Simple Cornbread Recipe
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Looking for a quick and easy homemade cornbread recipe? Look no further! This cornbread is not only delicious but incredibly simple to whip up in just 10 minutes (excluding baking time) with minimal ingredients.
I’ve been baking this simple homemade cornbread recipe nearly every week since my kids were little. In fact, it’s one of the few recipes I know by heart. This cornbread is on the sweeter side without being overly so, and it can be whipped up in minutes with just a few ingredients.
Pair cornbread with beef chili or turkey chili for a cozy Southwestern dinner, or try it alongside crab cakes or boiled shrimp for a taste of the Eastern Shore. It’s also the perfect match for my BBQ chicken, rounding out a down-home Southern meal. But don’t stop there—you can even enjoy it for breakfast, generously slathered with honey butter or your favorite jam. When it comes to sides, is there anything more versatile than cornbread?
Table of Contents
“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 My Simple Cornbread Recipe
- 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, offering a sweet, full-bodied corn flavor.
- Baking Powder: Leavens the batter to make the cornbread rise.
- Melted Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and contributes to a moist, tender texture; cooling slightly ensures smooth incorporation without “cooking” the eggs.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the eggs in a medium bowl.
Add the honey and milk and whisk to combine.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients.
Whisk until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is set and golden.
Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares and serve warm with softened butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep leftover cornbread fresh, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes, cornbread can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to three months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving.
To reheat cornbread, wrap it in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F-oven until warmed through. Alternatively, you can heat the squares in the microwave at 50% power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat, or the cornbread will get tough.
Yes, you can get creative with cornbread by adding ingredients like diced jalapeños, shredded cheese (cheddar is a great option), chopped herbs, or even fresh-cooked or frozen corn kernels to the batter.
Yes, this is actually the “pan” version of my popular cornbread muffins.
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Simple Cornbread Recipe
Looking for a quick and easy homemade cornbread recipe? Look no further! This cornbread is not only delicious but incredibly simple to whip up in just 10 minutes (excluding baking time) with minimal ingredients.
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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Delicious cornbread! Moist and with just the right amount of sweetness. An easy recipe made with cupboard staples I will definitely be making again. Thank you!
Have really enjoyed this recipe in the past. I wondered about using buttermilk for the milk since I have some.
Thanks!
Glad you like it! I’d stick with regular milk here.
Great recipe! I followed the directions and recipe exactly as given and it is yummy!! Thanks for sharing!
Hello Jenn, I’ve made this cornbread several times and love serving it with gazpacho. My husband also enjoys it for breakfast. My question is about the thickness of my batter. Instead of being able to spoon it into the baking pan, I poured it. Any idea why my batter was so much thinner even though I followed the recipe as written. Could the answer be just slightly over stirring/whisking? Thanks for your response and all your wonderful recipes.
Hi Karen, glad you’ve enjoyed this! It’s strange that your batter is thin enough to pour into the baking pan, but as long as it comes out well I wouldn’t be concerned. Two things come to mind though: it could be that you’ve over whisked the mixture or maybe the brand of flour you’re using. I really like King Arthur flour. Hope that helps!
Best cornbread i have ever had, and it’s so simple to make! Saving this recipe!
So excited to make this. Lesson learned; don’t multi-task while baking. 🙂 I added way too much milk and knew it before ‘pouring’, not spooning the batter into the pan. 🙁 So, in the oven another 30mins at a lower temp, I just pulled it out. It’s on the darker side, haven’t cut into it yet, but still excited to see how it turns out. I will definitely make this again. Paying attention next time. Thanks Jenn!
Yet another wonderful recipe. This is the best cornbread recipe I have ever made.
I was wondering if I should replace the milk with buttermilk if I have some. Thank you !
Hi Leo, I’d stick with regular milk here. Hope you enjoy!
I made this to go with Jenn’s beef chili. It was the best cornbread I’ve ever had. Perfect pairing with beef chili. Sweet but not too much. ( I even enjoyed the last piece for beakfast, just add butter!!!)
This corn bread was bomb.com! Thank you for another great recipe!!
Hello- I’m making your Texas Beef chili con carne for the second time in two weeks (it is amazing) and going to serve your cornbread with it tomorrow. Do you think it’s ok to add some grated pepper jack cheese, and if so, how much? I’m not a good baker and don’t want to screw up the consistency. Thanks so much!
Hi Kelly, It should work — I’d add about 1 cup. Please let me know how it turns out!
This cornbread is delicious. It didn’t last long at our house. Have made it as regular muffins and mini muffins as well. An easy, tasty treat.
Hi! Thank you for this recipe. Can I add canned corn to the batter for extra texture. If so, about how much should I add?
Sure, just make sure to drain it first. And I’d add 1/2 to 3/4 cup. Hope you enjoy!
