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Pumpkin Cornbread

Pumpkin cornbread that bakes up golden and tender with a pumpkin-forward batter and a clean-toothpick finish. Mixed just until combined, then baked in a greased 8x8 pan or cast iron skillet for a hearty, autumn crumb.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Wet ingredients
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 cup butter melted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prep the pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F, then grease an 8x8-inch pan or 10-inch cast iron skillet. The pan should be lightly greased so the cornbread releases cleanly.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl until evenly combined. Stop when the color and spice distribution look uniform.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and maple syrup until smooth and fully incorporated. Look for no streaks of pumpkin or butter.
Combine and bake
  1. Stir the wet mixture into the dry just until combined. Keep mixing to a minimum so the batter stays thick and tender.
  2. Spread the batter into the greased pan and level the top. Make the surface even so it bakes consistently.
  3. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 400F, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. The edges should look set and slightly darker than the center.
  4. Serve warm with butter. The crumb should feel soft and moist right out of the oven.

Notes

For the best texture, stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain—overmixing can make the cornbread tougher. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days and rewarm in a 350F oven for 5-8 minutes. Freeze baked cornbread slices up to 2 months. If you want a dairy-reduced option, use a plant-based butter and substitute a dairy-free buttermilk-style mix; the flavor will stay close but the crumb may be slightly less tender.