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 butter or oil 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? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do? ›

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture. Can I add flour to Jiffy cornbread to make more batter? When making jiffy mix cornbread, what if I don't have milk? Are there any rules to making the best cornbread?

Should cornbread batter be thick or thin? ›

The consistency of the batter should be a bit like pancake batter—a little on the thin side. Thick batter can result in dry texture and cornbread that crumbles easily after baking. If you feel your batter is too thick, simply add a splash of extra milk.

How do I make sure my cornbread is moist? ›

Melted butter and thick buttermilk keep this cornbread moist. After baking, I like to run a stick of butter over the top of the hot cornbread so that it soaks right in and stays even more moist and buttery.

Should you let cornbread batter rest before baking? ›

Cornbread Best Practices:
  1. LET the batter sit for 15-20 minutes before baking. ...
  2. BE gentle!! ...
  3. START preheating your oven as soon as you set aside the batter to rise, by the time it's preheated, your batter should be ready to go in.
  4. HEAT your skillet. ...
  5. SUBSTITUTE regular salt for this amazing Smoked Salt.
Jul 7, 2019

How do you keep Jiffy cornbread from sticking to the pan? ›

When making cornbread, use this trick: Add a few drops of oil to the batter and then pour your batter into an already hot pie pan. This will prevent the cornbread from sticking.

Is it better to use salted or unsalted butter for cornbread? ›

Both chefs agreed that when it comes to cooking and baking, salted butter is not the way to go because you can't control the amount of salt that will go in the recipe. But, salted butter is a great option to use after the cooking and baking process—like slathering on cornbread or blueberry muffins.

What is the difference between cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

Southern cornbread has traditionally been made with little or no sugar and smaller amounts of flour (or no flour), with northern cornbread being sweeter and more cake-like. Southern cornbread traditionally used white cornmeal and buttermilk. Other ingredients such as pork rinds are sometimes used.

What is the difference between Yankee cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

How to jazz up cornbread? ›

Heat and spices

You can stir in 1 cup of roasted chopped jalapeños or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne into the batter. Or, you can mix in 3 tablespoons of your favorite chile paste. Fields also recommends trying a little NOLA flair by adding a rounded ¼ teaspoon Cajun spice blend to your cornbread mix.

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 put too many eggs in cornbread? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Adding about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread. You can do this even if your recipe doesn't call for butter or oil. Replace milk or water with creamed corn. If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn.

Why do Southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

Sugar in the cornbread interferes with the flavor of the vegetables. Don't put sugar in your cornbread! Traditional cornbread isn't sweet, but many favorite recipes have sugar in them.

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