The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (2024)

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Nothing compares to the taste of freshly-baked, homemade cornbread.

If you’re looking for an easy way to make this classic comfort food at home, look no further!

Whether you enjoy it as a side dish for dinner or use it to make your favorite stuffing recipe, there’s nothing quite like the flavor of made-from-scratch cornbread.

Making cornbread from scratch is so easy!

You can make this cornbread recipe in a cast iron skillet for added flavor and texture or in a baking dish.

So grab your ingredients and let’s get baking!

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (1)

Homemade Cornbread

I’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to bake up a delicious batch of homemade cornbread that will have everyone asking for seconds.

It is sweet, but not overly sweet, soft and cake-like without being too dense or crumbly.

This cornbread recipe is the best because it is homemade.

It has a great flavor and texture that you can’t get from store-bought cornbread.

This hearty cornbread side dish takes less than 30 minutes to make

This cornbread recipe is perfect for quick family dinners or weekday meals!

It takes just a few minutes to prepare and only around 20-25 minutes to bake.

The end result is a delicious, moist, and flavorful cornbread that pairs perfectly with chili, soups, roasts, or any other savory meal.

The best part is you know exactly what ingredients are going into your cornbread when you make it from scratch — no artificial preservatives required!

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (2)

Ingredients for the BEST Cornbread

  • All purpose flour
  • Yellow cornmeal
  • Buttermilk
  • Egg
  • Butter
  • Baking powder
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt

How to Make Cornbread

This step by step guide to cornbread will show you exactly how to make the most delicious, fluffy and golden-brown cornbread.

  • Start by greasing a 9×9 inch baking pan or cast iron skillet with butter, and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190° C).
  • In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix until everything is combined.
The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (3)
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg until everything is blended. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter to the mixture.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. Do not overmix, as this will cause a tough cornbread.
  • Pour the batter into your greased baking pan or cast iron skillet and spread it evenly with a spatula.
The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (4)
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
  • Let cool before slicing and serve warm with butter.
The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (5)

For a larger batch, double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13 inch pan for about 30 minutes.

If you like your cornbread extra sweet, add an extra tablespoon of sugar.

Now that you know how to make cornbread and all the tips and tricks below, you’re ready to impress your family and friends with this classic side dish.

Just follow this step by step guide to cornbread and you’ll be sure to make the perfect batch every time.

No matter how you make it, this cornbread recipe is sure to be a hit!

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (6)

Cornbread FAQS

How to make cornbread moist

To ensure that your cornbread is moist and delicious, there are a few tricks to keep in mind while baking.

First, always use buttermilk or yogurt instead of regular milk as it provides a richer flavor and more tender texture.

Second, make sure you don’t overmix the batter as this will cause a dense and dry cornbread. Finally, add an extra tablespoon of melted butter for added moisture.

What goes with cornbread

If you are looking for what to eat with cornbread, I would share my favorite dishes I like to serve with cornbread.

My favorite side dish to pair with cornbread is chili. Nothing beats a comforting bowl of chili and warm, buttery cornbread on the side.

I also like to serve grilled meats and barbecue with cornbread.

Pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw and a side of cornbread is always a hit!

For something on the lighter side, I like to serve up salads with cornbread. A basic garden salad goes great with this classic comfort food.

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (7)

How to store cornbread

Once you’ve made a delicious batch of cornbread, you’ll want to make sure it stays fresh and flavorful for as long as possible. Luckily, cornbread is incredibly easy to store!

How to store

Room Temperature: Allow your cornbread to cool completely before storing to prevent condensation from forming. Once cooled, wrap the cornbread tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.

Cornbread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Refrigerator: You can also store cornbread in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

Freezer: If you’d like to freeze your cornbread, make sure to allow it to cool completely before wrapping it tightly with a layer of aluminum foil followed by a layer of plastic wrap.

Frozen cornbread will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

How to reheat

Microwave: To reheat cornbread, remove the plastic wrap and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave in intervals of 10-15 seconds until warm.

Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175° C) and wrap cornbread tightly in foil. Place the cornbread on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy your delicious homemade cornbread!