The perfect addition to our snowed in chili dinner!! The recipe was easy, delicious and made from simple pantry ingredients I had on hand. Our new favorite family cornbread!
This is our new favorite cornbread recipe – it has a tender crumb, a slight sweetness and plenty of corn flavor – perfect with beans, stew or by itself as a snack.
Since childhood, cornbread has always been one of my favorite treats. This is a perfect mix of sweet (but not overtly) and corn that reminds me so much of home. Thanks for sharing, Jenn.
Yummy, fast, and easy. You can’t go wrong with this recipe.
This was quick to put together and get into the oven. It was delicious paired with vegetarian chili! Kids loved it too!
This cornbread has a very nice cake-like texture – I could have eaten the entire pan by myself!
The Everyday Cornbread is a great recipe. In general I am not a big fan of cornbread – I have been served many over the years that I didn’t like. This one is great. It is light and the texture is pleasing to the tongue.. It is a keeper for sure!!! Thank you for a great recipe!
I love cornbread with chili, savory soups, and other winter warmers. This recipe is going to be a go to for the near future and on!
Very delicious and this recipe is now my preferred corn bread! Thank-you for sharing, Jenn!
I’ve tried so many different cornbread recipes, but this is by far my favorite. It’s a sweet cornbread, but I like that to counter the spices of chili, especially. Delicious!
Was yummy!
My mother is from Kentucky. In the south, any cornbread recipe made with sugar or honey is a sin. They call that cake, not cornbread. 😉 Thus said, living in the Midwest most of my life, I’ve also had cornbread with sweetener in it. I like it both ways. This recipe turned out great if you do indeed like a sweeter cornbread. I think next time though, I will try cutting down on the sugar, maybe to 1/8 cup and see how it turns out.
Yes, it was a sin to add sugar to cornbread according to my Tennessee grandmother! I find it ok to add 1 or 2 tablespoons though, then drizzle with honey on your plate! But most Americans love adding lots of sugar, but then that’s pretty much what you taste first rather than the savoriness of corn bread.
This is my new go-to recipe for cornbread! My family loved it. I’ve made it a few times now and I found that if I warm the honey (I set it on my Aga for a bit) and let the milk get room temperature that it mixes well and seems to produce a better end result. I’ve made it as muffins as well and it’s just as great!
My kids love this along with every other recipe I make from Jenn!
Just the right touch of sweetness. Perfect with chili!
Cool.
I like to have a picture of all ingredients rather than a list of words.
For reheat, have anyone tried to toast them in a small oven with no foil?
I’ve always used purchased cornbread mix until I made this. So easy, so good, so much better than store bought! Most important, my family loved it. Thanks, Jenn!
What made this corn bread great is the ability to reduce the sugar if wanted. Everything else is perfect as is. My one modification is when melting the butter 🧈, I like to brown it. Here’s another secret, I add a tiny pinch of cyan pepper 🌶…
Just made this last night to go with the chili. Very tasty recipe and easy to make. Hubby’s comment was he wished it was “cornier” but amazingly most disappeared at dinner. The leftovers went in the freezer.
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~!
For a slightly moister result I added 2 heaping tablespoons of chunky applesauce (unsweetened) which you can buy in most supermarkets.
I made this to accompany lentil soup. Not sure what happened but it has a slight aftertaste – baking powder? Never had this happen before. Will give it another shot or perhaps ramp up the sweetness. Thanks for posting it.
This cornbread recipe is spot on! I have been searching for a good one and this is it. I froze half to enjoy later, thanks for the tip.
This was by far the best cornbread I have ever made. Not dry and very tasty. Will be my go to recipe for cornbread. Thank you Jennifer.
I have tried so many homemade versions of cornbread but nothing came close to the taste of my mother’s “boxed”, popular in the 60’s that I grew up eating. This recipe was light and full of flavor with just enough sweetness to say “it tastes like mom’s”. Thanks for keeping it healthy but full of flavor!
Made with smart balance (adjusted for salt), almond milk, and added canned corn for extra texture. Great basic cornbread recipe!
Love this cornbread. Easy to make and taste great.
Thanks for the tip on freezing the leftover cornbread.
I love this version of cornbread and I’m very picky about my cornbread having grown up in the South. I have never thought of using Honey in my cornbread before and it totally works, enhancing the corn flavor. It’s an easy recipe to make and the cornbread turned out perfectly. Plus, I always enjoy all the extra suggestions at the end of each recipe.
What a great recipe! I was looking for an easy way to make cornbread. I also really enjoyed the fact that you provided the way to freeze it in order to save for another time.
I love cornbread and I cannot wait to make this one !
I liked the bit of sweetness to the recipe and I used 1% milk and thought the recipe was still good.