This is my very favorite cornbread recipe, because itโs the perfect balance of everything there is to love about this easy quick bread. Follow this recipe and youโll be rewarded with soft, moist, buttery sweet cornbread with crisp-crumbly edges.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
One reader, Lia, commented: โThis is the best cornbread Iโve ever made. I go back to it over and over again. It has the approval of my husband and my hard to please 13-year-old son. Itโs delicious. โ โ โ โ โ โ
Have you ever had the experience of biting into a piece of cornbread, only to be disappointed by how it crumbles apart and tastes bland, sandy, and dry? I know I have.
Which is why I spent years testing and tweaking recipes in order to hit on the right ratio of ingredients to achieve perfection. Think: thick squares of buttery moist cornbread with a touch of sweetness, and just the right amount of crumbliness. Itโs become such a popular recipe around here, that I use a variation of it to make my beloved cornbread stuffing.
Why Youโll Love This Cornbread
- Quick and easy to make
- No mixer required
- Slightly sweet, extra buttery flavor
- Crunchy-crisp edges
- Moist and tender, not too crumbly (similar to this savory quick bread)
One reader, EL, commented: โI am Southern. I have tried SO MANY cornbread recipes and none have tasted like home like this one. Itโs now my go-to recipe and is always a hit!! โ โ โ โ โ โ
What I Learned From Recipe Testing
Cornbread is likeย coconut macaroons. Random comparison I know, but hear me out. Bothย are very easy to make, but their success depends on theย ratio of ingredients. When done wrong, cornbread (and macaroons!) can be dry, crumbly, and flavorless. But when done right,ย this quintessentially American quick bread is moist, tender, and flavorful.
While testing batch after batch, I played around with butter vs. oil, regular milk vs. buttermilk, the ratio of flour to cornmeal, and different sweeteners.
Here are the key ingredients you need:
- Butter: Butter is one of the main flavors here. While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isnโt present. Because butter doesnโt make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist. It also adds flavor, and youโll notice that flavor in my no-yeast bread and biscuits recipes, too. If youโre interested, I have plenty more on this topic in my Baking with Buttermilk post (including a DIY buttermilk substitute recipe).
- Cornmeal & Flour: Equal parts fine cornmeal and all-purpose flour makes for the BEST cornbread. With 1 cup of cornmeal, you get lots of that delicious corn flavor, and those crisp-crunchy edges.
- Brown Sugar & Honey: There are two opposing camps when it comes to how cornbread should taste: sweet vs. not sweet. This particular recipe falls more towards the sweet end of the spectrum. While itโs not as sweet as cake, it does have some sugar and a hint of honey to balance out the savory buttermilk flavor, and enhance the natural sweetness of the cornmeal. Regular white sugar is fine to use here, but I especially love this made with flavorful, moist molasses-spiked brown sugar.
And the rest:
Baking cornbread is as easy as mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately, and then combining them into 1 thick batter.
Spread into a greased or lined square 9-inch baking pan. And try it in a cast iron skillet! My skillet cornbread is a forever favorite recipe, too.
What Is Cornmeal?
A lot of readers ask about cornmeal. What is cornmeal? Is cornmeal the same as cornstarch/cornflour? What about polenta and grits? It can certainly be confusing. Cornmeal is dried and ground corn. Itโs typically found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. If youโre curious, hereโs an article I found about the differences between many dried corn products, including cornmeal, polenta, and cornstarch.
More Cornbread FAQs
I usually use fine cornmeal to make cornbread, but if medium-ground or coarse is all you can find, you can use that, too. Yellow cornmeal is the most common, but if you have white cornmeal, thatโs also fine to use.
Baking cornbread in a skillet gives it an even heartier, crunchier crust. Bake this in a 9- or 10-inch oven-safe greased skillet at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
Feel free to stir in a little something extra if you wish! Try adding in 1 cup of corn or a can of creamed corn, 1 or 2 chopped jalapeรฑo peppers, 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and walnuts, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup crumbled bacon.
Here is the same recipe baked as cornbread muffins!
What to Serve With Cornbread:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Homemade Minestrone Soup
- Honey Chipotle Salmon
- Crab Cakes or Maryland Crab Soup
- Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
- Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
- Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
- Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
PS: Donโt forget the honey butter for on top!
And hereโs myย cornbread muffin recipeโI love adding jalapeรฑo for a little kick. You can also bake it directly on top of chili when you make cornbread chili casserole.
My Favorite Cornbread Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
I was never a fan of cornbread until this recipe! After lots of recipe testing, I found the perfect ratio of ingredients for soft, moist, and buttery cornbread with crisp-crunchy edges. I guarantee this is the best cornbread recipe youโll try!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) fine cornmeal
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) honey
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐF (204ยฐC). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Then, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Avoid over-mixing.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test. Edges should be crispy at this point. Allow to slightly cool before slicing and serving. Serve cornbread with butter, honey, jam, or whatever you like.
- Wrap leftovers up tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze baked cornbread for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm the cornbread in the microwave or in a 300ยฐF (149ยฐC) oven for 10 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. If you donโt have any, you can make a DIY buttermilk substitute by adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to make 1 cup total. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using. Whole milk is strongly recommended for moistest, richest texture, but you can use lower-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch.
- Optional Add-ins: 1 or 2ย chopped jalapeรฑo peppers; 1 cup blueberries; 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and walnuts; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; or 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- Skillet Cornbread: Baking cornbread in a skillet gives it an even heartier, crunchier crust. Bake this cornbread in a 9-inch or 10-inch oven-safe greased skillet at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
- Cornbread Muffins: Here is the same recipe as cornbread muffins!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Thank you! Literally the most delicious cornbread I have ever eaten! It ainโt good for you but shoooooot I made it 3 times this last month! Wrote it in my recipe book and everything great recipe. Thank you Miss McKenny.
just a comment that the video showed a greased and floured pan before baking, then a parchment lined pan. Also, wouldโve appreciated knowing whole milk is strongly recโd before I shopped. Perhaps specify whole milk in ingredients list?
Hi Carla, yes, you are absolutely right about the video showing an inconsistency. You can grease or line the pan with parchmentโboth ways work for this cornbread. And the recipe calls for buttermilk, which can be either low-fat or full-fat, but if you are making a DIY buttermilk substitute, then we do recommend whole milk for the best result. Hope this helps for next time!
This was very good but the cornbread came out a brownish yellow in color, your picture looks yellow, any ideas why mine was darker?
I luv cornbread and have always added honey plus butter, BUT this recipe kicks others to the curb! Thank you Sally for sharing another excellent, yummy recipe!
I tend to over mix things no matter how hard I try not to, and I only had a 9ร13 pan and dark muscovado sugar that wouldnโt fully incorporate into the melted butter, but this came out wonderfully! I checked it at 15 minutes and pulled it then, itโs got a lovely flavor and the most light and delicate texture Iโve ever managed with cornbread. Itโs sweet without being cloying. I added a handful of chopped jalapenos and would either add much more next time or leave them out altogether.