Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (2024)

By Laura

Posted Oct 07, 2020, Updated Mar 19, 2024

5 from 92 votes

46 Comments

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The best cornbread recipe you’ll ever eat! It’s sweet and moist with a beautiful crumb, and has bursts of fresh corn in every bite. Plus this Homemade Cornbread is easy to make in 30 minutes – no mixer required.

Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (2)

Cornbread is the perfect companion to so many fall meals, chili (beef chili, chicken chili, turkey chili, etc), soups, etc. and it’s also a delicious holiday side dish.

This is the best cornbread recipe you’ll ever eat! It’s sweet and moist with a beautiful crumb, and has bursts of fresh corn in every bite (also try this corn pudding). Plus this Homemade Cornbread is easy to make in 30 minutes – no mixer required.

Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (3)

Homemade Cornbread Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (4)
  • Yellow Cornmeal.White cornmeal can be used in place of yellow, the final result will just have a different color.
  • All-Purpose Flour.To make this cornbread recipe gluten-free, you can substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. Bread flour and cake flour also work well.
  • Salted Butter.Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter.
  • Whole Milk.Fat content is important for the this homemade cornbread. You could use 2% milk, or half and half, but I don’t recommend other substitutions.
  • Sour Cream.Again, full-fat is best. Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
  • Granulated sugar and honey. I don’t recommend making substituions for the granulated sugar or honey. If you don’t love sweet cornbread you can reduce the amount of sugar but that is all I would recommend.
  • Corn.Feel free to use fresh corn (cooked) from the Cobb or frozen and thawed corn.
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How to Make Cornbread

People often wonder “How do you make cornbread from scratch?” Well you’re in luck because we’re going to walk through how to make cornbread step-by-step to ensure your success! And don’t forget to watch the video.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (but not the sugar) and sea salt, then set the bowl aside.

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In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter sugar and honey, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Add, milk, sour cream and eggs and whisk until smooth.

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Next, add the dry ingredients to the whisked wet ingredients and stir/whisk until mixture is smooth.

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Fold in corn kernels, gently stirring until they are evenly distributed throughout the cornbread batter.

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Pour the cornbread batter into a prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is set, lightly golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

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Serve

Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Then serve warm with a generous slather of this cinnamon honey butter.

Here are some of our favorite recipes to enjoy with this homemade cornbread.

  • CHILI!We love chili around here, beef chili, turkey chili and chicken chili are all great companions for this honey cornbread recipe.
  • Soup.this butternut squash soup tastes amazing with a side of this honey cornbread, also try this vegetable soup, beef and barley soup, and this chicken and rice soup!
  • This slow cooker pot roast is a great main dish to serve with this sweet cornbread.
  • And of course, serve it as a side amongst all your favorite Thanksgiving Recipes.
  • Serve it as a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish alongside this Roast Turkey and the best Turkey Gravy!
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Store

Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.You can also use it to make the best cornbread croutons or this cornbread dressing!

How to Freeze Cornbread

Let the cornbread cool completely. Slice into individual servings and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you plan on freezing it for a while, I recommend also tightly wrapping each slice of cornbread in plastic wrap before putting it in an airtight container.

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Homemade Cornbread Recipe FAQs

Why is my cornbread dry?

This recipe makes very moist cornbread, if it turns out dry it’s likely that it was over-baked. Next time, shorten the baking time and be sure to use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is heating to the proper temperature.

What kind of cornmeal is used in cornbread?

This recipe calls for yellow cornmeal, but white can be used as well it will just have a different color.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13″ baking dish.

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Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (14)

Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (15)

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Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe

Laura

This is the best cornbread recipe you'll ever eat! It's sweet and moist with a beautiful crumb, and has bursts of fresh corn in every bite. Plus this Homemade Cornbread is easy to make in 30 minutes – no mixer required.

5 from 92 votes

Course Appetizer, bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 163

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook Time25 minutes minutes

Total Time35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees f. Grease a 9×9” square baking dish, set aside. (Note, you can use an 8×8” baking dish, you will need to bake a touch longer).

  • In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter sugar and honey.

