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the bananas, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Serve cold or warm with butter, nut butter, or cream cheese. You can heat the bread in a toaster or in the oven for 2-3 minutes under the broiler.
- To freeze this bread, let it cool completely then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Put the wrapped bread in a freezer bag, seal, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before eating.
Nutrition
Happy fall baking! – Lizzie
This post was originally published in October 2018. It was updated with new photos and tips in October 2020.
Margaret
This recipe is perfection. I’ve made it half a dozen times so far and it always turns out beautifully. So moist and delicious. The only thing I do differently is use a glass loaf dish and bake at 325 for 55 minutes. I’ve tried making muffins as well in a traditional metal muffin pan at 350 for 25 minutes and they were ok, but I’d probably scale back to 20 minutes and start checking at that point. I prefer the loaf version anyway! Would love to see more variations of this style of recipe.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Margaret, thanks so much for your comment! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for including your experiments with other methods, too. You may enjoy the Spiced Oat and Butternut Squash Muffins!
Rachel
Can I make this as muffins instead of bread?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yes. I’d recommend baking them for 25 to 35 minutes at the same temp (350 degrees F) and to start checking for doneness at 25 minutes.
Maria
Good flavor but a little dry
Lindsay
This is beyond delicious, especially considering it is gluten free and you’d never know! Wonderful texture and great flavor. This is a keeper, thank you!!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Lindsay, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for your 5-star review!
Katy
Delicious! Turned out beautifully. Thank you for the recipe
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Katy, yay! I’m so glad that this recipe turned out well for you. Thanks for your 5-star review!
Teresa
Hi there! Is there a high altitude suggestion? I’m in CO. Thanks!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Teresa, unfortunately I do not have any suggestions for baking this at high altitudes. This resource may be helpful though: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking.