Pumpkin Is The Key For A Fall Forward Approach To Cornbread

Cornbread is already perfect on its own, but its simplicity allows for the option to easily highlight other flavors. It can go in both the sweet or savory direction; cheese and jalapeño or blueberries and honey work equally well. With the start of the fall season, consider adding a classic cozy-season ingredient to your cornbread: pumpkin. Technically a fruit, pumpkin has a vegetal flavor with a natural touch of sweetness, and like cornbread, can be made sweet or savory.  

For flavor, pumpkin lends a light sweetness and slight earthiness to cornbread. The texture is the real star here. Since cornbread can often fall victim to being too dry or crumbly, the addition of pumpkin ensures that it stays moist. It imparts a cake-like texture as well, adding some density to the bread. If you add just plain pumpkin puree, the cornbread can remain on the savory side. To make it a sweet bread, mix in classic pumpkin spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, with a sweetener like maple syrup or honey. 

As a savory side, pumpkin cornbread is perfect for the Thanksgiving table or served alongside a hearty bowl of soup or chili. Meanwhile, a sweetened version is a comforting breakfast for cool autumn mornings, especially when topped with butter and honey. For a hearty dessert or extra rich breakfast perfect on crisp fall days, whip up a cinnamon honey cream cheese spread for your sweet cornbread. 

A can of pumpkin puree is not just for pie — it's an incredibly versatile canned food that's great for baking. Naturally, the ingredient is the easiest way to give your cornbread a fall-inspired twist. Pumpkin pie filling is also fine to use but it is a lot sweeter, so if choosing this option, your cornbread will likely come out closer to dessert. With a few adjustments, incorporating pumpkin puree is a simple option to make amazing boxed cornbread.

Pumpkin puree contains a lot of moisture, so it's not recommended to simply add it to the original recipe without making adjustments. A good rule of thumb to follow is to substitute half of the amount of liquid called for in a recipe with pumpkin puree. This swap ensures that the cornbread does not end up with an overly dense or wet texture. 

When you're ready to bake your pumpkin cornbread, put it in the oven at whatever temperature the cornbread package recommends, which is normally around 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The batter may be slightly more dense, so it is possible that it will need to bake for longer. To test its doneness, check the cornbread with a toothpick. If there is still wet batter sticking to the toothpick, leave it in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, your fall-friendly pumpkin cornbread is ready.