  • Add, milk, sour cream and eggs and whisk until smooth.

  • Add dry ingredients and stir/whisk until mixture is smooth.

  • Fold in corn kernels.

  • Pour into prepared baking dish.

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is set, lightly golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

  • Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Yellow Cornmeal. White cornmeal can be used in place of yellow, the final result will just have a different color.
  • All-Purpose Flour.To make this cornbread recipe gluten-free, you can substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. Bread flour and cake flour also work well.
  • Salted Butter.Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter.
  • Whole Milk. You could use 2% milk, or half and half, but I don’t recommend other substitutions (with lower fat content)
  • Sour Cream. Full-fat is best. Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
  • Granulated sugar and honey. I don’t recommend making substituions for the granulated sugar or honey. If you don’t love sweet cornbread you can reduce the amount of sugar but that is all I would recommend.
  • Corn.Feel free to use fresh corn (cooked) from the Cobb or frozen and thawed corn.

Store

Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.

How to Freeze Cornbread:

Let the cornbread cool completely. Slice into individual servings and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you plan on freezing it for a while, I recommend also tightly wrapping each slice of cornbread in plastic wrap before putting it in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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Best Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch) (2024)

FAQs

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 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? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

Is medium or coarse cornmeal better 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.

Which makes better cornbread, white or yellow cornmeal? ›

Southerners, on the other hand, tend to prefer white cornmeal. Many people believe that it is because, in the old South, families used white cornmeal as it more closely resembled “fancy” European wheat flour. In any case, today it remains a main component in traditional Southern buttermilk cornbread.

Should you let cornbread batter rest before baking? ›

Let the batter sit before baking.

We found that if you leave the batter to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before baking it, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb flavor from the other ingredients and the leaveners (baking powder and baking soda) get a head start.

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.

How do you make cornbread less dry and crumbly? ›

  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.
Sep 26, 2016

Will an extra egg make cornbread less crumbly? ›

Yes, but we recommend using an egg substitute, like applesauce. Eggs, or egg substitutes help add structure to the cornbread. Without an egg or substitute, the cornbread may crumble and fall apart easily.

How to stop jiffy cornbread from crumbling? ›

Why Is Jiffy Mix So Crumbly? The recipe on the box doesn't give the batter as much moisture as I like in my cornbread, which is why it can sometimes turn out crumbly. Adding in the sour cream and vegetable oil makes a huge difference and makes the best moist cornbread.

Why does my cornbread always 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.

Why is cornbread not healthy? ›

The exact nutritional profile of cornbread can vary depending on the specific recipe and ingredients used. However, cornbread generally contains high amounts of carbs, phosphorus, and sodium in each serving. One piece of cornbread prepared from a commercially prepared mix contains ( 2 ): Calories: 198.

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

A typical contemporary northern U.S. cornbread recipe contains half wheat flour, half cornmeal, milk or buttermilk, eggs, leavening agent, salt, and usually sugar, resulting in a bread that is somewhat lighter and sweeter than the traditional southern version.

Is cornbread good or bad for diabetics? ›

Cornbread is delicious and a great accompaniment to any meal. However, it is not a good idea if you are a diabetic. The high starch and cornmeal contents are carbohydrates which are broken down into sugar in the body. Sugar is extremely dangerous for people with diabetes, so it is best to avoid it.

What is Southern cornbread made of? ›

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, throw in the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Give it a good stir to make sure everything's combined. Whisk the Buttermilk and Eggs: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and those golden egg yolks.

Is southern cornbread sweet or savory? ›

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.

What's another name for Southern cornbread? ›

What is another word for cornbread?
cornponehoecake
hushpuppyjohnnycake
spoonbreadcorn bread
cornmeal breadSouthern cornbread
corn muffincorn pone
2 more rows

Is Jiffy cornbread the same as cornmeal? ›

Are cornmeal and cornbread mix the same thing? No, but cornmeal is one of the ingredients present in cornbread mix. The mix will have additional ingredients like flour, sugar, and salt for additional body and flavor, as well as a leavening agent like baking soda for a fluffier texture.

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