Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Fluffy and sweet Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices. These fall corn muffins are perfect for chili night or as a tasty snack. Top them with butter and honey for the ultimate cornbread experience.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

It’s that sweet time of year where the weather is just starting to cool, and we’re all looking for ways to feel a little more fall. The canned pumpkin sitting in our pantries is patiently waiting to be baked into something warm, flavorful, and filled with spice. We all love a good pumpkin cake or pumpkin snacking bread, but have you tried Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins?!

These delightful bites of autumn, are everything you could want in a fall bake, and they go perfectly with your favorite fall chili or soup. With their fluffy texture and flavorful spices, they’re tasty enough to be snacked on, too! Eat these cornbread muffins straight from the pan (after they’ve cooled a little) with a little butter and honey or maple syrup for the ultimate cornbread experience – YUM.

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread

• Comes together quickly in one bowl
• Traditional fall flavors and spices
• Perfect as a snack or a side for chili/soup night!
• Delicious as-is, but of course butter and honey elevate them 😉

What You’ll Need

• Yellow cornmeal turns these from standard muffins to cornbread muffins. In other words, you need it.
• All-purpose flour keeps these corn muffins fluffy. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any AP flour will work. A whole wheat pastry flour would make these extra fluffy, if that’s your thing.
• Baking powder and baking soda leaven these muffins and create those prefect puffy tops.
• Salt enhances flavor.
• Spices add that warm, cozy flavor of fall. I like to use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. If you’d rather use pumpkin pie spice, I recommend 1 Tbsp of the pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of ground cinnamon. 
• White granulated sugar sweetens these corn muffins. You can use your favorite granulated sugar in place of white sugar (just note the gram weights will vary). I recommend raw sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.
• Eggs bind the ingredients together and help keep these corn muffins from crumbling apart.
• Olive oil adds moisture. I prefer olive oil in my bakes, but a simple vegetable oil will also work. For a buttery flavor, you can also use melted butter or plant-based butter.
• Almond milk also adds moisture. You can use your preferred plant-based milk or regular milk.
• Pumpkin purée adds the pumpkin flavor, duh. I like to use the Libby’s brand for my bakes.

FAQ

Can I bake this in a square or circular pan? I haven’t tested this recipe in any other pan. If you prefer sliced cornbread, you can try baking this recipe in a 9″ circular pan or an 8×8″ square pan – but you’ll have to keep an eye on the cornbread as I’m unsure how long it will take to bake.

Do I have to use all of the spices? You don’t have to. If you like less spice, feel free to use less. 

Will pumpkin pie spice work? If you’d rather use a pumpkin pie spice mix, I recommend 1 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of extra ground cinnamon.

Can I use a different sugar? Definitely. Your favorite granulated sugar should work in this recipe. I recommend coconut sugar, raw sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.

Can I use regular milk? Yes, this recipe will work with regular milk.

Did you make these Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins? I would love to see!

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