Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

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These pumpkin cornbread muffins have less fat than regular cornbread muffins, yet they’re equally delicious.

pumpkin cornbread muffins

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.

“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.”

Michelle B

What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

How 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

wet ingredients for pumpkin cornbread muffins

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.

How to make muffins

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, along with the melted butter, and mix well.

How to make muffins

Spoon the batter into muffin cups — they will be full.

How to make muffins

Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the tops are golden and set. Serve warm out of the oven with butter. Enjoy!

Pumpkin cornbread muffins in a muffin pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake pumpkin cornbread muffins in a cast iron skillet or baking dish?

Definitely! This will convert nicely to a cast iron skillet or an 8-inch square baking dish.

Can I bake pumpkin cornbread muffins ahead of time?

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.

Can I freeze pumpkin cornbread muffins?

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.

Photo Credit: Alexandra Grablewski

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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

These pumpkin cornbread muffins have less fat than regular cornbread muffins, yet they’re equally delicious.

Servings: 12 muffins

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, milk, honey, sugar and eggs.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
  4. Add the wet ingredients and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • I’m going to make a few batches of these and a few of your French Apple cakes for this year’s Salvation Army bake sale. Your scones sell very well there too. Thanks for the recipes! I’ll try to take some pictures of them on our bake sale table!

    • Please do, Debb — I’d love to see! 😊

  • I’ve just made it and they look and taste delicious, but after I read some reviews, I decided to use only one tsp of baking powder and they turned out great. I wish I could post a picture here, I am so proud of how good they look.

    • — Diomar Da Silva
    • Reply
  • Just made these! Unfortunately the whole tbsp of baking powder gave them a really unpleasant bitter flavor… but even with that, they’re good. I just wish I had only put in a tsp of baking powder or something – not sure if it was my baking powder, or if there was a misprint and it actually meant to say tsp. They could have been so good! The texture is lovely and they’re so easy to whip up, so maybe I’ll try again with much less baking powder.

    • Question: Can I use a teaspoon of baking powder? Sandy was correct: these have a bitter aftertaste, despite the enormous amount of sweetness to them. I made this recipe exactly as written. Next time: will cut the sugar/honey and await your response on the baking powder. Otherwise, these were very good! Thanks. Nancy

      • So after doing some Googling, apparently having aluminum in your baking powder can make it taste bitter. In the pictures, you can see she’s using aluminum-free baking powder! I tried it again with aluminum-free and the bitter taste is gone. 😀

  • These muffins and your apple rum raisin bread pudding were a HUGE hit with friends at brunch today! As a novice baker I feel empowered to be able to make things I love to eat myself at *this* quality. Your recipes are just the BEST. <3

  • Made these for Thanksgiving dinner. Had them warm and later at room temperature-both times delicious. I’ll be making these again.

    • — Cyrille Velasco
    • Reply
  • Made these to bring to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. They were delicious and very easy to make. The spices really came through and elevated the flavor.

  • These were delicious! I subbed almond milk for regular, used half whole wheat flour, reduced honey by 2 tbsp, and halved cloves. These baked in exactly 20 minutes and were so good, and perfect amount of sweetness, as I don’t like very sweet cornbread. Thanks for the great recipe!

  • I cannot say enough FANTASTIC things about these muffins. I’m not even that great of a baker but I followed this recipe and made a home run! They were the most raved about item at our dinner table. Definitely a keeper.
    Thank you!!

  • Jenn- have you ever tried adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the muffins?

    • I haven’t Suzie but I think it’d work well. Please let me know how they turn out if you try it.

      • I didn’t add nuts and baked them exactly as written. They were a huge hit with thanksgiving dinner and leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
        I doubled the recipe but made 18 muffins. Baked for 20 minutes and that was perfect.

        • — Suzie DeAngelis
        • Reply
  • OMG! These are just perfect! Tripled the recipe (we’re having a Thanksgiving side dish potluck at work) with no problem whatsoever. My daughter and I sampled one and now she’s begging for me to make a batch got home. This is definitely one that will be repeated over and over again.

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