This pumpkin cornbread is beautifully soft + tender and just that right level of sweet you want from cornbread, and perfectly golden + moist from a whole cup of pumpkin purée. It’s made with whole grains, sweetened with a little brown sugar, and comes together in one bowl. It’s just begging to be dunked in all those fall chili, soups, or simply just slathered in butter and eaten straight from the pan.

A square baking dish with sliced pumpkin cornbread, three pieces topped with butter. A serving knife and plates with pumpkin cornbread slices are nearby.

Tender, easy, homemade pumpkin cornbread to make fall a little better.

Fall is for three things: cozy oversized sweaters you can get lost in, hot mugs of tea paired with a good book (not a Kindle—you need to smell and turn those pages for the full experience, IMO), and baking. All. The. Cozy. Things. That smell like fall. And this pumpkin cornbread…she is IT. (And also goes really well with that tea, book, and oversized sweater.) It’s tender, golden, and just sweet enough, and the pumpkin purée adds the moisture cornbread needs so you get that perfect cornbread crumb without it being dry and crumbly. Ya know?

This one was inspired by my Sweet Potato Cornbread, which has become such a reader favorite around here, but dare I say…this version is even easier? With the sweet potato version, you have to actually cook a sweet potato. Here, you literally open a can of pumpkin and your heavy lifting is done. Same cozy cornbread situation, considerably less vegetable prep. And don’t be scared by the amount of baking powder in this recipe. I KNOW it looks like a lot, but after testing this one again and again, I promise it’s what this cornbread needs and it works.

One last word of cornbread wisdom: don’t overmix the batter. I once watched a friend make this cornbread in a stand mixer, turn it on, and then just…walk away while it kept mixing. I think I screamed like I was watching someone about to fall to their death. 😂 Overmixing develops the gluten and can leave you with dense cornbread and no…we don’t want that. Mix just until everything comes together and then PUT. THE. SPOON. DOWN. And because I know some of you need gluten free, I tested this one with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour too. It works beautifully with one little trick: let the batter rest for about 15 minutes before baking so that flour has time to hydrate. Then into the oven she goes.

Let’s make this together. Just you and me….

Jump to Recipe Instructions
A white mixing bowl with eggs, oil, milk, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree for pumpkin cornbread sits on a marble counter. Nearby are a whisk, eggshells, a cup with leftover puree, a measuring cup, and a white towel.
Whisk the pumpkin, milk, oil, brown sugar, and eggs together in a large bowl.
A hand stirs cornmeal, flour, and wet ingredients in a white mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, preparing pumpkin cornbread batter.
Stir in the cornmeal and flour, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and salt over them.
A white mixing bowl filled with pumpkin cornbread batter and a wooden spoon inside, sitting on a white countertop with two small glass bowls and a white cloth nearby.
Mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Batter for pumpkin cornbread is being poured from a white bowl into a square, gray baking dish on a light-colored surface.
Pour the batter into a greased square pan
A hand is cutting baked pumpkin cornbread into squares in a square baking dish. A small plate with butter slices and a stack of plates are nearby on a white surface.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through.
A hand holds a piece of golden, crumbly pumpkin cornbread above a pan of sliced cornbread, some topped with melted butter.
Let the bread coo before cutting into squares.
5 from 3 votes

Moist Pumpkin Cornbread (One-Bowl)

Yield: 9 pieces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Taesha Butler
This pumpkin cornbread is beautifully soft + tender and just that right level of sweet you want from cornbread, and perfectly golden + moist from a whole cup of pumpkin purée. It’s made with whole grains, sweetened with a little brown sugar, and comes together in one bowl (because we love a low-effort, high-reward recipe over here). It's just begging to be dunked in all those fall chili, soups, or simply just slathered in butter and eaten straight from the pan.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, I find a thicker one like Libby's works best. If you are using a thinner one, reduce to ¾ of a cup
  • ¾ cup milk of choice
  • 3 Tablespoons avocado oil, or melted butter
  • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¾ cup white whole wheat flour , or 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 375℉. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or cast-iron skillet.
  •  In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, oil, brown sugar, and eggs.
  • Add the cornmeal and flour, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top (so it mixes in more evenly). Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  •  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or skillet and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake until golden brown and cooked through (a toothpick or tip of a knife poked into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist crumbs), 25 to 30 minutes.
    TIP: If you have a kitchen thermometer, bake until your cornbread is 200℉ in the center. This will ensure it is cooked through but isn't over baked, which can result in a dry bake.
  • Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.
  •  Leftover bread can be covered and stored at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Notes

How to store this cornbread
  • This cornbread can be covered and stored on the counter in an airtight container for up to two days, but any longer, it’s best to store in the fridge for up to four to five days.
  • You can also freeze this cornbread for up to three months when stored in an airtight freezer safe container. I prefer freezing cornbread in individual squares rather than the whole batch altogether. 
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 209kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 361mg, Potassium: 178mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 4317IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 130mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.