This cornbread is tender and moist on the inside, with a golden and crisp crust. Make it sweet or savory depending on what you're serving!
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When I was younger, my family and I used to go to a barbecue restaurant every summer, and they used to always include the best tasting cornbread ever with each plate.
Portions were quite small though, so that was the only downside. A major plus with making food at home: you control the portions!
Making homemade cornbread is surprisingly easy! It can all be made in one bowl, if you're not very particular (which I'm not), and all you really need to do is combine your dry ingredients then toss in all of your wet ingredients and mix.
You can mix your dry ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to your dry ingredients, but at the end of the day it's all cornbread. So I prefer to make a well in the middle of my dry ingredients to break up the egg and somewhat incorporate the wet ingredients together before mixing in with the dry mixture.
With the weather getting nicer out, it's the perfect time for enjoying some barbecue. What's a better pairing than barbecue and cornbread?? Okay, there may be a few. But it's pretty high on the list!
homemade cornbread substitutes and variations:
Depending on what you're serving and how you want to enjoy your cornbread, here are a few ways you can change up this recipe:
- Cornbread with corn: You can use fresh corn to make this cornbread, but you would need to make a few tweaks. Since fresh corn will add moisture to the batter, you should scale back the milk to about ⅔ cup. Keep a bit of milk reserved on the side because, depending on your corn, you may need some added moisture.
Add about ¾ cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels to your recipe. Blend the corn if you like a smoother texture or leave whole for a chunkier cornbread. - Buttermilk cornbread: Exchanging the milk for equal parts buttermilk gives you a tangier, fluffier, richer cornbread that just tastes amazing! I like to use buttermilk if I'm using this recipe as more of a dessert cornbread because it really gives it a distinct flavor and moistness. If you don't have any on hand, check out how to make buttermilk at home!
- Savory cornbread: This recipe is more on the sweet cornbread side of things, but you can make it savory if you prefer. To make a plain savory cornbread, cut the sugar down to ¼ cup (for browning) and use a full teaspoon of salt. Below are 2 of my favorite types of savory cornbread.
- Savory Jalapeño cornbread: Using the same substitutions from the savory cornbread above, fold in about 1 seeded and minced fresh jalapeño to the batter at the very end. Depending on your heat preference, you can scale this up or down to taste.
- Savory Cheddar cornbread: Again using the substitutions from the savory cornbread, add about ½ a cup of grated cheddar cheese to the batter. You can use any aged cheddar you like. My personal preference is always medium aged! Jalapeños, chives, or green onions also go really well with the cheddar cheese cornbread.
Baking cornbread in different pans:
If you want to make this recipe into different shapes and sizes, here are a few of the different pans you can use, and what the quantities and bake times will be like!
- Cornbread muffins: This batter can be used to make 12 muffins. The bake time will take around 15 to 20 minutes.
- Skillet cornbread muffins: You can also make 1 (9 inch) round skillet with this batter. I also recommend buttering your skillet and heating it in the oven for about 5 minutes before adding your batter. That way you get a nice crust forming. Bake time will be about the same 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cornstick cornbread: If you're using a cornstick pan, this batter makes about 10 to 12. The bake time will be closer to 20 minutes.
Watch: How to make homemade cornbread:
Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish with butter, and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together to incorporate. Create a well in the center for the wet ingredients.
- Add your egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract (if using) into the center of your dry ingredients. Starting from the center, whisk together your wet ingredients to break up the egg. Gradually work your way out to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix until everything is combined and you no longer see any dry ingredient spots.
- Pour your cornbread mix into your prepared 9x9 inch baking dish. Bake in the center of a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a deep golden brown on the outside and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool slightly to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Enjoy!
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