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Pumpkin Cornbread is sweet, moist, and loaded with real pumpkin and warm spice, baked into golden muffins that disappear straight off the cooling rack, and when I made a batch on a *chilly October evening* alongside a pot of chili, Maddie and Lizzie ate three each before dinner hit the table. If your family loves our pumpkin monkey bread, this is the savory-sweet side dish version of that fall magic.
The buttermilk soaked cornmeal and sweetened condensed milk make these the moistest cornbread muffins you will ever bake.
Pumpkin Cornbread Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 22 muffins
- ⚡ Calories: 209kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet corn and pumpkin with warm cinnamon spice
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a stir together batter like our pumpkin cinnamon rolls filling
Quick Answer
Soak cornmeal in buttermilk for 10 minutes, then whip butter with eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Stir in the soaked cornmeal, add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, and fold in pumpkin puree. Divide the Pumpkin Cornbread batter into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Jump to:
- Pumpkin Cornbread Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Pumpkin Cornbread
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Pumpkin Cornbread FAQs
- Other Recommended Fall Side and Snack Recipes
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A buttermilk soak. Letting the cornmeal sit in buttermilk for 10 minutes softens the grains so the cornbread is tender, never gritty.
- Sweetened condensed milk. It sweetens and enriches the batter at the same time, keeping the crumb moist for days.
- A full cup of pumpkin. Pumpkin puree adds moisture and color without making the muffins heavy.
- Whipped butter base. Whipping the butter before adding eggs one at a time builds a light, fluffy structure.
- Muffin size portions. Baking the batter as muffins gives every serving golden edges and a quick 20 minute bake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are the moistest cornbread muffins you will ever make, thanks to buttermilk and condensed milk.
- The pumpkin and warm spice make them taste like fall, perfect next to our award winning chili.
- The recipe makes 22 muffins, enough for dinner tonight and snacks all week.
Key Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the simple ingredients that make this Pumpkin Cornbread extra moist and lightly sweet.
- Cornmeal and Buttermilk: Soaking the cornmeal in buttermilk for 10 minutes softens it, so the cornbread bakes up tender instead of gritty.
- Pumpkin Puree: A full cup of pure pumpkin adds moisture, color, and cozy fall flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: The secret to a sweet, moist crumb that stays soft for days.
- Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice: Warm spices that turn classic cornbread into a fall favorite.
- Softened Butter and Eggs: Whipped together for a rich, fluffy base, serve the muffins warm with our Texas Roadhouse butter.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Pumpkin Cornbread is easy to adapt. Here are a few tasty ways to change it up.
- Bake it in a pan: Pour the batter into a greased 13×9 pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes for classic squares.
- Add mix-ins: Fold in a cup of corn kernels, chopped pecans, or white chocolate chips.
- Make it savory: Cut the condensed milk to half a can and add shredded cheddar and a pinch of cayenne.
- Honey butter finish: Brush the warm muffins with honey butter for a glossy, sweet top.
- More pumpkin bakes: If you love these, try our pumpkin cake next.
How to Make Pumpkin Cornbread
- Stir the cornmeal and buttermilk together in a large bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Whip the butter until smooth with a hand mixer, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing each in fully.
- Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until combined.
- Add the soaked cornmeal, then the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree until there are no streaks.
- Divide the batter among 22 sprayed muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip the soak. Ten minutes in buttermilk is what separates tender cornbread from gritty cornbread.
- Use pure pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and spiced and will throw the batter off.
- Do not overmix. Stir just until the flour disappears so the muffins stay light.
- Fill cups two-thirds full. These muffins dome nicely with room to rise.
- Cool five minutes in the tin. Then move them to a rack so the bottoms do not steam and get soggy.
- Serve them warm. A pat of butter melting into a warm muffin is the whole point of cornbread.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Pumpkin Cornbread is the ultimate fall side dish. Serve the muffins warm with butter and honey next to a big pot of chili, stew, or soup on a cold night.
They are practically made for our slow cooker award winning chili, and a smear of Texas Roadhouse butter takes them over the top.
Hosting a fall gathering? Set them out with our sweet pumpkin cheese ball for the perfect sweet and savory spread.
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for three days, or freeze them for up to three months and rewarm in the microwave.
Pumpkin Cornbread FAQs
This Pumpkin Cornbread leans sweet, thanks to sweetened condensed milk, but it is still cornbread at heart. It pairs beautifully with savory chili and soups, or serve it with honey butter as a snack.
Yes. Pour the Pumpkin Cornbread batter into a greased 13×9 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Soaking softens the cornmeal so the Pumpkin Cornbread bakes up tender and moist instead of dry and gritty. Ten minutes is all it takes and it makes a huge difference.
Store cooled Pumpkin Cornbread muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate them for up to a week. Rewarm for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
Yes. Freeze the cooled muffins in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave straight from frozen for about 30 seconds.
Pumpkin Cornbread is perfect with chili, beef stew, pulled pork, fried chicken, or a bowl of soup. For breakfast, split a muffin and spread it with honey butter or apple butter.
Want a show stopping fall breakfast? Our pumpkin cinnamon rolls are worth the weekend bake.
For a savory muffin that skips the pumpkin, try our easy cheese muffins.
Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 4 large eggs
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal and buttermilk, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the butter until smooth.
- Add the eggs in one at a time, making sure the first one is fully mixed in before adding the next.
- Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until combined.
- Add the cornmeal mixture to the bowl and stir it in.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix in until just combined with no dry patches, do not overmix. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree until there are no streaks.
- Divide the batter among 22 muffin sections. Bake for 15-20 minutes, the tops will appear dry, and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then take them out and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- These have a sweet and savory flavor to them.
- If you are not a fan of pumpkin pie spice you can just add more cinnamon.
- Make sure that you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- These can be doubled.
- Freeze these easily, see above on how to do that.
- Make sure that you are using yellow cornmeal.
Nutrition
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