Best Cornbread Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published October 9, 2019. Updated January 19, 2021

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The best Cornbread Recipe! It’s been my go-to recipe for years and I’ve never found better. It’s everything you’d want homemade cornbread to be and then some, especially when you eat it warm with the fluffy whipped honey butter slathered over the top!

Want to add an autumn flavor? Also try my Pumpkin Cornbread recipe too this fall!

Best Cornbread Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

Tried and True Best Cornbread Recipe

This dreamy cornbread is an old tried and true recipe. I shared this way back in 2012 and decided it was time to revisit a favorite in case you’ve missed it.

It’s nothing like that dry mealy, lifeless cornbread we often get. It’s fluffy, moist, tender, flavorful and deliciously sweetened with both honey and sugar (with an adjustable option depending on how sweet you like it).

Of course it’s the perfect accompaniment to soups, chilis, roasts, bbq’s and so forth but it is so good that it will even pass as a tempting dessert (just go for the sweeter option).

I can’t count how many times I’ve made this easy cornbread recipe and on holidays people are always fighting for the last piece. Try it and you’ll see why!

Oh and did I mention it’s unbelievable easy to make? No electric mixer required, just a few bowls, a whisk and some seriously easy prep. Can’t beat that!

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Ingredients for Cornbread:

  • Cornmeal
  • Buttermilk
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Applesauce
  • White sugar
  • Honey
  • Eggs

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How to Make Cornbread:

  • Mix buttermilk and cormeal, rest: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal and buttermilk until well blended, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (honestly when I’m I don’t have time I skip this resting).
  • Preheat oven, prepare baking dish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees during last 5 minutes of mixture resting. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside
  • Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  • Add wet ingredients and sweetener to cornmeal mixture: Add melted butter, applesauce, sugar, honey and eggs to cornmeal mixture and whisk until well combine.
  • Blend in flour mixture: Stir in dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Batter will be lumpy (like pancake batter) and that’s okay.
  • Pour into pan and bake: Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer and bake 25 – 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool and slice: Cool 5 – 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with honey or whipped honey butter (recipe in recipe box below).

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Can I Freeze It?

Yes. To freeze let it cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze in an airtight container for a few months. Thaw overnight.

Can I Use the Buttermilk Substitute?

For optimal flavor I recommend sticking with real buttermilk in this recipe.

Can I Make It Gluten Free?

To make it gluten free use a 1:1 Gluten Free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. Then of course be sure all other ingredients used are certified gluten free.

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What to Serve with Cornbread?

  • Slow Cooker Chili or Turkey Chili
  • Slow Cooker Pot Roast
  • Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Red Beans and Rice
  • Roast Chicken with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes
  • Slow Cooker Ribs
  • Vegetable Beef Soup

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

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5 from 15 votes

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Best Cornbread Recipe

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My go-to cornbread recipe! It's fluffy, soft and tender, moist, flavorful and the perfect comforting side dish - especially when served warm and finished with whipped honey butter.

Servings: 16

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook25 minutes minutes

Ready in: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal and buttermilk until well blended, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

  • Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside.

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

  • Add melted butter, applesauce, sugar, honey and eggs to cornmeal mixture and whisk until well combine.

  • Stir in dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (small lumps like pancake batter are fine).

  • Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer and bake 23 - 30 minutes (some said their's takes longer) until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

  • Cool on a wire rack 5 - 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with honey or whipped honey butter (recipe in notes below). Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • *Salted butter will work great too, just reduce salt in recipe to 1/2 tsp.
  • **If measuring from a bottle of applesauce use 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp applesauce.
  • ***I like it with a lighter sweetness so I use 1/4 cup sugar but if you like it sweeter use 1/2 cup.
  • Nutrition estimate based on using 1/4 cup sugar and does not include honey butter.

OPTIONAL HONEY BUTTER

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together 1/2 cup softened salted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Best Cornbread Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 211Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 48mg16%

Sodium 206mg9%

Potassium 163mg5%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 263IU5%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 55mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cornbread

Author: Jaclyn

Recipe originally published January 2012. Photos and recipe have been updated. Originally recipe used 6 Tbsp butter and 1 cup applesauce but I’ve found 1 full stick of butter is of course better.

Best Cornbread Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

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.

Should cornbread batter sit before baking? ›

Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

How to jazz up Martha White cornbread mix? ›

Pepperoni, parmesan, and black pepper. Prep a batch of Martha White's Cornbread and Muffin Mix, adding ¼ cup of finely chopped pepperoni, ⅓ cup grated parmesan, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bake as directed and serve warm, alone or alongside meatballs and sauce.

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.

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.

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.

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

Oil changes cornbread's texture

Using oil will make your cornbread tender and moist while butter will give you heavier bread. Why do you get such different qualities from these fats? This is largely due to the fact that at room temperature, oil is a liquid while butter is a solid.

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.

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?

How do you doctor up boxed cornbread mix? ›

Ways To Upgrade Cornbread Mix

To personalize the cornbread, the box also features this tip: Mix in 1 cup shredded Cheddar, 1 (4-ounce) drained can chopped green chiles, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne before baking for a zesty spin.

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

What ingredients keep cornbread from being dry? ›

Add in some Flour

If you use straight cornmeal, it will tend to be dryer. Adding in flour will help to keep the cornbread moist. I like to use a 50/50 ratio of cornmeal to flour in my recipe. I feel this gives a moist and fluffier texture.

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

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.

What is Southern cornbread called? ›

A hoecake is cornbread made minimalist—a thin, unleavened round made from the simplest batter (cornmeal, water, and salt), crisp at the edges, glistening on both sides from the fat it was fried in, golden in patches.

Is Southern cornbread sweet or savory? ›

In fact, savory cornbread, corn muffins, or even old-fashioned "corn pones" can sometimes be the meal all on its own, maybe with some collard greens, butterbeans, yellow summer squash, or fried okra, plus a tall glass of frosty-cold iced tea.

What does Southern cornbread taste like? ›

While on its own, Southern cornbread may be underwhelming, it's neutral flavor and crumbly texture make it the perfect vessel to soak up liquidy foods, like cranberry sauce or turkey gravy. Or, it can be eaten on its own, perhaps mixed with gooey cheese or spicy jalapeños.

Should Southern cornbread be sweet? ›

In 1892, a Times correspondent, after enumerating the many types of corn-based breads eaten in Virginia, noted, "It will be observed that in none of them is sugar used. There are cornmeal puddings served with sweet sauces, but no Southern cook would risk the spoiling of her cornbreads by sweetening them."

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