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
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
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray an 8-inch (20-cm) square 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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So tender! I added a few bits of Jalapeño for some spice. Wasn’t sure how the honey, jalapeño mix would be but good combination. Also baked in a heirloom cast iron skillet which made crispy edges. Will make again!
Worked perfect! Easy and delicious! Love all your recipes
My go to cornbread recipe! I make it all the time!
Moist and Delicious Cornbread
IMO, this is the perfect cornbread! Not too dense or heavy, not too sweet, this hits the perfect note of wholesome, full corn flavor that I was looking for to accompany my turkey chili. Thank you for another outstanding recipe!!
This is the best cornbread recipe I’ve tried. Honestly. My mother was from Georgia, so I have eaten plenty of my share of cornbreads. This one was moist, yet not too moist and above all delicious. Yum! This is now my cornbread go to!
You really can’t go wrong with any of Jenn’s recipes though. I bought her book and when I’m looking for inspiration I often open her book or go to her site. I have my grown kids using her recipes also. You can’t go wrong.
I added about a 1/4 cup of chopped jalapenos to the batter and baked it in a cast iron skillet. The jalapenos add just a little bit of heat.
Really tasty cornbread. Slathered it in butter
Made this the other night with a pot of beans and it was DELISH! So much better than store bought mixes! Will definitely be making again. Thanks Jenn! 🙂
This recipe gave me just what I needed to correct my cornbread recipe. Thanks, Jenn!!!
I make this to complement the Chicken Chili recipe, one of my favorite cornbread recipes!