Cranberry pumpkin cornbread combines the best of fall, and it takes just minutes to throw together! (Think of it as your favorite cornbread, with benefits.)
Whats better than tart cranberry cake, moist pumpkin bread, and savory cornbread? A mashup of all three, of course!
Hey there, remember me? I’m the pumpkin fanatic in your life dedicated to making sure you never run out of easy fabulous ideas for those cans of pumpkin puree stacked in your pantry. My latest suggestion is a lightning-quick loaf made with a trifecta of ultimate fall flavors. Set it down next to your next pot of chili, soup, or stew, and watch your dinner crowd go wild.
RELATED: Pumpkin Cornbread
what you’ll need
- canned pumpkin puree
- if you want to use your own homemade pumpkin puree be sure to cook it down to thicken it to the consistency of canned.
- cornmeal
- I use regular yellow cornmeal. See below for more options.
- fresh cranberries
- I use fresh cranberries, not dried. You can use frozen berries, but don’t thaw before using.
- flour
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- eggs
- milk
- vegetable oil
- molasses
- molasses is a secret ingredient! It adds a unique depth of flavor you can’t get from anything else.
- baking powder and salt
WHAT TYPE OF CORNMEAL TO USE
You have lots of leeway here; any type of cornmeal will work for cornbread, just keep in mind the way your choice will affect the final product.
- Fine Cornmeal: Creates a soft, cake-like cornbread with a smooth texture.
- Medium Cornmeal: Results in moist, flavorful cornbread with a slightly grainy texture, striking a balance between tenderness and heartiness.
- Coarse Cornmeal (Polenta or Stone-Ground Cornmeal):Â Produces rustic, hearty cornbread with a pronounced corn flavor and a satisfying crunch.
Additionally, cornmeal can be white or yellow:
- White Cornmeal: Usually milder in flavor, producing a delicate, lighter-colored cornbread.
- Yellow Cornmeal: produces the classic ‘corny’ flavor and a deeper, golden yellow cornbread.
why we love cranberry pumpkin cornbread
This recipe takes plain cornbread, one of our favorite ridiculously easy quick breads, and gives it an instant upgrade with more complex flavor, a pop of color for visual appeal, and extra moisture (no more choking on dry cornbread crumbs…)
Both cranberries and pumpkin are nutritional powerhouses, so you’re getting a healthy bonus!
It’s as at home on a Thanksgiving table as it is next to the family’s favorite chili.
more pan options
Make cranberry pumpkin cornbread muffins ~ this recipe will make about 12 muffins. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Bake in a round or square pan, your baking time will be slightly less than with the loaf pan: 30-35 minutes.
Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan for Thanksgiving. Baking time will be slightly longer, 40-45 minutes.
I know what you’re thinking…so how is this used? Is it sweet or savory?
Cranberry pumpkin cornbread is a savory quick bread, meant as a side for your fall meals. Pair it with:
- Chili Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Romanian Bacon Soup
- Three Sisters Soup
- Salmon and Corn Chowder
- Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast
- Apple Butter Pulled Pork ~ Instant Pot, oven, or slow cooker!
Cranberry pumpkin cornbread is also awesome toasted with butter for breakfast. In addition to butter you might use:
- Easy Apple Butter Recipe
- Maple Cranberry Butter in 15 minutes!
- Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter
- One Ingredient Maple Cream
Cranberry Pumpkin Cornbread
Equipment
- standard 9×5 loaf pan
- parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup medium yellow or white cornmeal*
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Set the oven to 375F. Grease your 9×5 loaf pan and line with a sling of parchment paper if you want to lift the bread out for easy slicing.
- Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and spice in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, oil, molasses and milk in a larger bowl until well combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, just until combined and there is no dry flour left. Fold in the cranberries.
- Turn into your prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
Notes
- Fine Cornmeal: Creates a soft, cake-like cornbread with a smooth texture.
- Medium Cornmeal: Results in moist, flavorful cornbread with a slightly grainy texture, striking a balance between tenderness and heartiness.
- Coarse Cornmeal (Polenta or Stone-Ground Cornmeal): Produces rustic, hearty cornbread with a pronounced corn flavor and a satisfying crunch.
- White Cornmeal: Usually milder in flavor, producing a delicate, lighter-colored cornbread.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Produces the classic ‘corny’ flavor and a deeper, golden yellow cornbread.
Nutrition
we love cornbread!
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I love this recipe! This time I am adding more cranberries so it is even better!
I was so happy when I came up with this recipe, I’d put cranberries in everything if I could! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Looks like an awesome recipe. I appreciate the notes for the cornmeal as well. Would I be able to use blue corn masa instead? I’m guessing it would work similarly to the fine cornmeal? Please let me know. I love the idea and flavors!
You could definitely use masa, but with blue corn masa the resulting color might not be appealing…
Very tasty! I used Aquafaba, and Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour and it still turned out great!
If I use fresh frozen cranberries should I thaw them or use them straight from the freezer?
You can use right from the freezer. Be aware that adding cold cranberries to batter can cause it to stiffen up. Not a problem, but something to be aware of.
Looks like a winner, Sue! And I really appreciate you differentiating between the different kinds of cornmeal. 6+ decades old, and I’ve never used it before ?, a failing I intend to rectify soon. I noticed a couple of variations that look pretty good, too! Just what the doctor ordered, on this 18°F morning, in snowy,Alberta, Canada ??. But hey…things will improve. We’re supposed to hit a high of 24°F @ 4pm. For ONE hour, before it starts dropping again, to an overnight low of 5°F ?. Is it too early to start saying “Bah! Humbug”?