Buttery, rich Cornbread Recipe in under 15 minutes! Ditch the box; our simple recipe is just as easy and way more delicious!
The Best Cornbread Recipe
Cornbread: everyone’s got an opinion on how it should taste. Some want it sweet, some dense, and others? Light and cakey. And don’t even mention whether to use white or yellow cornmeal, sugar, flour, or what pan to bake it in!
Now, my cornbread? It’s the bomb! Medium-thick, sweet with a touch of honey, and has that soft, cakey bite—no fresh or frozen corn needed. Perfect with some Chili Con Carne on a cold day.
Still, taste is all about what you’re into. While we think our cornbread recipe is the very best, if mine isn’t your jam, no sweat! But before you leave, check out these insanely delicious Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re epic!
Ingredients In This Recipe
- Butter: Makes it moist and tasty, also stops it from sticking to the pan.
- Buttermilk: Makes the cornbread recipe soft and slightly tangy.
- Egg: Helps hold everything together.
- Honey: Adds sweetness, moisture, and a shiny top.
- Brown & White Sugar: Makes it sweet and moist.
- Flour: The main building block of the bread.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Gives the cornbread its grainy texture and unique flavor.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt: Helps the bread puff up and adds taste.
- Cornstarch: Makes it a bit fluffier.
How To Make Cornbread
- In a bowl, combine room-temperature wet ingredients, using only half the honey.
- In a larger bowl, mix dry ingredients, including cornstarch.
- Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the cornbread recipe mixture into a 9×9-inch pan.
- Bake the cornbread recipe for 19-2o minutes at 375 degrees.
- Once slightly cooled, brush the top with the remaining honey.
Quick Tip
Can I use polenta instead of cornmeal? No, they’re different. Cornmeal is ground corn found in baking aisles, while polenta is an Italian dish akin to grits, made with cornmeal.
Storage
Storing This Cornbread Recipe
- Room Temperature: Store cornbread recipe in an airtight container, 2-3 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container, up to a week.
- Freezer: To freeze, cool completely, cut into squares, wrap each in plastic, then foil. Store wrapped squares in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Serve With
- Crockpot Chili chili cook-off winner
- Creamy Chicken Chili enchilada-flavor
- Crockpot White Chicken Chili takes minutes to assemble
- Vegetarian Chili extra dose of veggies
- Quinoa Chili vegan friendly
Cornbread Recipe
Buttery, rich Cornbread Recipe in under 15 minutes! Ditch the box; our simple recipe is just as easy and way more delicious!
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons honey, separated
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 cup white all purpose flour
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal (enriched and degermed; I use Albers. See Note 1.)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place eight tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt. Set melted butter aside to cool to room temperature before using. Remove the wet ingredients from the refrigerator so they reach room temperature.
- WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, two tablespoons of honey, brown sugar, and white sugar. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the melted (room temperature) butter until smooth and combined. If the wet ingredients are cold and butter is warm, it will clump. Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients and gently mix (or fold with a spatula) until just combined. Do not over-mix or beat.
- DRY INGREDIENTS: In another large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
- PAN: Place the 1 tablespoon remaining butter in the 9x9-inch pan. Place in the preheated oven for exactly one minute and then remove using oven mitts. Tilt the pan to coat the entire bottom in the melted butter. Pour the prepared batter into this pan and use a spatula to spread and make the top even.
- BAKE: Bake for 19-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center springs back when pressed gently.
- FINISH: Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. Gently brush the remaining honey over the cornbread. Cut into squares and serve warm.
- STORAGE: Cornbread does not keep well. It is best used on the day it's baked. To store leftovers, wrap individual pieces in plastic, then foil, and place in the fridge. If you are making cornbread for stuffing, it can be baked up to three days ahead (then store in an airtight container in the fridge).
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Degermed cornmeal: The germ of cornmeal is the endosperm of the grain. It's the center part that would sprout new corn plants. Degermed cornmeal, as you might expect, has the germ removed. Why? It keeps the cornmeal from spoiling. Most cornmeal you find in stores is degermed.
Cornbread tips:
- Mix by hand and avoid over-mixing. It is actually desirable to have a few lumps in the batter. They will hydrate during baking and give your cornbread a great texture!
- Once wet ingredients are combined with dry, work quickly with the batter. The moisture will begin to activate the leavening agents in the batter, so we want to get it into the oven as quick as possible. Remember, this is a quick bread, so you have to work quickly to take advantage of the leavening properties.
- A dark pan will make crustier cornbread than a light pan. For the crustiest possible cornbread, use a cast iron skillet.
Nutrition
Serving: 16pieces | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 424IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used a dark honey and it gave a lovely intense flavor and scent! This was very nice and not like a mouthful of sawdust like some corn breads. I plan on making french toast out of the left overs tomorrow!
Yummy! I’m so happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Chelsea,
This definitely the best cornbread I have ever made and even my family agrees ! All of your recipes always turn out well ! I am so glad I found you and I love the pictures ! Thank you, thank you, thank you !!
Yay!! So thrilled to hear that 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind comment and review Victoria 🙂