Homemade Cornbread is tender and fluffy with just a hint of sweetness and it’s easy to make from scratch.
It’s the perfect bread to serve alongside your favorite hearty soups, stews, and chili recipes! Light, tender and moist, this recipe is perfect for dipping, dunking, or slathering with butter.
Making cornbread from scratch is so easy!
Cornbread Ingredients
This recipe has common baking ingrdients, like all-purpose flour for structure and texture, baking powder as the leavening agent, and eggs to help bind it all together. Here are a few other additions:
- Cornmeal: Yellow cornmeal is the star of the show and gives the cornbread its distinct yellow flavor and color.
- Sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance out the flavors.
- Buttermilk: Not only does it add a tangy flavor, but it also helps the cornbread rise, making it fluffy and moist (see recipe notes for substitution).
- Butter: Butter adds richness and flavor and helps create a golden brown crust.
No Buttermilk? No problem!
This recipe uses buttermilk for a rich flavor as well as to get a great rise. Make your own buttermilk substitute by placing 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill with milk, stir and let rest for 5 minutes.
This soured milk mixture can be used in almost any recipe calling for buttermilk.
How to Make Cornbread
This easy cornbread recipe is perfect to slather in honey butter or dunk into a bowl of homemade chili!
- Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl per the recipe below. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Combine the two just until moistened.
- Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake until fluffy.
Variations
This homemade cornbread recipe is super moist and tender with just a hint of sweetness. This is not an overly sweet cornbread (and it is great in stuffing or dressing).
I sometimes add a cup or so of corn kernels if I have them on hand (either canned and drained or frozen/defrosted). Other additions include diced jalapenos, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon (or bacon drippings in place of some of the butter), or fresh herbs.
Tips for Fluffy Moist Cornbread
- Like most quick bread recipes (such as Banana Bread), mix the batter just until moistened. Overmixing can cause a dry, tough cornbread.
- Check the cornbread a few minutes early to ensure it doesn’t over bake. If a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, the cornbread is done.
- Let the cornbread cool at least 10 minutes before cutting so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Serve warm or reheat in the oven or microwave to reheat.
How to Store Cornbread
Cornbread is a delicious and moist quick bread and should be stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature (or in the fridge).
To freeze cornbread, cut it into squares and place it in an airtight container. If you are layering the cornbread, place parchment paper between the layers to avoid it sticking. Thaw by letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
If you’d like to reheat it, wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350°F.
More Savory Quick Breads
Homemade Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk or soured milk, see notes
- ⅓ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Side Dish
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Recipe adapted from Chile Cheddar Cornbread.
a great go to recipe when you are making soups stews, or chili’s. it’s moist tasty and great to eat all on it’s own. I reduced the salt for our own personal taste
To much salt as a family that threw out the salt shakers long ago try skipping the salt altogether salt belongs on the road melting ice. You’ll be happy at how all food tastes without it after awhile.
You can certainly leave the salt out if you prefer!
Love all of these recipes! Haven’t tried but a few but I will try more! Yummy!
Thank you Lorraine! So glad to hear!
I use a cast iron skillet and put the grease in the pan and put it in the oven while a mix the ingredients together. I love the crunchy edge on the cornbread.
What if you want to use Self-Rising Yellow Cornmeal instead? What should I omit from this recipe?
We have only made the recipe as written so I can’t say for sure Stephanie. I’m not sure if it’s advisable to omit the leavening agent unless you know the ratio is the same as the recipe.
This recipe for cornbread was super. Will never use the box mix again. Followed recipe as written
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I followed everything to a T but it came out dry and bland. Any idea what could have happened? Thanks
Oh no, that is disappointing. I can’t say for sure what happened but did you use this method for measuring the flour? We use an 8×8 pan, if you used the same maybe check it a little earlier next time as your oven could run a little hotter. Hope that helps.
Perfect recipe! Turns out delicious every time..not too sweet either. This is my ‘go to’ cornbread recipe!
Seems delicious but the one I made had cream of corn and green onions. It was soooo good but I can’t find recipe. :(
Hi Kate, that does sound very delicious! I hope you are able to find it.
Can’t wait to make this!!
Why are there no measurements with the recipe ?
Hi Carol, if you scroll to the bottom of the page or use the jump to recipe button at the top you will find the full recipe with measurements and instructions.
EXCELLENT recipe! Perfect texture and taste. I followed the directions to a tee and it’s hands down the BEST cornbread I’ve ever made!
It was delicious, but after 40 min. the center was still not fully cooked and and hadn’t begun to brown. My oven runs hot, so this was surprising. I will use this again because the edges were delicious.
If you take tinfoil before you put it in the oven, lay it so that there is about 1″ over top of the batter around the edges of the pan Don’t let it touch batter though. prevents the sides from cooking earlier than the middle. half way thru, take the tinfoil off and the edges will cook
Thanks a million Holly,great cornbread even a man can make OMG it’s the best.
You’re welcome Sam! So glad you love this cornbread recipe!
I give it a four star because it didn’t say to put honey and butter on top of the corn bread. But it’s really good! I’m going to keep this recipe
Can you use creamed corn in the cornbread recipe?
We haven’t tried adding creamed corn to this recipe Angel. But you could try the Corn Casserole or Corn Pudding, both of which have creamed corn. Enjoy!
I printed this recipe. I used to use cornbread mix. Easy. I want to use blue corn meal that is readily available in New Mexico, organic. I like atole` and tsaquehue` and blue corn blueberry pinon pancakes (YUM!) all made using blue corn meal. I will bookmark this site and let you know how it goes…thank you for letting me print this recipe!
That sounds great Rick! You’re welcome.
This corn bread is a little too bland for my taste, but with a little butter it should be fine.