Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins Recipe — Registered Dietitian Columbia SC - Rachael Hartley Nutrition (2024)

Growing up, I was obsessed with Jiffy cornbread. Specifically, I liked that slice from the middle where it didn’t bake all the way through and it was still a bit (trigger warning) moist. In fact, when we sliced our cornbread, we used to start in the middle rather than at the ends.

Now my taste buds have evolved a bit. I’ve become a bit of a snob about southern-style cornbread, which is all cornmeal, no flour, some buttermilk for tang, and no more than a teaspoon of sugar. More than that and in the south, it’s considered cake.

While I usually gravitate towards southern-style of cornbread, occasionally I like a cornbread muffin that’s a bit sweeter. That’s where this recipe for pumpkin cornbread muffins comes in. Made with a blend of cornmeal and all-purpose flour, blended with pumpkin puree, and sweetened with just a hint more sugar than I normally use, it’s the perfect cornbread muffin recipe that can go from breakfast to side dish for a savory meal. And paired with a date compound butter? Drool.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffin Ingredient Notes

• Yellow cornmeal - I like to use stone ground cornmeal for flavor and texture

• All-purpose flour - This pumpkin cornbread muffin recipe uses a blend of 50/50 all-purpose flour and yellow cornmeal, which gives it a soft texture without being too coarse or too cakey.

• Egg - You’ll need one egg in this recipe for just the right texture and to bind everything together

• Pumpkin puree - The pumpkin puree not only adds yummy pumpkin flavor and a bit of sweetness, but also adds moisture to the cornbread muffins.

• Greek yogurt - Greek yogurt gives a bit of tang to the muffins, as well as some moisture. If you use regular yogurt, cut back on a couple tablespoons of milk.

• Butter - You could also use melted coconut oil in this recipe.

• Milk - Use regular dairy milk, or a unflavored plant milk, like soy milk or almond milk.

• Sugar - Or use honey! One tablespoon is just the right amount for a hint of sweetness without making these muffins too cake-like.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffin Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to enjoy these pumpkin cornbread muffins is for breakfast or a snack with the date butter, but they’re also tasty paired with savory dishes too. Here’s some of my favorites:

• Double the pumpkin by serving these muffins with my chipotle pumpkin chili

• Or have it with my Beyond Meat chili with grilled vegetables! Chili and cornbread is always a classic!

• These pumpkin cornbread muffins are also tasty paired with fall soups, like my simple white bean soup or instant pot mushroom barley soup.

• Greens and cornbread is another classic southern pairing! Serve it with my bacon braised mustard greens and southern baked chicken.

• Pair it with a fall salad, like my harvest salad with crispy chicken and apples.

How to Make Date Butter for These Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Obviously you could enjoy these pumpkin cornbread muffins with a bit of butter and jam, but this date-butter takes them to a new level. Can we all agree that dates are the yummiest dried fruit? With their jammy texture and caramel flavor, I love to use them in sweet and savory applications (see my Middle Eastern spinach salad and caramel stuffed figs for evidence).

Making this date butter is super simple. Just blend softened butter with chopped dates in the food processor until well combined. I store it in a lidded butter crock in the fridge, where it will last basically as long as butter lasts (aka a pretty long time, but I’ve never had a chance to test it!). Let it sit out for just a bit to soften before using.

Use leftover date butter on toast or banana bread, or enjoy it in savory applications, like melted over roasted veggies or under the skin of chicken thighs you’re roasting.

How to Store Pumpkin Muffins

These pumpkin cornbread muffins should last 5-7 days in a covered container at room temperature. If you’d like to store them longer, pop them in a freezer in large zip top bag. Be sure to squeeze out as much extra air as you can first, so they don’t dry out or get freezer burn. I would try to use them within about 3 months so they don’t dry out too much, but technically they’ll be safe to eat longer. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave 20-30 seconds. You might also want to toast them, which helps if there’s any freezer-dryness.

If you like this pumpkin cornbread muffins recipe, follow my favorite muffin recipes pinterest board for more baking inspiration. And don’t forget to pin this recipe so others can enjoy it too!

Makes: about 10 muffins

Adapted from Top with Cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 3 tablespoons melted butter

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 tablespoon milk

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with oil or butter.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, pumpkin, yogurt, butter, sugar and milk until well combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into wet until well combined.

3. Divide batter evenly between 10 muffin tins. Place in the oven and bake 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes: about 2/3 cup

Ingredients

• 1 sick of salted butter, room temperature

• 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates

Instructions

1. Place butter and dates in a food processor. Blend until well combined and dates are chopped into the butter, scraping down sides as needed. Store in the fridge.