Made with whole grains, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and sweetened with honey, thesePumpkin Cornbread Muffinsare soft, flavorful, and filling. Plus, you won’t believe how fast they come together!

pumpkin cornbread muffins stacked around a round plate.

If you are looking for an easy, fall-inspired side dish then you have come to the right place! This recipe takes your typical cornbread and turns it into themost delicious muffinsthat can be served on their own or as a side.

The pumpkin and cinnamon in these muffins are what takes them to the next level. The flavor is warm, comforting, and strong without being overpowering. I also love the tender, yet fluffy texture of the muffins that hold together nicely, then simply melt in your mouth. These muffins are surprisingly easy to make from scratch, and will impress anyone who takes a bite!

pumpkin cornbread muffins stacked on a round plate with honey on top.

17 Best Cornbread Recipes Ever!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They are hearty and delicious!
The recipe is easy to follow and takes less than an hour.
These muffins are the perfect side dish for a warm, cozy meal.

Recipe Ingredients

portion bowls each with digitally labeled raw ingredients to make pumpkin cornbread muffins.

Yellow Cornmeal—To give that crumbly cornbread texture and taste!
White Whole Wheat Flour—To add structure to the muffins.
Canned Pumpkin Puree—The main ingredient, for a subtly sweet flavor!
Egg—To hold the batter together and keep the crumb tender.
Milk—To add moisture. Cow’s milk or unsweetened almond milk both work!
Honey—A natural sweetener for your muffins.
Butter—Melted, to contribute to the soft and moist texture.
Baking Powder—This is your leavening agent, to add volume to the muffins.
Cinnamon—To add some spice to the pumpkin flavor!
Salt—This will enhance the taste of your muffins.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

clear mixing bowl in the process of making pumpkin cornbread muffins.

Step #1.Preheat the oven and grease your muffin tin. In a bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.

Step #2.In a separate bowl, add the pumpkin puree, egg, milk, honey, and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture just starts to come together.

pumpkin cornbread muffins dough before going in the oven.

pumpkin cornbread muffins baked into the tin.

Step #3.Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins. Bake until the muffins are golden brown.

Step #4.Let the muffins cool before removing. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What is different about white whole wheat flour?

White whole wheat flour comes from soft white wheat berries, whereas whole wheat flour comes from hard red wheat berries. The soft white berries create a flour that is more tender and tastes less “wheaty”. This is why it is a great option to use as a pastry flour and especially in cornbread muffins. ou can also use whole wheat pastry flour, which is made from the white wheat berries and is also ground more finely than traditional wheat flour. I feel like they make a big difference when it comes to making cookies, muffins, or cakes with whole wheat flour. If you don’t have white whole wheat flour for this recipe, you can use all purpose flour instead since it has a similar texture.

Why are my muffins falling apart?

If your muffins are too crumbly and falling apart, this is most likely due to your batter having been overmixed. When you are combining the dry and wet ingredients, ensure that you only mix until everything is just combined, and no longer than that. The batter should not be very smooth, it might seem a little bit lumpy as you prepare your muffin tin. This is perfectly normal and will give you the most fluffy and sturdy muffins!

pumpkin cornbread muffins stacked three high.

How to Serve and Store Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Everyone knows that cornbread is a staple side dish for a warm, cozy soup, and these pumpkin cornbread muffins are no different! You can serve these on the side of chili, chicken noodle soup, lentil soup, or any hearty stew. They are also very filling as a quick snack, with some butter or honey drizzled on top. You can’t go wrong with these cornbread muffins!

Your pumpkin cornbread muffins should be stored at room temperature and will stay good for 3-5 days. Make sure to transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag to keep them fresh and moist! Alternatively, you can store extra muffins in the freezer long-term. Be sure to keep them in a freezer safe container or bag, and they will stay good for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw for around 3 hours on the counter before serving. Serve them at room temperature or heat them up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and serve them warm.

Expert Tips

While it’s not necessary, if you want to make your clean up easieryou can use cupcake liners to cook your cornbread!
The pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree will be next to each other at the grocery store, sodouble check you buy the pumpkin puree for this recipe.
To check to see if your muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with dry crumbs, the muffins are ready!
Be sure togive your muffins at least 5 minutes to cool before taking them out of the pan, otherwise they might start to fall apart.
Looking for a traditional cornbread recipe?Hundreds of readers have tried and loved myEasy Homemade Cornbread!