Easy Homemade Cornbread Recipe – with 6 Variations!

Soft, sweet, moist Homemade Cornbread is fast and easy to make. Make this best cornbread recipe just once and you’ll never use a mix again! This easy recipe has six variations let you change the flavors up to go with any meal.

You are going to love this easy homemade cornbread recipe. the tender crumb and simple ingredients make this great recipe a favorite thing to serve any time.

If you’ve never made easy homemade cornbread you are in for a life changing surprise. It tastes better than a store-bought mixes and is just as easy to make. Being able to easily change up the flavors with savory or sweet additional ingredients means you have the perfect cornbread recipe and a perfect side dish for the dinner table anytime.

No one will realize how effortless it is to make or that you are really making the same recipe 7 different ways! Match the flavors to anything you are serving. Or serve it plain with some melted butter on top or a drizzle of honey.

This moist cornbread is a homey bread recipe that goes with everything from chili, soups, grilled meats and more. The ingredients are probably in your pantry right now!

Jump to:

• Cornbread Recipe from Scratch
• Recipe Ingredient Notes
• Cornbread Recipe Variations
• How to Make Homemade Cornbread
• Different Ways to Bake It
• How to Make Cornbread Muffins
• Expert Tip – Why Does Cornbread Crack?
• How to Store
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• Recipe

Cornbread Recipe from Scratch

There is a strong regional divide between the north and south of the U.S. on the ‘right way’ to make cornbread.

I’m not claiming this to be a ‘correct’ northern cornbread OR southern cornbread recipe. It’s just plain delicious! This cornbread is slightly sweet and moist.

You can see from the photos it has a more cakey consistency rather than being super crumbly.

It’s a ‘must have’ recipe for your kitchen. It can be changed up many ways and used for so many things. It’s perfect to serve with any chili recipes. Serve it with your favorite soup recipes too.

Serve it by itself or warm with a slice of butter drizzled with some honey! This cornbread recipe is perfect for cornbread stuffing recipes too.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

All purpose flour. Regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend can be used. This cornbread recipe has been tested with each regular All-Purpose Flour and gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend. The results are fantastic with both. Our recommended gluten-free flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

Yellow cornmeal. Cornmeal is finely ground dried corn. This cornbread recipe uses finely ground Yellow Cornmeal. In the grocery stores if you purchase ‘Yellow Cornmeal’ it will be finely ground. Coarsely ground cornmeal adds more texture. Find it in the baking aisle of grocery store.

Granulated sugar. Adds a touch of sweetness that brings out the corn flavor.

Salt. We recommend kosher salt which is a less salty tasting salt.

Baking powder. This is the rising agent in the easy cornbread recipe.

Egg. You’ll use one egg.

Milk. We used whole milk (dairy).

Vegetable oil. Keeps it moist.

Cornbread Recipe Variations

A fantastic thing about cornbread is that is can be changed up so many different ways. From spicy, salty, cheesy even to sweet. 

Here are six of my favorite variations. The listed ‘mix in’ ingredients are added to the batter and baked as normal.

Details in the recipe card at the end of the blog post.

Cornbread with Corn Kernels

Add 1 cup canned (drained), frozen or fresh corn

Mexican Cornbread

• 1/4 cup chopped Jalapeno peppers or bell peppers 
• 1 cup canned (drained), frozen or fresh corn 
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Mexican cheese

Cheesy Garlic Cornbread

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Jalapeno Jack Cornbread

• 6 ounces pepper jack cheese 
• 1/2 cup chopped and seeded jalapeno peppers

Pepper Jack Bacon Cornbread

• 6 strips of back (chopped) 
• 3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

Lemon Raspberry Cornbread (sweet)

• 1 cup fresh raspberries 
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel 
• Top with 2 tablespoons sliced/slivered almonds

How to Make Homemade Cornbread

STEP 1. Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray OR line with foil (leave an overhang) and spraying the foil with non-stick spray.

STEP 2. Make cornbread batter

In a large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and sugar (photos 1-4). Stir.

Add the wet ingredients: egg, vegetable oil and milk (photos 5-7); stir to combine (photo 8).

Pour batter into the prepared pan (photo 9-10).

STEP 3. Bake

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (photo 11).

STEP 4. Cool

Cool fully on a cooling rack before cutting. NOTE: if using foil in the pan, lift the cornbread out of the pan for easy cutting. Otherwise turn out onto the cooling rack.

Different Ways to Bake It

• Use a square 8-inch pan for cornbread squares.
• Use a round 8-inch cake pan to cut the cornbread into wedges.
• Bake in a cast iron cornbread pan. These classic pans create small muffins or a corn cob shape and make a wonderful crisp crust on the outside of the cornbread.

How to Make Cornbread Muffins

• Spray 12 muffin pan cavities with non-stick cooking spray or fit them with baking liners
• Fill 2/3’s full
• Bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean

Expert Tip – Why Does Cornbread Crack?

Quick bread (bread that don’t contain yeast) often cracks due to the outside cooking faster than the inside. Eventually the internal heat will break through the top surface.

This does not affect the moistness or flavor of the cornbread, only the appearance. If the cracks bother you, try the tips below to avoid cracking.

Here are some PRO TIPS to try to avoid bread cracking while baking:

• Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Avoid opening and closing the oven door during baking.
• Add a second pan with some boiling water to the oven. This adds more moisture to the oven.
• Cook at a lower temperature for a longer time:
• Bake at 350 degrees.
• Start checking for doneness beginning at 30 minutes.
• The cornbread will probably take an additional 15-20 minutes to bake.

How to Store

At Room Temperature. The cornbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Or cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil.

If in a hot or humid climate, store it in the refrigerator.

In the Refrigerator. Cover the cornbread tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.

In the Freezer. After the cornbread has totally cooled, wrap the cooled cornbread tightly in plastic wrap then in foil or put into a plastic freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and warm before serving.

Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and warm before serving.

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Recipe

Originally published: April 14, 2020