Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
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These pumpkin cornbread muffins have less fat than regular cornbread muffins, yet they’re equally delicious.
Photo credit: Alexandra Grablewski
I have to admit: I went through a phase of substituting butter with applesauce in all my baked goods back in the eighties and nineties when low-fat diets were all the rage. I don’t cook that way anymore — thankfully, fat is now deemed acceptable in moderation — but, occasionally, I’ll stumble upon a baked good that is low-fat by happenstance. Made with canned pumpkin purée, these pumpkin cornbread muffins are lower in fat than regular cornbread muffins, yet they’re equally delicious.
Interestingly, if you make them without the spices, you really can’t taste the pumpkin; it’s the autumn spices that bring the pumpkin flavor out. So, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to your standard cornbread recipe, try this recipe and just omit the spices.
Table of Contents
“I needed to use up some homemade pumpkin purée. I came across this recipe and O.M.G. these are AMAZING! My husband has said they were possibly my best bake ever.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Canned Pumpkin Purée: Provides moisture, flavor, and a tender texture to the muffins. Make sure to purchase 100% pure pumpkin — not pumpkin pie filling.
- Low Fat Milk: Adds moisture and richness to the muffins without adding excessive fat.
- Honey and Sugar: Sweeten the muffins and provide moisture.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the muffins’ structure.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Gives the muffins the classic cornbread texture and flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and volume to the muffins. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Act as leavening agents helping the muffins rise.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves: Enhance the muffins’ flavor profile and make the pumpkin flavor more prominent.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the muffins and keeps them moist despite the muffins being lower in fat.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking together the pumpkin purée, milk honey, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, along with the melted butter, and mix well.
Spoon the batter into muffin cups — they will be full.
Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the tops are golden and set. Serve warm out of the oven with butter. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! This will convert nicely to a cast iron skillet or an 8-inch square baking dish.
These are best right out of the oven, but will keep on the countertop (in an airtight container) for a few days. I recommend serving these warm, so when ready to serve, wrap the muffins in aluminum foil and place them in a 350°F-oven until hot. Alternatively, heat individual muffins in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or the muffins will get tough.
Sure, the muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. See FAQ above for reheating instructions.
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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
These pumpkin cornbread muffins have less fat than regular cornbread muffins, yet they’re equally delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (such as Libby's)
- 1 cup low fat milk
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cups yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, milk, honey, sugar and eggs.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- Add the wet ingredients and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup full, and bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are a golden-orange color and set. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then serve warm with butter or transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Note: These muffins taste best when served warm. To reheat leftovers, wrap muffins in aluminum foil and place them in a preheated 350°F oven until hot. Alternatively, heat individual muffins in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or muffins will get tough.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. See note above for reheating instructions.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 203
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Sugar: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 313mg
- Cholesterol: 32mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I was looking for a recipe to use up a little extra canned pumpkin from Thanksgiving and found this gem. I have made these muffins at least 3 times since then. I followed your advice and I omitted the spices because I wanted a corn muffin to serve with chili. These are perfect!
These muffins are a hit with us! I had some buttermilk to use up so substituted that for the milk. Also, I bake…a lot…and this is first recipe I’ve seen that called for a whole tablespoon of baking powder. Nevertheless, these muffins are perfectly yummy!
Must try! Delicious! I did some adjustments: lower cinnamon 3/4 tsp and added 1cup and 1/2 of pumpkin! More pumpkin made it stand out more!
Turned out perfect👍
I tried this recipe…I Couldn’t taste the Pumpkin only the Honey..May try again with some adjustments. Beautiful in color though
I made these muffins yesterday. Everyone loves them. A definite keeper recipe. And they looked just like yours!
This recipe looks wonderful! Should I use coarse or fine cornmeal, or does it matter? Thanks!
Hi Kathy, The cornmeal my grocery store carries doesn’t specify the texture, but if you have a few options available to you, I’d go with the fine grain. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
These are my new favorites! I made them with coconut oil instead of butter. It adds a different kind of sweetness. I also used coarse cornmeal, because I had it on hand, and liked the texture!
Oops! I used the whole can of pumpkin. The good news is, they are amazing!!!
After reading your comment, I also realized that I used the entire can of pumpkin! They still turned out delicious!
I made these a few days ago and they are amazing. The texture is moist and crunchy. I reduced the sugar and honey a bit, but I don’t think they would have been too sweet with the suggested amount. We ate two with the yummy short rib in red wine recipe, kept two out and froze the rest. The next day we sliced the pumpkin muffins in half and grilled them in some butter on the stove top for breakfast… so good!!
This became an instant favorite at my family’s Christmas party. 🙂 Thank you so much! I doubled the recipe, added 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and baked it in a 9×13 pan. It is now my go-to dish to bring to parties!
Do I have to heat the cast iron in the oven before pouring the mixture?
No Iliana, that’s not necessary. Hope you enjoy the muffins!