Best Homemade Cornbread
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Looking for an easy homemade cornbread recipe? This perfectly sweet and moist cornbread comes together quickly with just a handful of simple ingredients.
I’ve been baking this homemade cornbread recipe for as long as I can remember, and it’s one of the few recipes I know by heart. It’s just the right amount of sweet, with a texture that’s a little cakey and a little crumbly—in other words, perfect! Plus, it comes together in no time with just a handful of ingredients.
Serve it with a hearty bowl of chili for a cozy Southwestern-style dinner, pair it with crab cakes or boiled shrimp for a taste of the Eastern Shore, or make it alongside BBQ chicken or baby back ribs when you’re craving barbecue. And don’t forget—it’s just as good for breakfast, slathered with honey butter or your favorite jam. Cornbread truly goes with everything!
“Made this today to go with the turkey chili. Both were delicious. My husband said it was the best cornbread he’d ever had!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cornbread
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, add moisture, richness, and help the cornbread to rise.
- Sugar and Honey: Sweeten the cornbread (just a bit of honey adds a slight floral note).
- Milk: Adds moisture and fat for a tender crumb (whole milk is preferred but low-fat will work just fine).
- All-Purpose Flour: Used in combination with cornmeal to provide structure. Balances the cornmeal’s grittiness, ensuring the cornbread is soft and fluffy rather than overly coarse.
- Yellow Cornmeal: The essential ingredient for the characteristic flavor and grainy texture of cornbread—gives the muffins a delicious corn flavor.
- Baking Powder: Leavens the batter to make the cornbread rise.
- Melted Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and gives the muffins a tender texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the eggs in a medium bowl to break them up, then whisk in the honey and milk.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until evenly combined.
Pour the wet ingredients and melted butter into the dry ingredients, then whisk until just combined. Overmixing can make cornbread—or any baked good—dense instead of light and tender, so don’t overdo it!
Spoon the batter into a greased 8-inch square baking dish—I use a glass Pyrex, but any cake pan works. If you want to go the traditional route with a cast iron skillet, use a 9-inch pan and keep in mind it’ll cook a little faster.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and set. Keep an eye on it—overbaking can dry it out, and no one wants dry cornbread!
Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares and serve warm with softened butter. Cornbread is best enjoyed fresh but will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; freeze for longer storage.
Video Tutorial
Variations
You can easily switch up this basic cornbread recipe with add-ins to match any meal. For a savory kick, stir in diced jalapeños, shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese, or a handful of chopped fresh herbs like chives or thyme. If you want extra texture and sweetness, mix in fresh, cooked, or frozen corn kernels—no need to thaw if using frozen. For a smoky twist, try adding crisped oven-cooked bacon bits or a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
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Best Homemade Cornbread
Golden, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet—this cornbread recipe belongs in your recipe box!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup milk (preferably whole but low-fat works too)
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in the honey, and then the milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just blended. Do not overmix; it's okay if there are a few lumps. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is set and golden. Cool the cornbread for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares and serve warm.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Cornbread tastes best when served fresh out of the oven, but it can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 for 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap cornbread in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot. Alternatively, heat squares in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or they will get tough.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 square
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Sugar: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 305mg
- Cholesterol: 53mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is an excellent cornbread recipe. Made it exactly as directed and it was delicious. Took maybe 10 minutes to put together and popped it into the oven and we enjoyed it with chili. Thank you for another foolproof recipe!!
Jen,
Love your website and cookbooks!
Sorry if this question was asked but can I use white stone ground cornmeal instead of yellow? I accidentally purchased white instead of yellow at the store. Please let me know.
Thank you!
Hi Celeste, so glad you like the recipes! Yes, white cornmeal Will be fine. Enjoy!
Thank you so very much, you are the best! Just put a pot of chili on the stove and this cornbread will be a lovely addition. Keep the recipes coming and please I hope you write another fabulous cookbook!
Hi Jenn,
Can I make a gluten-free version of this recipe by simply switching out the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour? Do you have any specific advice on this? Thanks!
Hi Anne Elise, I haven’t made this with gluten-free flour, but I think it should work. If you don’t already have a favorite gluten-free flour for baking, a number of readers have commented that they have good luck with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour and Cup4Cup gluten-free flour. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Could maple syrup be substituted for the honey? Same amount of sugar?
TY!
Sure, that will work and the amount of sugar would remain the same. Enjoy!
Best cornbread ever!
Light and crumbly…….
I’ll make this one my staple. Served with your white chicken chili.
Perfect!
Hi Jenn!
This is such a perfect recipe thank you so much for sharing! Is it OK to do any add-ins, such as cheese or corn to this?
Trina, so glad you like it! Yes, it’s fine to add some cheese and corn kernels to this.
I cheated a bit to reduce calories, skipping the honey, and only adding tbsp of sugar, and substituting homemade lowfat yogurt for 1/2 the butter. I used as the base for a tamale pie made with homemade steak based filling, and it came out great.
Hi Jenn,
Love every recipe! Just a quick question, can I use 1 tbls more of the honey and one less of the sugar? Or would that change the texture too much?
Hi Diana, So glad you liked the recipes! Yes, using one additional tablespoon of honey instead of sugar should be fine. enjoy!