Moist Pumpkin Cornbread Recipe with Smoky Chipotle

My pumpkin cornbread recipe gets a little sweetness from pumpkin purée and brown sugar, plus a smoky kick from chipotles in adobo. Bake it in a cast iron skillet, square pan or a muffin tin!

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Post last updated November 12, 2026.

I’ve been making these pumpkin cornbread muffins for a couple of years now, and they’ve earned their spot on my Thanksgiving table.

They’re a dense, crumbly affair, with a touch of earthy sweetness from creamy pumpkin puree and a mellow heat from chipotle chiles. Serve them with butter and honey or dice and use for cornbread stuffing.

Ingredients That Give This Cornbread Its Bite

See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Butter and honey for serving. Plain butter and honey are my usual picks. A drizzle of pure maple syrup works here, too.
• Yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour. The cornmeal gives the muffins their signature crunch. All-purpose flour helps hold the crumb together.
• Light brown sugar. Brings a little molasses flavor and rounds out the smoky chipotles.
• Baking powder and Morton kosher salt. Baking powder gives the thick batter some lift, and salt brings out the flavor of the cornmeal and pumpkin.
• Large eggs. Bind the batter so the cornbread holds together when you slice it.
• Pumpkin purée. Look for canned pumpkin labeled “100% pure pumpkin” in the baking aisle. Leftover pumpkin puree can be used in my pumpkin dulce de leche cheesecake bars.
• Melted butter and buttermilk. Adds richness to the batter. Room temperature buttermilk keeps the melted butter fluid when you whisk the wet ingredients together.
• Chipotles in adobo. Look for the small cans in the Mexican foods aisle. The smoked jalapeños bring heat and a little tang from the adobo clinging to them. Chop them finely so you get a little chile in every bite.

One Pumpkin Batter, Three Ways to Bake It

step one

Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8 × 8-inch square baking pan, or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or coat it with baking spray.

Cast Iron Skillet Method: For crispy, golden edges, place a greased 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 20–25 minutes.

step two

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large bowl.

step three

Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs in a separate large bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, melted butter, chopped chipotles, and room-temperature buttermilk.

step four

Bring the batter together. Scrape the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Stir just until the dry streaks disappear. The batter will be thick.

step five

Bake and brush with butter. Spread the batter in the baking pan or divide it evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 20–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack and brush the top with melted butter. Let the cornbread cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing or lifting out the muffins.

How to Make Moist, Tender Pumpkin Cornbread

For moist pumpkin cornbread with a tender crumb, stir just until you stop seeing streaks of flour. The batter should be thick enough to scoop into muffin cups or spread with a spatula. Once it’s in the oven, start checking at 20 minutes. Take the pan out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. The best part is brushing the warm tops with melted butter, though I give the cornbread its full 15-minute rest before cutting the first slice.

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What to Serve with Pumpkin Chipotle Cornbread

These pumpkin cornbread muffins go right next to the roast turkey and cranberry sauce on my Thanksgiving table.

For a weeknight fall meal, serve a warm slice with a bowl of authentic Mexican red chili or alongside pollo guisado. If you’re in the mood for a different take on cornbread muffins, try my Mexican cornbread with jalapeño and cheddar.

A pat of butter and a drizzle of honey are my usual finish. For a little more warm spice, set out whipped cinnamon honey butter with toasted pumpkin seeds on top.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Leftovers

• Make ahead. Bake the cornbread the day before Thanksgiving so it’s one less thing vying for oven space. Let it cool completely, then warm it briefly before serving the next day.
• Store or freeze. Keep the slices or muffins in an airtight container at room temperature overnight. To freeze, slip them into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then rewarm in the microwave.
• Use the leftovers. The next morning, split a muffin and toast it cut-side down in a cast iron skillet with a pat of butter. If the muffins disappeared at dinner, my sweet corn waffles with strawberry-jalapeño butter have that same sweet-and-spicy thing going for them.

FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?

Use plain canned pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and pumpkin pie spice, which would change the flavor of the batter.

Can I make pumpkin cornbread without a muffin tin?

Yes. Bake the same batter in a greased 8 × 8-inch square baking dish at 400°F. Start checking at 20 minutes and take it out when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Is this pumpkin cornbread sweet or savory?

It leans savory, with mild sweetness from the pumpkin purée and light brown sugar. The chipotles give it a smoky finish. If you like a sweeter pumpkin cornbread, add a drizzle of honey at the table.

Kate Ramos

Pumpkin Chipotle Cornbread (or muffins)

My pumpkin cornbread recipe gets a little sweetness from pumpkin purée and brown sugar, plus a smoky kick from chipotles in adobo. Bake it in a cast iron skillet, square pan or a muffin tin!

Method 

1. Heat oven to 400°F and grease a 8×8 square baking pan or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with baking spray.

2. Whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.

3. Beat the 2 eggs in a separate large bowl then whisk in the 1 cup pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 chopped chipotles, and 1 cup buttermilk.

4. Scrape the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula and mix together until combined. The batter will be thick.

5. Spoon into the baking dish or evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Set on a wire rack and brush top with melted butter. Let cool at least 15 minutes, then slice and serve warm with butter and honey.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 152mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g

Notes

1. Cast Iron Skillet Method: For crispy, golden edges, place a greased 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 20–25 minutes.
2. Controlling the Heat: Most of the heat in canned chipotles comes from the seeds. For smoky flavor with less spice,scrape out the seeds before chopping the peppers, or use just 1–2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce from the can instead.
3. Don’t Overmix: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten and makes cornbread dense rather than tender.
4. Storage: Store completely cooled cornbread or muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.