Cornbread
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This moist cornbread recipe is golden and buttery, with a tender crumb and just the right amount of sweetness.
I’ve been baking this cornbread recipe for as long as I can remember, and it’s one of the few recipes I know by heart. It’s exactly how I like cornbread: buttery and tender, with plenty of corn flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. A combination of sugar and honey adds subtle sweetness, while melted butter gives it a rich flavor and moist crumb. It comes together quickly with everyday ingredients and is just as good alongside a bowl of chili as it is warm from the oven with a pat of butter.
“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: Give the cornbread structure and richness and help create a tender crumb.
- Sugar & Honey: Provide just the right amount of sweetness; the honey also adds a subtle floral note.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps keep the crumb tender. Whole milk is best, but low-fat works well, too.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used along with the cornmeal to give the cornbread structure and a softer, more tender texture.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Gives the cornbread its signature corn flavor and slightly grainy texture. I’ve had good results with both Indian Head and Quaker.
- Baking Powder: Gives the cornbread its lift and keeps it from being too dense.
- Melted Butter: Adds rich, buttery flavor and contributes to the moist, tender crumb.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Cornbread
Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Whisk the eggs, honey, and milk together in one bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make the batter: Add the wet ingredients and melted butter to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. A few lumps are fine—avoid overmixing, which can make the cornbread dense rather than tender.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. You can also use a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; just keep an eye on it, as the cornbread may bake a little faster. Bake until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve: Let the cornbread cool briefly, then cut into squares and serve warm. Cornbread is best served fresh, but it can be frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!
What To Serve with Cornbread
Cornbread is a natural alongside oven pulled pork, baby back ribs, turkey chili, or white chicken chili. It’s also delicious warm from the oven with butter and a drizzle of honey.
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.
More Cornbread Recipes You’ll Love
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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This cornbread is nice a moist not dry and crumbly. Love the honey in it. I have made it with milk and buttermilk. I use the little mini loaf pan baking.
I love corn bread but so many are dry. This recipe had a nice texture and weight while remaining moist. I love the touch of honey it adds the right amount of sweetness. Great recipe you won’t be disappointed.
Simple and delicious with chili!
Delicious with chili!
This recipe ended my search for the perfect cornbread. I make cornbread a lot and was fairly content with a recipe from one of my big old cookbooks, but this took it up a notch—nice and moist and that hint of honey made it better than average. It’s on the sweet side, but I like it that way. I serve it with soups, chili, chowder, or as a quick breakfast treat with butter and jam. Everyone in my family loves it. It freezes well too, on the rare occasion there is any left over to freeze.
Simple and easy to follow recipe. You can also make this in a cast iron skillet which browns the cornbread nicely.
Great cornbread recipe. Not overly sweet like some I’ve had, which is how I prefer it. One difference I like to do is bake at a higher temperature…400-degrees and for less time. I like to bake it in a cast iron skillet just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Heat the skillet in the oven while the oven is heating up. Just before adding the batter to the skillet, lightly grease the hot skillet with a small amount of shortening on a paper towel, only just enough to make it shiny. This method creates a crispier “crust” which I really like. Thanks for the recipe Jenn.
This cornbread is seriously delicious! This is more of a cake like cornbread with a hint of sweetness, which I really like. This recipe is very easy and quick to throw together and keeps very well for a few days if you wrap it well. It is almost as easy to throw together as the “box” kind but the flavor is so much better. Goes great with the Turkey Chili on this site. Another great recipe!
Having grown up in Canada, I wasn’t really exposed to cornbread until I went to a BBQ restaurant. Life changing. I’m always on the hunt for cornbread recipes. This one didn’t disappoint. I’ve tried other variations where I baked it in a cast iron skillet, and doctored up the recipe by adding corn, bacon and jalapeño peppers. Delicious! Thanks for a great recipe to add to my arsenal!
I thought that I already had a delicious corn bread recipe until I tried your recipe yesterday!!! It was delicious, easy to make, great texture and so moist. I actually substituted gluten free flour and it can out great. Thank you.
Beautiful cornbread! I lived in the south for years and this hit such a nostalgic spot for me. The little bit of honey made it just the tiniest bit sweet which was perfect contrast to the chili I made it with. Definitely a new family favourite.
This cornbread is AMAZING. It was simple to make but taste so much better than a box! I served it with Jenn’s amazing beef chili and got rave reviews on both! Thanks for always making me look good~!