Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Name: Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water); 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1 cup non-dairy milk; 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 1/4 cup corn flour; 3/4 cup whole wheat flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/4 cup neutral oil

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Made with creamy pumpkin and sweetened with maple syrup, these Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins are sure to be a hit this holiday season!

Sunlight shinning on a big stack of vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins stack on a plate with a grey textured towel beneath it.

As soon as it hits September, Americans become obsessed with pumpkin. We find ways to sneak it into everything! Even I am guilty of sharing lots of pumpkin recipes on my blog including pumpkin peanut butter soup, vegan pumpkin chili, pumpkin baked oatmeal, and dairy-free pumpkin spice lattes. Oh, and for you sourdough mamas, you need to try out this decadent pumpkin sourdough bread! Of course, I'm also sharing these vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins today too. Basically, Americans find a way to eat pumpkin for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the fall months!

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

The addition of pumpkin turns classic cornbread into something vibrant and festive that will look beautiful in the middle of all your holiday spreads!
These vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins pair perfectly with both sweet and savory meals. We like them for breakfast with cheesy tofu scramble or as a side with hearty vegan pumpkin chili.
Flaxseed and non-dairy milk makes this pumpkin cornbread recipe dairy and egg free which is great for people with allergies.
There are no odd or hard-to-find ingredients in this pumpkin cornbread recipe. If you bake a lot, you probably have all of the ingredients already on hand!

Ingredients

Flax Egg - If you've never made and used a flax egg before, it's really easy to do! Simple whisk 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and then let it sit until thick. Then use it as you would a regular egg in baking.
Pumpkin Puree - I love to make a large batch of homemade pumpkin puree at the start of fall and use it in these vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins...or whatever other pumpkin recipes I'm craving! You can always use store-bought pumpkin puree. Just make sure you're not buying pumpkin pie filling.
Non-Dairy Milk - You can use whatever non-dairy milk you want or have on hand. Just make sure it's unsweetened and unflavored!
Maple Syrup - Maple syrup is my go-to liquid sweetener as it's a really natural sweetener and tastes amazing. I haven't tested another liquid sweetener in this recipe.
Sugar - Cane sugar is my favorite sugar to use in baking!
Corn Flour - There are lots of different types of corn flour and corn meal. You may see products called "harina de maiz", "masa harina," "cornmeal," "stone-ground cornmeal," and "corn flour" at your grocery store. The main thing you want to look for corn flour or finely ground corn meal. I like to stick with corn flour though so I don't end up with gritty muffins.
Whole Wheat Flour - Whenever possible I like to baked with whole wheat flour and that is the only flour I've tested in this recipe.
Oil - A neutral flavored oil is best in this recipe, such as vegetable or canola oil. A light olive oil would also work!
Cinnamon & Nutmeg - Since these vegan cornbread muffins are sweet and have pumpkin in them, we have to include some warming spices, right?!

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Apple Cornbread Muffins - Swap the pumpkin puree for applesauce.
Banana Cornbread Muffins - For an even more unique muffins flavor, swap the pumpkin puree for mashed banana.
Mix-ins - If you want to add some texture to your muffins, you could add some fresh corn to these muffins for a more savory muffin. For a sweeter muffin, try raisins or craisins. If you think a certain mix-in pairs well with pumpkin and cornbread, chuck it in!

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Ground flaxseed and water mixed together in a small bowl to make two flax eggs.

Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of water to form your flax egg. Set aside to thicken.

Pumpkin puree, oil and non-dairy milk mixed together in a large wooden mixing bowl.

Step 2: In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, sugar, and thickened flax eggs.

Corn meal and whole wheat flour combined in a large silver mixing bowl.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, from the cornmeal to the nutmeg.

A wooden spoon stirring the batter for vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins in a large silver mixing bowl.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients and the oil to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

An overhead shot of a muffin tin filled with raw pumpkin cornbread batter.

Step 5: Divid the batter among the 12 muffin cups so that they are filled to the brim.

An overhead shot of vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins after they've baked in the oven.

Step 6: Bake for 20-23 minutes or until starting to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

A stack of three pumpkin cornbread muffins on a wooden table with more pumpkin muffins in the background.

Expert Tips

Make sure you don't accidentally use pumpkin pie filling in this recipe, which is sweetened. You want to use just simple pumpkin puree!
Because they don't contain eggs, muffins have a tendency to be more dense and gummy. For that reason, be sure to bake these vegan pumpkin cornbread muffins fully and allow them to cool completely. If you underbake them or eat them while they're still warm (which is still delicious) they will probably be a little more gummy/stodgy.

Recipe FAQs

How do you make vegan cornbread?

In order to make cornbread vegan, you need to ensure that there are no eggs or dairy in the recipe. To replace eggs you can use a flax egg or aquafaba, which is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. For dairy, use non-dairy milk or make dairy-free butter milk by whisking together 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 cup on non-dairy milk. Use vegan butter if needed!

Is corn flour and cornmeal the same thing?

Corn flour and corn meal are both made from dried corn that is milled, but they still are different. Corn flour is ground until fine and smooth and is good for baking. Corn meal, however, is coarsely ground and gritty.

What's the best corn meal for cornbread?

I like to use finely ground corn flour. Corn meal is often more coarse and results in a gritty final product!

More Vegan Cornbread Recipes!

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