So, Ben and I have a bad history with cornbread. Early on in our marriage, I made a 9×9 pan of cornbread and it was absolutely delicious… for days #1 and #2. But then on day #3, things changed. I’ll spare you the details, even though it wasn’t super gross like mold or anything like that… I’m not even sure how to describe it, except to say that the cornbread just turned. Turned for the worst. It was so bad… so fast. I guess that’s how these things go sometimes… and as a result, we’ve become suspicious about our cornbread, often fearing making it ourselves and/or eating it [even if someone else has made it!].
But THIS. THIS cornbread is nothing short of amazing.
Pumpkin + stone-ground blue cornmeal in muffin form=amazing. Did I just say amazing twice? Three times? Sorry, but I’m not sorry… these Pumpkin Cornbread [muffins] are simply the best!
Can we just say that pumpkin makes everything better? [Even endless election talk?] I think so! Please.
This cornbread is everything your typical cornbread needs to be–slightly sweet, soft, yet hearty enough to pair with a great soup or stew for dipping. Yet… this cornbread is a little different. Fall spices, pumpkin, and a hint of molasses make this cornbread incredibly flavorful and different… but not different enough for suspicious eaters [like us, the bad-experience-cornbread-eaters] to reject.
Don’t you love that?
Even though I initially made these for a soup night, I found myself pairing them with a good ‘ole schmear of pumpkin butter for breakfast.
I would never do that with regular cornbread, so I consider that a victory for sure! Enjoy. 🙂
Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup cornmeal [I used a stone-ground blue cornmeal]
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
In a mixing bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and cornmeal. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil, and molasses. Gently stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then spoon into muffin cups.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.
The Pajama Chef 
I’ve never thought to try making a pumpkin cornbread! This sounds incredible!
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i had never thought of it before, either, but i’m glad i found it!
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I rarely make my own cornbread even thought my husband loves it. Not sure why, but i definitely need to change that + give this a try. YUM!
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thanks amy!
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Adding pumpkin to something that’s already majorly delicious can only make it better! This sounds so tasty!
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thanks joanne!
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I would have never thought of the pumpkin either. What a great idea! I could totally eat that for breakfast too!
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i bet it would be great with a fried egg too! or as an egg sandwich…mmm, now i’m hungry for breakfast 🙂
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eeek! sorry to hear about your one bout with cornbread my dear! this one sounds like a real winner though – i’ve never heard of pumpkin in cornbread before! I am loving it.
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haha it was a bit traumatic, but if it led to these awesome cornbread muffins then i guess it’s worth it 🙂 thanks sally!
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I have added pumpkin to a lot of things but never even thought to add it to cornbread. This would be amazing with our weekly crockpot chili!
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whoa, you have chili every week? nice! my husband would LOVE that.
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It’s a little crazy but it’s our football food : )
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This would be perfect for the leftover pumpkin sitting in my fridge right now!
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definitely so! or have you ever made a pumpkin pie smoothie or milkshake? sooooo good! yogurt/ice cream + pumpkin + spices. awesome.
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Wow, the last time I made pumpkin cornbread was before I was blogging…at least five years ago! Probably 6! I don’t even know what recipe I used so when I make it next, I’ll use this one. I do remember liking it a lot and thinking it would be great with Thanksgiving dinner.
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haha that’s funny. 🙂 i’ve seen other recipes for pumpkin cornbread that omit the molasses or have different spices so if this isn’t the taste you remember you could try that.
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