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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Jenn, I wonder if you have tried mashed sweet potato in place of the pumpkin? I do cook with pumpkin some, but am much more likely to have leftover baked sweet potatoes to use. It’s a southern thing. 🙂
Janice, I haven’t tried these with sweet potato, but I think it would work. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Jenn, Sweet potato worked perfectly. I had a small one which worked for a half recipe. Used white cornmeal because I was out of yellow. We actually had them for brunch. I’m thinking mini-muffins to add to the bread basket for Thanksgiving. Thanks for a good recipe that offers a nice twist on an old standby.
Thanks for the follow-up Janice; so glad you enjoyed them with your creative tweaks!
Would this recipe work in a loaf pan, so that it would be more of a quick bread. I’d like to make enough to serve 25-30 people, so I’d like to make a few loaves. Will 12 muffins equal 1 9″ x 5″ loaf?
Hi Jo, this recipe actually translates well to an 8-inch square pan, so I think I’d opt for that over a loaf. You could try with smaller loaf pans (8 x 4-inch). The baking time for the 8-inch square would be around 30 minutes and about 25 – 30 for the 8 x 4 loaf pans.
These are great! They have the perfect amount of spice and moisture. The cornmeal lends a wonderful texture. I will definitely make these again.
Just made these and they were absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting the recipe. I will definitely be making them again.
Enjoyed these every morning for breakfast with scrambled eggs and coffee! Nice variation on traditional cornbread muffins!
What would the baking time be for mini muffins? Thanks.
Hi Jadwiga, I’d start checking them at about 10 – 11 minutes.
This recipe was made exactly as written & turned out well: perfect everything including timing. I did use muffin cups but did not spray them & a lot stuck to the cups. And, as I prefer muffins without cups in general, I’d probably stick with the spray or butter next time as the recipe states. Warm with butter they were quite pleasant, and elevated the otherwise persistently mediocre (IMHO) corn muffin. As made, I would give this a 4 star rating since corn muffins never seem 5-star-worthy in my book. HOWEVER, the flavors are so sublime, I think as a cornbread, served alongside a savory chili or chowder & kept warm by a cast iron skillet, justify 5 stars. I will staple this to my (very) old cornbread recipe so it doesn’t get forgotten!
Have you tried coconut flour instead of regular flour?
I can’t say that I have Donna, so not sure how it would affect the muffins. If you make them this way, please report back!
Haven’t tried this yet. Saving it for Thanksgiving but I love cornbread anyway it’s made! Can’t wait to surprise my family with something new!!
This is a great recipe to add over the thanksgiving holiday (here in Canada it’s this weekend!). I will have lots of company and this is a great addition to breakfast mmm!
I use slightly different ingredients for taste and health. First I am in love with full fat goats milk. Also I used organic maple syrup instead of the sugar to add a festive flare with the pumpkin and spice. You can also use a couple tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of measuring the individual spices, but going with them separated is nice because you can adjust for preference (my mom dislikes nutmeg for example). Great recipe!!