This Cornbread Recipe Is So Versatile and Tender (2024)

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Danilo Alfaro

Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.

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Updated on 02/15/24

Tested by

Diana Rattray

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 9 servings

Yield: 9 pieces

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Cornbread is easy enough to make and appreciate for its simplicity, as it's comprised of basic ingredients such as cornmeal, flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and milk. However, you can also think of it as a template you can customize to your tastes by adding and subtracting ingredients that pair well with corn.

But one of the easiest ways to jazz up a basic cornbread is by adding sweet corn, which creates more layers of that sweet and sunny flavor.

Fresh corn is always best if it's in season, cut straight off the cob, but frozen is nearly as good. Just let the corn thaw and then drain it completely, patting dry if needed. Canned corn also works in a pinch, too, as long as you drain it thoroughly before mixing it into the batter.

This Cornbread Recipe Is So Versatile and Tender (3)

what you'll need to make this cornbread recipe

A Sturdy 9x9 Baking Dish

A Good Flour Sifter

A Nice Spatula

"One cup of sifted flour weighs 4 ounces, and the cornbread was perfect with that amount and the 1 cup of cornmeal. I made it twice—once with 1/2 cup of sugar and again with 1/4 cup of sugar. Both were very good. I used thawed frozen corn. It was a quick, easy preparation." —Diana Rattray

This Cornbread Recipe Is So Versatile and Tender (7)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup yellow cornmeal
See Also
How to Spice Up Krusteaz® Cornbread | Krusteaz
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup half-and-half
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter (or shortening), melted, plus extra for greasing the dish
1/2 cup sugar, optional if you prefer unsweetened cornbread
1 cup sweet corn (fresh, thawed, or canned, drained well)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Thoroughly grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
Sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
Combine the half-and-half, eggs, butter (or shortening), and sugar (if using).
Add half-and-half mixture to the flour mixture and combine just until the flour is moistened, no more than 10 to 15 seconds. Then fold in the corn, but don't overmix the batter or your cornbread will be too tough.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake the cornbread immediately.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean and the edge of the cornbread starts to separate from the baking dish. Cut into slices or squares. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

You can mix up the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients and hold them separately for a few hours. But once you've combined the dry with the wet, it's best to get the batter in the baking dish and bake as soon as possible.
When greasing your baking dish, don't do it too early in the process, or the shortening can melt and pool at the bottom of the dish.
You don't need to flour the baking dish. Using butter, shortening, or plain cooking spray is sufficient.

Recipe Variations

To add a bit of zest to your cornbread, stir in one or two finely diced fresh green chiles (such as Anaheim or poblano) or about 1/4 cup of canned diced green chiles.
You can also use melted bacon fat in place of some or all of the butter. For that matter, crumbled bacon would also be a welcome addition to this recipe.
If you want to make muffins instead of cornbread in a baking dish, they'll cook more quickly, so start checking them after 18 minutes or so. When the edges pull away and a toothpick comes out dry, they're done.
If you're following a low-carb diet, this keto cornbread recipe will work for you.

How to Store and Freeze

Store homemade cornbread in an airtight container or zip-close bag at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to one week.
To freeze cornbread, wrap it with foil or freezer wrap. For best quality, freeze cornbread for up to three months.

What Is the Difference Between Stone-Ground and Regular Cornmeal?

Stone-ground cornmeal is ground between moving stones, which means the final meal contains some of the hull and germ. It is coarser than most packaged cornmeal you find in the supermarket. Regular cornmeal may be stored in a dark, cool place, but stone-ground should be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. Freeze cornmeal in an airtight container for longer storage.

What Can I Substitute for Milk in Cornbread?

If you don't have any dairy—milk or half-and-half—here are some options. The texture and taste may be slightly different from what you are accustomed to, but as long as the ingredient has some fat and some liquid, it can work. Use the same amount of these liquids as you would the milk.

Water and 1 1/2 tablespoons extra butter
Soy, almond, oat, or other nondairy, plant-based milk can be used. Coconut milk would lend a subtle tropical flavor to the cornbread.
Thinned-out plain yogurt or sour cream adds some tang and richness.

Helpful Links

About Cornmeal, Grits, and Polenta
How to Cut Fresh Corn From Cobs

Quick Breads
Breakfast Breads
Breads
Southern Food

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
211	Calories
10g	Fat
26g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9
Amount per serving
Calories	211
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g	13%
Saturated Fat 6g	28%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 358mg	16%
Total Carbohydrate 26g	10%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg	6%
Calcium 130mg	10%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 143mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Quick bread
cornbread with corn
appetizer
american

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FAQs

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

Butter adds flavor and color, while oil keeps the crumb tender and moist. Brown Sugar: We add some sugar to our cornbread and prefer brown sugar. The flavor combination of cornmeal and brown sugar works so well.

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What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

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. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.

Learn More Now ›

Why is my cornbread tough? ›

Step 3: Mix Together the Batter

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.

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How do you know if cornbread is overcooked? ›

If you undercook it it will be doughy, obviously, and if you overcook it it will be too dry. Where is the sweet spot? 200–209°F (93–98°C). You can check that temperature with your Thermapen® ONE, which is fast enough to give you a true reading without letting the cake cool too much if it isn't done yet.

Tell Me More ›

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.

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Can you use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in cornbread mix? ›

Olive oil can be substituted for vegetable oil or butter in any recipe. After creating our Little House inspired olive oil cake, we decided to try olive oil in cornbread. This recipe is a hit! This cornbread is sweet, moist and with the help of a pre-heated cast iron pan, crispy on the edges.

Read On ›

What does adding an extra egg to Jiffy cornbread mix do? ›

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture.

Learn More Now ›

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

The trick to this perfect cornbread is letting the cornmeal, corn flour, and buttermilk sit overnight; this allows the corn flour to fully hydrate, while the acid from the buttermilk tenderizes the cornmeal, helping to create a tender, almost cakey bread that still retains that slightly gritty texture you expect.

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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.

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Should cornbread batter be thick or thin? ›

The batter should be thick, but still pourable. Add more milk or buttermilk if necessary. Remove the skillet from the oven and tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom and sides of pan.

Should you preheat a skillet for cornbread? ›

Preheat your pan

You WANT some sizzle here. This helps develop the perfect crust and keeps your cornbread from being too crumbly. Stick your skillet in the oven to warm up as it preheats; it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to get your skillet to just the right temperature!

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What is the best cornmeal 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.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is my cornbread moist but crumbly? ›

generally speaking, cornbread is crumbly if there is too high a proportion of cornmeal to flour. you need the gluten in the flour to hold it together and also enough moisture. if it is too high in fat it will also be too tender and crumbly.

Read The Full Story ›

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.

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When should you use butter or oil? ›

Because it browns easily and can burn when cooked at high temperatures, butter is usually unsuitable for dishes that require a high cooking temperature. Instead, cooking oils are the best option and there are a variety of choices available from peanut oil, to avocado oil, vegetable oil and olive oil.

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How do you keep cornbread moist? ›

Add in some oil. Adding in oil will help to keep the cornbread moist as well. The extra oil and fat help to keep the cornbread hydrated while it is cooking, therefore, giving an extra moist cornbread when it is done.

Keep Reading ›

Should you use butter or oil in bread recipe? ›

It's always best to use unsalted butter when baking, be it for bread, cookies, or pie dough.

View Details ›