Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and mix the dry ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 400F and grease an 8x8-inch pan or 10-inch cast iron skillet (warm pan helps the cornbread set quickly).
- Whisk yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined (dry streaks should disappear).
Mix wet, combine, and bake
- Whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and maple syrup until smooth and glossy (no egg clumps).
- Stir wet into dry just until combined (small lumps are fine; overmixing makes it tough).
- Spread the batter into the greased pan and level the top with a spatula for even rise.
- Bake 22-25 minutes at 400F until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, with edges pulling slightly from the pan.
- Serve warm with butter on top so it melts into the tender crumb.
Notes
For the tenderest crumb, mix wet into dry only until you no longer see dry flour; the batter should look thick and slightly lumpy. Store airtight in the refrigerator up to 3 days and rewarm in a 300F oven until warmed through. Freezing is yes: wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm. For a dairy-free option, use plant-based butter and substitute unsweetened non-dairy milk plus lemon juice for buttermilk.