Fall is my favorite time for baked comfort foods like this fluffy gluten-free maple pumpkin cornbread. It is a mouthwatering homemade bread that can be served with a meal or as a dessert. It is perfectly suited for serving with your Thanksgiving meal or any family gathering!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.
The combination of maple and pumpkin adds a delightful blend of sweet and earthy flavors to the traditional cornbread. It makes an incredible flavor experience. Maple pumpkin cornbread makes a great snack, side dish, or even a dessert, offering versatility in how you serve it.
Pumpkin puree in the recipe contributes moisture and tenderness to the cornbread, resulting in a softer and more flavorful texture. You can use my easy, DIY Gluten Free Cornbread Mix to make this recipe.
The flavors in this recipe were inspired by a recipe I saw in the NYT food section. I changed most of the recipe, including making it gluten free. If you love baking, I have a lot of incredible gluten free bread recipes you can make.
Allergen Information:
This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. For dairy-free and egg-free options, see the Substitutions section below.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- My GF Cornbread Mix – Masa or corn flour, corn meal, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt.
- Egg – Size large.
- Pumpkin Puree – Use canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Butter – Use unsalted or salted butter. I used unsalted, but everyone’s tastes are different.
- Maple Syrup – Use real maple syrup. Grade A or Grade B.
- Pepitas – Use raw pepitas to sprinkle on top.
Substitutions:
- Make it dairy-free using plant-based butter.
- Make it egg-free using Just Egg or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
If you are looking for more traditional cornbread muffins, try these Old-Fashioned Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins.
Tips For Success
1. Do not use an electric or stand mixer. They tend to overmix the batter.
2. If you do not want this too sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar by 1/4 cup.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Email This Recipe To Me!
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a smaller
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently to not overmix the batter. This photo is what your batter will look like.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Add your pumpkin cornbread dough to the pan and spread it out.
Preheat the oven to 350º F now. This allows your batter to rest so the cornmeal softens a bit.
🔑 Sandi says: You can also bake this in an 8-inch cast iron skillet.
Step 5: Sprinkle the pepitas over the top of the cornbread. This is optional.
Step 6: Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes. The final baking time can vary depending on the pan size you use and the material the pan is made from. I find glass baking dishes often need a little more baking time than metal pans.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store the cooled pumpkin cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this bread and store it in a large freezer-safe zip bag.
This cornbread will keep fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
If you love the sweet flavor of corn, you may also love these Gluten Free Cornbread Biscuits or these Gluten Free Cornmeal Pancakes.
More Gluten Free Baking Recipes:
- Gluten Free Cornmeal Scones
- Easy Gluten Free Sourdough Bread
- Gluten Free Honey Rolls
- Homemade Gluten Free Oat Bread
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Maple Pumpkin Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn flour or masa see notes
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup tapioca starch see notes
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree don't use pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup pepitas for the topping, but optional
Email This Recipe To Me!
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
- Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. This includes 1 cup corn flour or masa, ½ cup cornmeal, ½ cup tapioca starch, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, binders like 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, and 1 teaspoon salt. Use a whisk to blend it.
- Add the wet ingredients to a smaller mixing bowl. This includes the 1 large egg, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup unsalted butter, and ½ cup maple syrup. Whisk to mix.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently to not overmix the batter. This photo is what your batter will look like.
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Add your pumpkin cornbread dough to the pan and spread it out.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F now. This allows your batter to rest so the cornmeal softens a bit.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup pepitas over the top of the cornbread. This is optional.
- Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes. The final baking time can vary depending on the pan size you use and the material the pan is made from. I find glass baking dishes often need a little more baking time than metal pans.
Notes
- I tested this recipe as written and with potato starch. You can substitute the tapioca starch for potato starch if needed. I didn’t test cornstarch.
- Be sure the corn flour/masa and cornmeal are gluten free. A few brands like Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills label their gluten free cornmeal.
- This recipe needs a binder like xanthan gum or guar gum. I haven’t tested it yet, but 1 teaspoon of psyllium husk should also work.
- Store the cooled pumpkin cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this bread and store it in a large freezer-safe zip bag.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Hi Sandy, I was wondering, could I use King Arthur cornbread mix and just add the pumpkin puree, sugar and maple syrup?
Hi, I haven’t tested this with a mix. I would say go for it, but be careful not to add too much pumpkin if the dry mix amount is less than the amount of my dry ingredients. I hope this makes sense.
This recipe is like the ultimate fall comfort food! I really enjoyed making it, and everyone at Thanksgiving loved the taste of this cornbread. Will be making this again. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you tried the recipe, Kristy. Thank you so much.