This Pumpkin Cornbread is baked with pumpkin puree and warm spices to give it that perfect fall flavor! It’s a delicious side dish for soups, stews, and chilis, and it’s a must for your holiday menu! (Gluten-Free with Vegan Option)
If you’re craving more gluten-free cornbread recipes, try our Sweet Potato Cornbread and this classic Honey Cornbread.
Cornbread is delicious all year round but when you want to mix things up for autumn, this gluten-free pumpkin cornbread is it! It’s fluffy, moist, and tender with plenty of flavor thanks to warm, cozy ingredients like vanilla and brown sugar.
You can make pumpkin cornbread using mix but this homemade version is super easy! Plus, this is a great recipe to use up that entire can of pumpkin puree you’ve been waiting to use! Grab your cast iron skillet and get ready to make the best pumpkin cornbread ever!!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cornbread. It’s:
- Perfect for fall! While pumpkins are popular and plentiful, make this! Baked with sugar and spice, classic cornbread gets a tasty upgrade just in time for your Thanksgiving dinner.
- Quick and easy to make! There’s no need for a box of Jiffy. Making pumpkin cornbread from scratch is simple and super satisfying!
- Deliciously moist! With creamy pumpkin puree and melted butter, this cornbread is anything but dry! It has a beautiful, tender crumb that will have everyone going back for seconds!
- Healthy! Add some extra nutritional value to your cornbread by including pure pumpkin. Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that can boost your immune system during the colder months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow cornmeal: Use finely ground or medium ground cornmeal for the perfect texture.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: I have used King Arthur Flour, Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix | Amazon and Bob’s Red Mills 1:1 Gluten-free flour for this recipe. Whichever gluten-free flour you decide to use, make sure it contains xanthan gum. If you are not sensitive to gluten, you can use regular all-purpose flour.
- Pumpkin puree: The main ingredient of this recipe also makes the cornbread super moist. Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient listed on a can of pumpkin puree should be pumpkin. We don’t want any additives!
- Baking powder and baking soda: These help the cornbread rise and maintain its shape.
- Salt: A little goes a long way to help balance out the other flavors.
- Non-dairy milk: Almond or oat milk are great options. If you opt for the latter, try our 5-minute Homemade Oat Milk Recipe. (You can also use regular milk if you prefer.)
- Butter: Make sure it’s melted for easier mixing.
- Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs. To Make this recipe vegan, omit the eggs and use 1/2 cup of apple sauce to help bind the ingredients.
- Brown sugar: Coconut sugar would work too for a refined-sugar-free option.
- Maple syrup: For added sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Use a good quality one for the best results.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Most of the pumpkin flavor comes from this so don’t skip it! Don’t have any? Make your own pumpkin pie spice by combining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice.
How to Make Pumpkin Cornbread from Scratch
- Start by preheating the oven to 375°F and greasing a 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter. Then, whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix until smooth.
- Use a rubber spatula to combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal mixture) with the wet ingredients (pumpkin mixture). Fold the pumpkin mixture with the cornmeal mixture just until no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Place preheated/greased skillet on a heat-safe surface and scrape batter into the skillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is puffy and golden brown.
- Let the cornbread cool for 5-10 minutes in the cast iron. Then, slice and serve with butter. Enjoy!
**This is an overview. More detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cornbread
- Do not over-mix the cornbread batter. Overmixing results in chewy cornbread and we want it to be soft and fluffy.
- Use cast iron for perfect golden crust and edges. Make sure to preheat the cast iron in the oven before adding the cornbread batter.
- Once you’ve added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, act quickly because moisture activates the leaveners in the batter.
- Remember to preheat the oven and your skillet. Baked goods need to heat quickly for the best results. It also ensures that the cornbread will cook evenly, from top to bottom.
Recipe Variations and Customizations
- To Make It Vegan: For vegan pumpkin cornbread, use vegan butter instead of regular butter. Use ½ cup apple sauce to replace the egg.
- Make Muffins: For easy pumpkin cornbread muffins, pour the batter into a muffin pan instead of a skillet.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Cornbread
- Chili: Dunk your cornbread into a hearty chili like our Turkey Chili Recipe, White Bean Quinoa Chili, or White Bean Chicken Chili.
- Soups & Stews: Keep it nice and cozy for the fall and winter months by pairing your cornbread with a stew or soup like our Chicken Soup, Wild Rice Mushroom Soup, or Roasted Tomato Soup.
- Turkey: It’s not Fall without a Thanksgiving feast! Pumpkin cornbread would be the perfect side to serve with our Baked Turkey Wings, Spatchcock Turkey, or Air Fryer Turkey Legs.
Storage and Leftovers
After the cornbread has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container. It can be left at room temperature for a day or two but for a longer shelf life, place it in the refrigerator and consume it within a week.
Pro Tip: Crumble your leftover pumpkin cornbread and add it to a stuffing!
Common Questions
What can you add to cornbread to spice it up?
If you want your pumpkin cornbread to have a little kick, add sliced jalapenos to the top batter just before you put it in the oven. (Add a little jalapeno juice to the batter to make it even spicier!)
How do you keep cornbread moist?
The best way to keep cornbread moist is to top it with butter after taking it out of the oven. And when you reheat leftover cornbread, place a paper towel over it in the microwave.
I hope you enjoy this Pumpkin Cornbread recipe! If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Try!
- Easy Blender Pumpkin Recipes
- Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Maple Cream Cheese Swirl
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte
- No-Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
The Best Pumpkin Cornbread Recipe
Pumpkin cornbread is baked with pumpkin puree and warm spices to give it that perfect fall flavor! It's a delicious side dish for soups, stews, and chilis, and it's a must for your holiday menu. Even people who don't like cornbread will love this one! (Gluten-Free with Vegan Option)
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Servings: 9 pieces
Calories: 284kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup Gluten-free all-purpose flour (that contains xanthan gum) or regular all purpose flour
- 1 can Pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Non dairy milk of choice (or regular milk)
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 2 Eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup Brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup Maple syrup
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter and set it in the oven on the lower middle rack.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk to combine well. The mixture should be smooth and thick.
- Using a rubber spatula, combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. gently fold the pumpkin mixture with the cornmeal mixture just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix.
- Place preheated/greased skillet on a heat-safe surface. Scrape batter into skillet, evening out the top into the edges.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is puffy and golden brown. There should be cracks visible around the edges of the cornbread.
- Let the cornbread cool for 5-10 minutes in the cast iron. Then, slice and serve with butter. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage and Leftovers
After the cornbread has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container. It can be left at room temperature for a day or two but for a longer shelf life, place it in the refrigerator and consume it within a week. Pro Tip: Crumble your leftover pumpkin cornbread and add it to a stuffing! GLUTEN-FREE BAKING: The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup. Then use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Please do not scoop the flour directly out of the bag with a measuring cup. I’ve made this recipe with Bob’s Red Mills 1:1 Gluten-free flour and King Arthur, Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Both Options work great. If your gluten-free flour blend does not contain xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan gum. (If you are not sensitive to gluten, feel free to use regular all-purpose flour.) goodfoodbaddie.com offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used to make the recipe. For more information read our Nutritional Disclaimer.Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 16.6g | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg
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