Super Moist Cornbread with Pumpkin and Cheddar Cheese
As I develop more recipes for our upcoming cookbook, I’ve been accumulating quite a stash of sourdough discard! And since I really hate dry cornbread, I set out to combine starter, pumpkin, butter, and cheese to achieve the most delicious, savory, moist cornbread for fall. Mission accomplished. Eat a piece warm with a little pat of butter on top, trust me.
This pumpkin cornbread is the perfect side for any fall soup, stew, or braise. I also ate some with my eggs for breakfast, and it was lovely.
Sourdough Discard Cornbread
After years of sourdough baking and testing countless recipes, I’ve realized something key: a ‘sourdough discard recipe’ is simply a standard recipe that incorporates sourdough starter, yet doesn’t actually rely on it to rise. Think quick breads, muffins, cornbread, and cakes.
Whether you use active starter or cold discard straight from the fridge, both work equally well because the starter isn’t there to make the bake rise. If a baked good relies on chemical leaveners rather than wild yeast, it’s a discard recipe. That said, don’t just omit the starter from a discard recipe, because it still provides crucial moisture, flour, and binding (sometimes even replacing eggs).
Can this be made gluten-free?
Yes! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour!
How should I store the pumpkin cornbread? Can I freeze it?
You can store this pumpkin cornbread at room temperature for 1- 2 days. Wrap it in parchment paper and put it in an airtight container on the counter.
To make it last a little longer, you can store it in the fridge. Just keep the cornbread in an airtight container. You can microwave it for 30 seconds or warm it in a toaster oven.
And yes, you can freeze it too! Cornbread freezes exceptionally well and retains its flavor and texture when properly sealed. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in parchment paper and an airtight bag, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, wrap in foil and heat at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
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Sourdough Cheddar Pumpkin Cornbread
the perfect side for any fall soup, stew, or braise. This cornbread is made with sourdough starter, pumpkin, and cheddar cheese for a very moist and savory fall cornbread.
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 30 minutes
- Total: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup sourdough discard
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup (lightly spooned & leveled) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup medium grind cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, for topping
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
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Whisk the eggs, sourdough starter, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the room-temperature melted butter; whisk well. Add the pumpkin and mix again.
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In a separate bowl, add the flour and cornmeal. Sift the baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly over the top. Mix to combine.
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Working in batches, add the cornmeal mixture to the wet ingredients using a spatula to incorporate.
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Gradually pour in the milk until the liquid is fully absorbed. Dip a spoon into the batter and let it pour down; if slow “ribbons” form, the texture is correct. If it seems too thick (this could be due to the texture of your sourdough starter or adding too much flour), add more milk little by little to thin it out. Fold in the cheddar cheese.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top.
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Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes; the top should be golden brown when ready. I like to brush a little melted butter over the top
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Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cornbread (still on the parchment paper) to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
- also great with aged gouda
- like it spicy? try topping with some thin jalapeño slices
