Pumpkin Pecan Skillet Cornbread

This is not your average cornbread. It is super moist and buttery and it’s made with all whole grains! It’s packed with some of the best fall flavors like pumpkin and pecan. Bring it to your next family gathering and it will be the star of the show! It only requires one bowl to make and it’s super quick to whip up. Then it’s baked in a skillet for a nice crispy, caramelized crust. If you don’t have a skillet, feel free to use a regular baking dish!

Tips:

The best way to make this cornbread is in a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet. This creates the best crust. If you don’t have a skillet, feel free to bake this cornbread in a normal 10 inch cake pan or baking dish.

This first step to making this cornbread is to melt the butter in the skillet you are planning to bake it in. This means you can melt the butter and grease the skillet in one step, which is a win in my opinion. Make sure to swirl the melted butter around the pan so you coat the bottom and the sides. If you want, you can brown the butter in this step which adds a nice nutty flavor to the cornbread.

This cornbread calls for greek yogurt, which keeps it moist and fluffy. If you don’t have greek yogurt, you can substitute sour cream or buttermilk.

This recipe is made with 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal. I prefer to use finely ground cornmeal because I think it has a better texture, but you can also use medium-coarse cornmeal.

This recipe also calls for whole wheat flour, which adds a warm, nutty flavor to the cornbread. It also adds more fiber for a more wholesome treat. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, you can substitute equal amounts of all purpose flour.

If you want to include more pumpkin spice flavor into this cornbread, you can add 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

I like to add some chopped pecans into my cornbread for some extra texture, but you could substitute other nuts or leave them out completely!

Lastly, this cornbread is much easier to slice and serve once it has cooled a little bit. The longer you let it cool, the less it will crumble because the butter has some time to firm up.

If you liked this pumpkin pecan skillet cornbread, you might also like…

• Healthy pumpkin streusel muffins
• Healthier pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls

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5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Pecan Skillet Cornbread

A buttery and lightly sweetened cornbread that is made with all whole grains. The caramelized crust from the hot skillet is especially delicious.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish

Keyword: cornbread, pumpkin, thanksgiving

Servings: 1 skillet of cornbread

Author: Half the Sugar Baker

Equipment

• 1 11 inch oven safe skillet see above for alternate options

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup greek yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal fine or medium coarse grind
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat an ovenproof 11 or 12 inch skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the butter and melt. Swirl around the skillet so that it coates the bottom and sides. Optionally, brown the butter by heating until it turns a deep brown color (be careful not to burn it). (If you are not using a skillet, grease your baking dish and melt your butter separately)
• In a large bowl, add the melted butter and whisk in the sugar. Then whisk in the yogurt a little at a time, so that it does not solidify the butter. After all the yogurt is whisked in, add the three eggs and whisk until well incorporated. Then whisk in the pumpkin puree. Add the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and extra pumpkin spices if using (see above for more info). Whisk everything together until just combined. Then add the chopped pecans and stir in with a spoon or spatula.
• If the skillet has cooled, heat on the stove until hot. (Skip this step if you are not using a skillet) Then pour in your cornbread batter and spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Once done baking, let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

This recipe is inspired by the NYT cooking cornbread recipe which you can find at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016965-brown-butter-skillet-cornbread