Spoon Bread
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Spoon bread—a creamy, comforting twist on cornbread packed with fresh corn flavor. This easy homemade spoon bread combines fresh ingredients for a rich, buttery side dish that’s perfect any time of year—from summer cookouts to holiday dinners.
Spoon bread, also known as corn casserole or corn pudding, is a creamier version of cornbread that you eat with a spoon. The most well-known recipe is from Jiffy and is typically made from Jiffy corn muffin mix, butter, sour cream, eggs, canned corn, and canned creamed corn. This from-scratch version barely takes any longer to make, yet it’s so much more delicious. Making your own cornbread mix — with flour, sugar, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder — and using fresh corn makes all the difference.
This is a wonderful summer dish to make when fresh corn is in season (check out my favorite corn recipes for more ideas). During the cooler months, it’s delicious as a Thanksgiving side dish or paired with roasted chicken or steak. (When fresh corn is not available, opt for frozen corn over canned.)
“Being from NH, I’d never heard of spoon bread. Lucky for me, my son-in-law is from the south. He encouraged me to try it and I’m hooked. We’ve had it once a week for the past month. He told me it tastes just like his Grams!”
What You’ll Need To Make Spoon Bread
- All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure and helps create the soft, tender texture of the spoon bread, balancing the cornmeal’s natural grit. To ensure accuracy, measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Provides the classic corn flavor and a slight grit, giving the dish its signature texture and traditional cornbread taste.
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness that balances the savory elements, enhancing the corn’s natural sweetness.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the spoon bread rise and achieve its light, fluffy texture.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and moisture, ensuring each bite is tender and melt-in-your-mouth.
- Creamed Corn: Contributes moisture, creaminess, and a concentrated corn flavor, and makes the spoon bread richer and softer.
- Fresh Corn Kernels: Provide bursts of fresh, sweet corn flavor and texture, adding a nice contrast to the creaminess. (This is best with fresh corn but when it’s not in season, opt for frozen corn over canned.)
- Sour Cream: Adds tanginess, creaminess, and moisture, creating a rich, velvety consistency.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, giving structure to the spoon bread and ensuring it sets properly with a custard-like center.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Use a serrated knife to cut the kernels off the cobs. Placing a kitchen towel on top of the cutting board prevents the corn kernels from bouncing all over the place.
Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder to a medium bowl.
Whisk together.
In another bowl, melt the butter.
Add the creamed corn and fresh corn kernels.
Add the sour cream and beaten eggs.
Fold in the sour cream and stir the mixture until evenly combined.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix until the batter is uniform.
Pour batter into the prepared 2-quart baking dish.
Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is set, 40 to 45 minutes (a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the spoon bread should come out clean).
Serve warm or room temperature.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Spoon bread can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. To reheat, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and warm in a 300°F-oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until warmed through.
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Spoon Bread
Spoon bread—a creamy, comforting twist on cornbread packed with fresh corn flavor. This easy homemade spoon bread combines fresh ingredients for a rich, buttery side dish that’s perfect any time of year—from summer cookouts to holiday dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 (8.5 oz) can creamed corn
- 1⅓ cups raw fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 ears of corn (frozen kernels may be substituted)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 2-quart or 8-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, creamed corn, and fresh corn kernels. Add the sour cream and beaten eggs and mix until evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is uniform. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake until the top is golden brown and the center is set, 40 to 45 minutes (a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the spoon bread should come out clean). Serve warm or room temperature.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Spoon bread can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. To reheat, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and warm in a 300°F-oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 363 mg
- Cholesterol: 92 mg
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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Made this for my Super Bowl party tonight. I doubled the recipe, which worked our great. I was worried about how much sugar was in it, so I cut it back a bit, and while it was very good, I think I’ll stick to the full amount next time. Very easy to make. Everyone loved it and asked to take leftovers home with them. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Delicious!!!! Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. My husband said it was the best cornbread/spoon bread he’s ever had and I agree. Sooooo tasty!
Hi Jenn, when reheating, should this be brought to room temperature first? What about if sides that are pre assembled and the refrigerated overnight – should those br brought to room temp before baking? Thanks so much!
Hi Marie, You can bring them to room temperature, but it’s really not necessary. They’ll just take a few extra minutes in the oven if reheated directly from the fridge.
Hi Jenn,
Your recipes are a godsend. They always turn out perfectly. We live in the Southwest, and I added a small can of diced roasted green peppers (not jalapenos), and everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe. We lost our recipe card for this one, so glad you provided it. Thanks so much.
Love that idea! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Hello Jenn,
I love your Spoonbread recipe…but I ‘m about to make it again when I realized it calls for an 8.5oz can of cream corn-whoops, I’ve been making it with a standard size can (14oz).
And it’ still delicious….
OMG! This was delicious! Better than the cornbread recipe I have used for years and love. I did reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup and had to use frozen corn. But another winner for sure. Thanks again Jenn!
I have made this recipe at least a dozen times for my family. Everyone loves it. My vegan and gluten free daughter was visiting for Christmas so I used vegan butter, vegan sour cream and Bob’s 1 to 1 flour. Absolutely delicious! I had to share the recipe with several guests.
This was the best cornbread Ive ever made! I made it the day before along with your creamed spinach and it all reheated perfectly!
Made it as a side for Thanksgiving. Followed the recipe exactly. Family couldn’t stop raving about it. Thank you!
Hi Jenn, I’m sure you’re super busy with Thanksgiving but thought I’d try! I’m making this for thanksgiving so I doubled the recipe, and am using a cake pan. Would you suggest reducing the temperature or extending the time in the oven? I baked it as instructed, but at 45 minutes it’s still not set in the center.
By the way I also made your cranberry sauce and make-ahead mashed potatoes (absolutely perfect!) … so grateful for your make-ahead recipes.
Hi Tammy, I’d keep the temp the same; it will take longer to cook — just keep it in til it’s set. Hope that helps!
Thank you! I followed your advice and it was great!
Hi Jenn,
Can I make the Spoonbread recipe with cornbread mix since I have it on hand?
What other changes would be necessary ( I’d think to omit the baking powder)?
Recipe sounds delicious!
Thank you~
Ann
Hi Ann, I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!