Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping takes classic cornbread and turns it into a tasty Fall dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin spices, and almond milk to Jiffy corn muffin mix to create this delicious and easy twist on plain cornbread! Serve at holiday dinners or enjoy as a cozy Fall treat any day of the week. It's dairy free, too!
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Welcome to the start of the holiday baking season! Halloween is officially over and it's time to take down those spooky decorations and move onto the best time of year: Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking, baking, and shopping!
Although everything looks a little different this year (ehh, drastically different...), there are a few things that remain the same.
🦃 Thanksgiving = Turkey and Pumpkin Everything
🎁 Christmas = Presents and Peppermint and Chocolate
And of course, lots of delicious recipes!
I am excited to share this easy Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping recipe with you. It's my first official new recipe created especially for Thanksgiving 2020.
It turned out fantastic and full of pumpkin spice flavor! It's also made with vanilla almond milk instead of dairy milk, which gives it a hint of vanilla in every bite. Using almond milk also makes it dairy free and a little on the healthier side.
If you're looking for a new recipe to add to your Thanksgiving dessert table too, make this pumpkin cornbread it! It's an easy recipe made with a few simple ingredients in only 30 minutes. And my favorite part: one bowl!
Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping is made to impress your family. It's so simple, but give it a few swirls of walnut topping, and it looks like it took way longer than it did.
The trick for keeping it simple is to use Jiffy corn muffin mix, canned pumpkin, and a store bought pumpkin spice mix.
I think this may become one of my new favorite Thanksgiving desserts! So let's bake the rest of 2020 away together with our favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas goodies. 🎄
📋 Ingredients
To make Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping you need:
- Jiffy corn muffin mix
- Pumpkin puree
- Pumpkin spice mix (or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves)
- Vanilla almond milk
- Egg
- Crushed or chopped walnuts
- Brown sugar
We are keeping this recipe super simple by using Jiffy corn muffin mix. But if you have a plain homemade cornbread recipe and want to use that instead, go for it!
📖 Variations
There are a few ways to vary this pumpkin cornbread recipe that will not change how delicious the outcome is. You can:
- make your own plain cornbread mix instead of using Jiffy
- make homemade pumpkin puree instead of canned
- change the milk: use dairy milk, oat milk, plain almond milk, or soy milk
- make it egg free by using a flax egg (I have not yet tested this with cornbread)
- substitute the walnuts with almonds, hazelnuts, or even dried cranberries
- leave the walnut topping off entirely
With any of the variations to this pumpkin cornbread recipe, you'll still get a beautiful orange cornbread that tastes like a pumpkin-filled Thanksgiving!
🕒 Cook Time
Pumpkin Cornbread cooks in 20-25 minutes. My cornbread was perfect at the 25 minute mark, but it may be different for you based on your oven.
Test it by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, the cornbread is done baking. If not, bake it in 2 minute increments until the toothpick does come out clean.
🔪 Instructions
Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping is made in 3 easy steps.
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a pie plate generously with butter. Mix the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix, vanilla almond milk, and egg in a large bowl.
Then add the corn muffin mix and stir until combined. Pour into the pie plate and let sit for 3 minutes while making the walnut topping.
Now combine the walnuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle over the batter in any pattern you'd like, or no pattern at all. I sprinkle mine in a swirl.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the pumpkin cornbread cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vanilla almond milk
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin spice*
- 1 egg
- 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 cup walnuts, crushed
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and grease the bottom and sides of a pie plate with butter.
- In a large bowl mix the pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin spice, and egg. Add the cornbread mix and stir until combined. Pour into the pie plate and spread out evenly. For best results, let sit for 3 minutes while completing the next step and before baking.
- Combine the crushed walnuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
🍲 Serving and Storing
Serve this Pumpkin Cornbread with Sugared Walnut Topping at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Or enjoy it as a simple dessert cornbread with your family, no special occasion necessary.
Pumpkin cornbread should be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. This makes it a great dessert to make ahead during the busy holiday baking and cooking rush.
That's all there is to this easy Pumpkin Cornbread recipe! I hope you enjoy it. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
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Can I use a Bundt cake pan?!!!
Sure! The topping might be tricky though- you'd either have to skip it or add it to the pan first. I'm not sure how that will turn out. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
I will add it with melted butter! Making now!
What in the world?! Am I the only one who’s n Er considered a sweet cornbread? I grew up with a very southern grandma and cornbread was a staple. This pumpkin cornbread is what us southerns would say “makes your tongue slap your brain it’s so good. I got a couple pieces before my husband and 6 year old ate the rest!
This is so delicious! Love using vanilla almond milk and a whole bunch of pumpkin spice. Thank you!