Mouthwatering Pumpkin Einkorn Banana Bread

I never thought I’d be the type of person to get excited about ancient grains, but here we are. My kids roll their eyes when I talk about einkorn flour, but honestly, it makes everything taste better. It’s nuttier than regular flour and doesn’t leave you feeling heavy after eating.

This pumpkin einkorn banana bread happened by accident when I had overripe bananas sitting on my counter and a can of pumpkin left over from fall baking. I figured why not throw them together? The result is this moist, lightly spiced bread that’s perfect with morning coffee or as an after-school snack.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Einkorn Flour Should I Use?

For this pumpkin banana bread, you’ll want to use all-purpose einkorn flour, which is what the recipe calls for and gives you the best texture for baking. Einkorn flour behaves a bit differently than regular wheat flour since it’s an ancient grain with less gluten, so it creates a more tender crumb. You can find einkorn flour at most health food stores or order it online, and brands like Jovial are pretty reliable. If you can’t find einkorn flour, you can substitute with regular all-purpose flour, though you’ll lose some of that nutty, slightly sweet flavor that makes einkorn special.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, though a few ingredients work best as-is:

• Einkorn flour: While einkorn gives this bread its unique texture and nutty flavor, you can substitute with regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour in equal amounts. Spelt flour also works well if you want to stick with ancient grains.
• Date sugar: Coconut sugar works perfectly as mentioned, but you can also use brown sugar or maple sugar. If using regular white sugar, reduce by about 2 tablespoons since it’s sweeter than date sugar.
• Olive oil: Feel free to swap with melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or even melted butter. If using coconut oil, make sure it’s cooled slightly before mixing with other ingredients.
• Pumpkin puree: You can replace this with sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree for a similar texture and flavor. Make sure you’re using plain puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Pumpkin pie spices: No pumpkin pie spice blend? Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves to make your own.
• Celtic sea salt: Any fine sea salt or table salt will work just fine in the same amount.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin einkorn banana bread is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which can lead to a dense, tough loaf – mix just until the ingredients are combined and you still see a few streaks of flour.

Since einkorn flour behaves differently than regular wheat flour, don’t be tempted to add extra liquid if the batter seems thick, as einkorn absorbs moisture more slowly and will hydrate as it sits.

Make sure your bananas are truly ripe with brown spots for the best flavor and natural sweetness, and avoid opening the oven door for the first 45 minutes of baking to prevent the bread from sinking in the middle.

Test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, and let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out to prevent breaking.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Pumpkin Einkorn Banana Bread?

This bread is perfect on its own with a cup of coffee or tea, but I love spreading a little butter or cream cheese on a warm slice for extra richness. It also pairs beautifully with a hot mug of spiced chai or pumpkin spice latte to really play up those cozy fall flavors. For breakfast, try serving it alongside some Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, or even toast it lightly and top with almond butter for a more filling meal. The natural sweetness from the dates and bananas makes it great for an afternoon snack too – no extra toppings needed!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This pumpkin einkorn banana bread actually gets better after a day or two! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, and it stays wonderfully moist thanks to all that pumpkin and banana.

Freeze: I love slicing this bread and freezing individual pieces wrapped in plastic wrap, then putting them all in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months, and you can just grab a slice whenever you want a quick breakfast or snack.

Enjoy: Frozen slices thaw perfectly at room temperature in about 30 minutes, or you can pop them straight into the toaster for a warm treat. Sometimes I’ll even spread a little butter or cream cheese on a toasted slice for an extra special breakfast.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1550
• Protein: 16-20 g
• Fat: 30-38 g
• Carbohydrates: 275-295 g

Ingredients

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup date sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• 2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp celtic sea salt

Step 1: Prepare the Loaf Pan and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or a paper liner and lightly oil it with cooking spray to ensure the bread won’t stick.

This simple step makes it so much easier to remove the loaf later—I never skip lining and oiling for quick breads!

Step 2: Mash the Bananas

• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed

Peel the ripe bananas and mash them thoroughly with a fork.

Measure out 1 cup of the mashed banana for the recipe to ensure the correct texture and flavor in your bread.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (from Step 2)
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup date sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas (from Step 2), pureed pumpkin, olive oil, date sugar or coconut sugar, and vanilla extract.

Whisk these ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.

Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
• 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose einkorn flour, pumpkin pie spice blend, baking soda, baking powder, and Celtic sea salt.

Make sure the mixture is well combined to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.

I find whisking rather than stirring helps prevent lumps of baking soda or flour.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

• wet mixture (from Step 3)
• dry mixture (from Step 4)

Gently add the dry ingredients (from Step 4) into the bowl with the wet ingredients (from Step 3).

Stir just until everything is combined—avoid overmixing, as this can cause the bread to turn out gummy rather than tender.

Step 6: Bake the Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan (from Step 1).

Place the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, immediately transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.

For a moister crumb, I sometimes let the bread rest in the pan for just 5 minutes before removing it to finish cooling.

Mouthwatering Pumpkin Einkorn Banana Bread

Delicious Mouthwatering Pumpkin Einkorn Banana Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 4

Calories 1475 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup date sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• 2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or a paper liner and lightly oil it with cooking spray to ensure the bread won't stick. This simple step makes it so much easier to remove the loaf later—I never skip lining and oiling for quick breads!
• Peel the ripe bananas and mash them thoroughly with a fork. Measure out 1 cup of the mashed banana for the recipe to ensure the correct texture and flavor in your bread.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas (from Step 2), pureed pumpkin, olive oil, date sugar or coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose einkorn flour, pumpkin pie spice blend, baking soda, baking powder, and Celtic sea salt. Make sure the mixture is well combined to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices. I find whisking rather than stirring helps prevent lumps of baking soda or flour.
• Gently add the dry ingredients (from Step 4) into the bowl with the wet ingredients (from Step 3). Stir just until everything is combined—avoid overmixing, as this can cause the bread to turn out gummy rather than tender.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan (from Step 1). Place the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, immediately transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. For a moister crumb, I sometimes let the bread rest in the pan for just 5 minutes before removing it to finish cooling.