Pumpkin Cornbread with a side of Honey Mustard Butter is the Autumn side dish you could only dream of. The Fall twist on this classic southern dish combines the perfect fluffy texture of a melt-in-your-mouth cornbread with the nutty yet sweet flavor of a pumpkin bread. Don’t wait one more second to try this warm and buttery pumpkin cornbread recipe!
Reasons You’ll Love This
Cornbread Lovers – If you go crazy for cornbread like me, I just know you’re going to love this unique pumpkin cornbread recipe!
More Butter is Better – Sometimes the bread is just the vehicle that drives the butter into your mouth. This honey mustard butter is divine!
Seasonal Flavors – It’s so fun to think up ways on how to transform those classic recipes to fit the season!
Easy to Make – Opt for this easy homemade pumpkin cornbread for Thanksgiving! It’s an easy bread that requires no kneading or proofing.
I’ve been known to get a little controversial with my cornbread. Yes, there is sugar in this recipe. However, it’s so delicious you won’t even remember to be mad about it. If you’re still reading this far, I have a feeling you’re on my side, so let’s get to baking!
Ingredient Info
- Cornmeal – Cornmeal is the most important ingredient for this recipe! You won’t have cornbread without it, so no substitutions. Make sure not to use cornstarch or corn flour.
- Sugar – White, granulated sugar is ideal.
- Flour– All-purpose flour is best for this recipe. If you want, you can substitute gluten-free flour for this recipe to make it gluten free.
- Pumpkin Puree – It’s important to use pure pumpkin puree for this recipe and NOT pumpkin pie filling. I personally prefer to use Libby’s canned pumpkin because they seem to have the most consistency. Some other brands I’ve tried have been a bit watery, which can impact the recipe.
- Buttermilk – You can buy buttermilk or make it yourself using this buttermilk substitute recipe here.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is ideal to make the Honey Mustard Butter, but you can use salted butter to give it a more savory flavor.
- Honey – Honey pairs best with dijon mustard in my opinion, but you can also use agave syrup or maple syrup instead.
- Mustard – Dijon mustard is perfect for this recipe! I don’t recommend using regular yellow mustard.
- Fresh Sage – Some freshly chopped sage adds a ton of earthy flavor to this dish. If you want you can use dried sage instead, but use only 1 tablespoon. You can also omit this if you like.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray or grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Set aside. In a large bowl, add cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, melted butter, and stir until combined. Add the cornmeal mixture to the wet batter, fold together until combined, do not over mix. Sprinkle in the chopped sage and gently fold into batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to even out the batter on top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Take the cornbread out of the oven and allow it to cool.
- While that cools, grab a bowl and add the softened butter, honey, dijon, and pepper. Mix together until combined. Once the cornbread has cooled, slice and serve slightly warm with the Honey Mustard Butter on the side. Enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Storage – Store the leftover pumpkin cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure the cornbread has cooled completely before covering.
If you want it to keep longer you can store it in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
Extra Ingredients – If you want to add some extra ingredients into the batter of this pumpkin cornbread, go for it! Some great additions include sliced jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped walnuts or pecans, or even pepitas!
Toothpick Method – If you aren’t familiar with the toothpick method, it’s exactly how it sounds. Around the end of baking time, stick a toothpick into the center of the dish. If you pull the toothpick out and it’s clean or has a few crumbs, the corn bread is ready! If a wet batter sticks to the toothpick, it still needs some time.
Crispy or Soft? Thin or Thick?
If you like your cornbread soft and fluffy with soft-ish edges that have a light crust, follow this recipe as instructed. However, if you prefer a crispy crust with a darker color, bake this pumpkin cornbread in a cast iron pan instead of a baking dish.
If you want thinner cornbread slices, you can bake in a longer pan. If you do this, adjust the baking time to fit the pan size you use. The longer the pan the shorter the bake time. Always check with a toothpick!
Equipment
For this recipe you need the following kitchen utensils:
FAQs
Of course! If you make your own homemade pumpkin puree, feel free to use that instead of canned pumpkin. Pie, sugar pie or “baking” pumpkins are best, not the kind you carve for Halloween.
Oftentimes, cornmeal is sweet enough for some people. However, the sugar in this recipe helps with the structural integrity of this bread. So I don’t recommend omitting the sugar from this recipe!
Serves Well With
Whether you’re making this for Thanksgiving dinner, or a special fall meal, you’ve gotta have something special to serve it with! Try out some of these other fall favorites that pair perfectly with Pumpkin Cornbread!
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Candied Yams
- Spiral Glazed Ham
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Honey Mustard Pork Chops
- Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Pumpkin Cornbread
Equipment
- 8 inch square baking dish
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cornbread Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
Honey Mustard Butter Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray or grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Set aside. In a large bowl, add cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, melted butter, and stir until combined. Add the cornmeal mixture to the wet batter, fold together until combined, do not over mix. Sprinkle in the chopped sage and gently fold into batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to even out the batter on top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Take the cornbread out of the oven and allow it to cool.
- While that cools, grab a bowl and add the softened butter, honey, dijon, and pepper. Mix together until combined. Once the cornbread has cooled, slice and serve slightly warm with the Honey Mustard Butter on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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