Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins (30-minute recipe)
Easy, moist muffin recipe with cornmeal, warm spices, and a wonderful texture. They're quick and ready in 30 minutes, and freeze well. Serve it as a side dish or for a brunch table.
Servings 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice homemade mix or store-bought
- ⅓ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature, see notes below for homemade
- ½ cup sunflower oil or other neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree homemade or canned
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: 1 cup yellow cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ⅓ cup brown sugar.
- In a medium bowl, lightly whisk 2 large eggs. Add ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup sunflower oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup pumpkin puree. Mix until smooth and fully combined but don’t overmix.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined. Don’t overmix; the batter should be thick but pourable.
- Scoop the muffin batter evenly in the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist (not wet!) crumbs.
- Let the cornbread muffins cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, with butter or honey if you like.
Notes
Homemade buttermilk: Stir ½ cup of milk (preferably whole milk) with 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 3-5 minutes at room temperature until it thickens and slightly curdles. Stir it once more, and measure it again before using.
Avoid tough muffins and 'tunneling' (the creation of large air pockets or 'tunnels' within the crumb). This often results from overmixing the batter or from improperly dispersed leavening agents. So stir the dry ingredients well and, when the wet ones are added, stir the batter just until combined. It should be thick but spreadable.