Easy Dinner Recipes To Serve Your Cornbread With:

  • The Best Chili Recipe
  • Mexican Cornbread Casserole
  • Easy Chili Mac
  • 25 Crockpot Soups and Stews
  • 50 Hearty Soup Recipes
The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (8)

Yield: 8-10 servings

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nothing compares to the taste of freshly-baked, homemade cornbread. Making cornbread from scratch is so easy this step by step guide! This cornbread recipe is sweet, but not overly sweet, soft and cake-like without being too dense or crumbly.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190° C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan or cast iron skillet with butter and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix until everything is combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg until everything is blended. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter to the mixture. The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (9)
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. Do not overmix, as this will cause a tough cornbread.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan or cast iron skillet and spread it evenly with a spatula. The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (10)
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
  7. Let cool before slicing and serve warm with butter. The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (11)

Notes

  • For a larger batch, double the ingredients and bake in a 9x13 inch pan for about 30 minutes.
  • Add an extra tablespoon of sugar if you like your cornbread extra sweet.
  • Always use buttermilk or yogurt instead of regular milk as it provides a richer flavor and more tender texture.
  • Make sure you don't overmix the batter as this will cause a dense and dry cornbread.
  • For added moisture, add an extra tablespoon of melted butter to the batter before baking.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 187Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 32mgSodium 298mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 4g

The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use oil or butter in cornbread? ›

While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isn't present. Because butter doesn't make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk. Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist.

What kind of cornmeal is best for cornbread? ›

Cornbread Ingredients

Here's what you'll need: Flour: This sweet cornbread recipe starts with a cup of all-purpose flour. Cornmeal: Opt for yellow cornmeal for this recipe, as it's sweeter than its white counterpart.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do? ›

Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery.

What makes cornbread not fall apart? ›

Adding Dry Ingredients

Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour.

Should you let cornbread batter rest before baking? ›

Set the batter aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

By letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature before baking, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb the flavor from the other ingredients, and the baking powder gets a head start.

Is cornbread better with milk or water? ›

Can I substitute water for milk in cornbread mix? Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.

What is the secret to good cornbread? ›

Here are Mindy's five secrets:
  • Begin with the right cornmeal, which for Southerners is usually white. ...
  • Use full fat buttermilk and lots of it. ...
  • No egg and no sugar. ...
  • Use the right ratio of batter to the skillet. ...
  • Cook with a seasoned, 12-inch cast iron skillet.
Jul 23, 2021

What's the difference between Southern cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

What to add to cornbread mix to make it better? ›

One of the simplest ways is to bring in more flavor and depth is by adding ⅓ cup of sour cream to the batter, which makes the cornbread extra moist and a little tangy. Another tangy option: Add ⅔ cup of buttermilk, which also makes the cornbread super tender.

How to jazz up cornbread? ›

10 Mix-Ins for Classic Cornbread
  1. Bacon and scallion. ...
  2. Green chile and cheddar cheese. ...
  3. Crumbled sausage and poultry seasoning. ...
  4. Fresh corn and basil. ...
  5. Pepperoni, parmesan, and black pepper. ...
  6. Spicy shrimp and creole seasoning. ...
  7. Brown sugar and pecan. ...
  8. Cranberry and maple syrup.

How can I enhance my Jiffy mix? ›

24 Things To Add to Jiffy Cornbread Mix to Make It Even Better
  1. ⅓ cup white sugar + ¼ cup brown sugar + ⅓ cup sour cream + 4 tablespoons melted butter + 1 tablespoon vanilla.
  2. 1 tablespoon oil, melted butter, or browned butter.
  3. ½ cup mayonnaise.
  4. ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt.
  5. 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup.
Dec 18, 2022

Can you over mix cornbread? ›

Pour batter into prepared pan. The batter will be lumpy. Overcome the urge to mix until smooth. Overmixing can cause the corn bread to peak and have tunnels, resulting in a tough texture.

How to make cornbread less crumbly jiffy? ›

  1. 1Put in an extra egg yolk. ...
  2. 2Cut back on fat or grease by one third. ...
  3. 3Replace white sugar with a moist sweetener. ...
  4. 4Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) more butter or oil. ...
  5. 5Replace milk or water with creamed corn. ...
  6. 6Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sour cream.
Oct 29, 2021

Why is my homemade cornbread so dry? ›

Cornbread is known for being dry, and that's because it's not properly hydrated. This can lead to unpleasant. hard bits that get stuck in your teeth, making the final product taste even drier. Start by soaking your cornmeal and buttermilk overnight. or up to 24 hours.

What causes cornbread to fall in the middle? ›

While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.

Can you replace butter with oil in cornbread? ›

Olive and vegetable oils can be swapped out for butter in many recipes and can help create moist, tender baked goods.

Is it better to use butter or oil for making bread? ›

Most oils are also liquid at room temperature, and coconut oil and lard (which are soft solids at room temperature) have a lower melting point than butter. Both of these factors can make for a stickier dough that's harder to work with, but this ultimately matters more as the amount of fat used increases.

Why is it better to use butter instead of oil? ›

Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.

Is it better to use melted butter or oil in muffins? ›

Many muffin recipes use cooking oil instead of butter. Oil, being a liquid, distributes easily in the quick-mix batter and is readily absorbed into the baked muffin, producing a light non-greasy texture. Vegetable oil is ideal because its mild flavour doesn't compete with the main flavour of the muffin.

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