Made with basic pantry staples, this recipe for Homemade Cornbread produces the ultimate cornbread! It is incredibly moist, buttery, slightly sweet, and has a tender crumb. It is the only cornbread recipe you will ever need!
Homemade cornbread is nearly as easy to make as boxed cornbread but the flavor is far superior. It is the perfect companion to Slow Cooker Chili, Instant Pot Chili, and Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili.
It is hard to beat a good cornbread recipe.
It should be soft, but not falling apart, moist, but not soggy, sweet, but not overly sweet, and rich in flavor.
After living for over a decade in the South, I have learned from the pros--AKA my southern friends, how to make the best cornbread. And I am going to share those tips with you so you too, can have perfect cornbread.
Notes on Ingredients
My first tip for making perfect cornbread is to select the right ingredients as they play a huge role in the flavor and texture of the cornbread.
- Cornmeal: Use fine-stone ground yellow cornmeal for this cornbread recipe. Course cornmeal, corn grits, and white cornmeal will not yield the same flavor or texture.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, whole white wheat flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking Powder: Use aluminum-free baking powder, as aluminum can react with the cornmeal and leave the cornbread with a bitter aftertaste. For most recipes, the difference in taste is minimal, but when it comes to this recipe, it makes a huge difference.
- Buttermilk: The buttermilk reacts with the baking powder to keep the cornbread super moist and fluffy. However, you don't need to buy buttermilk to make cornbread, you can simply combine the milk of your choice with lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Butter: While canola oil can be used in place of melted butter, it will not compare to the flavor that butter gives cornbread. Butter adds richness to the recipe and helps the cornbread to get crispy, buttery edges.
- Sweetener: Use both honey and sugar to sweeten the cornbread, for the best results and flavor.
Recipe Modifications
- Make Cornbread Muffins: Instead of baking the cornbread batter in a baking dish or cast-iron skillet, you can make cornbread muffins. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin liner well with butter, fill each muffin cup with about ¼ cup of the batter, and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until set.
- Add Cheese: Add up to 1 cup of shredded cheese to the batter prior to baking. Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, Colby, or a Mexican blend all pair well with the flavors in cornbread.
- Use Whole Wheat Flour: In place of the all-purpose flour, feel free to use whole wheat or whole white flour to add a nice dose of whole grains to your cornbread.
- Dairy-Free Cornbread: Use unflavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk (for this recipe I personally prefer soy milk or almond milk) and your favorite non-dairy butter. Keep in mind you will want to cut the salt to ½ teaspoon as non-dairy butter is typically salted.
∗Tips for the Best Homemade Cornbread∗
While the ingredients play a large role in how the cornbread turns out, there are a few more tips to keep in mind to make perfectly moist, tender homemade cornbread.
- Select the right baking vessel. Contrary to what many people believe, you don't need a cast-iron skillet to make cornbread. A 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish works just as well. However, I don't recommend an aluminum baking dish, as that can leave the cornbread with a metallic taste.
- Use an equal ratio of flour and cornmeal. The ratio is key to producing cornbread that is not dry or overwhelmed with the flavor of cornmeal.
- Sift the dry ingredients together. This will ensure that there are no clumps of baking powder and helps to aerate the flour, keeping the cornbread batter light and fluffy.
Serving Suggestions
While Homemade Cornbread is the perfect companion to stews, soups, chili, and classic southern meals, it also makes a fabulous snack or breakfast when served with a dab of butter and a drizzle of honey.
How to Store Cornbread
Avoid wrapping the cornbread with foil, as the aluminum can react with cornbread and give it a metallic taste. Plastic wrap, plastic containers, plastic storage bags, or glass containers are better options for storing cornbread.
- At Room Temperature: Cool the cornbread thoroughly after baking. Once fully cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or transfer the cornbread to an airtight container, and store it in a dark, cool place for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate: If you are not planning to consume homemade cornbread within 2 days of preparation, you will want to store the cooled cornbread in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: After baking the cornbread, cool to room temperature. Wrap the cooled cornbread in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe bag or container, and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Dishes to Pair With Cornbread
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Crockpot Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Chili
- Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
If you enjoyed this simple recipe for homemade cornbread, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Homemade Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup fine-stone ground yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter + additional butter greasing pan
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Butter the bottom and sides of a deep 8-inch baking dish or 8-inch cast-iron skillet well and set aside.
- To prepare homemade buttermilk, combine the milk and vinegar or lemon juice together and set to the side while preparing the remaining ingredients. Skip this step if you are using prepared buttermilk.
- Over a large mixing bowl, sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, honey, and prepared buttermilk until well combined. Add this mixture to the flour and cornmeal and using a spatula, fold to combine. You want to mix until the dry ingredients are fully moistened, but don't overwork the batter.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out dry.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes, and then slice into squares or wedges for serving.
Gina
There is nothing like homemade cornbread and this recipe was fantastic! It was the perfect addition to our chili the other night!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you for sharing, Gina!
Ashley
This is the best cornbread recipe. My family loves it and its easy to make.
Kristen Chidsey
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Ashley!