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Pumpkin Cornbread

Pumpkin cornbread with a tender crumb and golden top made with pumpkin puree, baked in an 8x8 pan or cast iron skillet. Quick whisk-and-stir mixing gives even texture and warm, sliceable squares.
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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: 287
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 large eggs
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease an 8x8-inch pan or 10-inch cast iron skillet 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.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk pumpkin puree, large eggs, buttermilk, butter, melted, and maple syrup until smooth and cohesive.
Combine and bake
  1. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain.
  2. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top for even baking.
  3. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 400F until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then serve warm with butter.

Notes

For the best crumb, combine wet and dry just until the batter looks uniform—overmixing can make cornbread tough. Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days and rewarm in a 300F oven until heated through; freezing works up to 2 months. For a dairy-light option, use lactose-free buttermilk and replace butter with a 1:1 plant-butter substitute that bakes well.