There is nothing quite like fresh homemade cornbread! We've been making this easy cornbread recipe for years in our house and it makes the best homemade cornbread time and time again! The crust is perfectly golden, the center fluffy and moist. That's a combination that is really tough to beat.
This cornbread has been a must-have in my home for years, and the whole family looks forward to it when they know we are having it with dinner.
Once you have mastered this easy cornbread recipe, I am sure it will become a favorite around your home as well.
I think we love this homemade cornbread recipe so much because it is so simple to make. Plus, when you compare the price of cornmeal to those little boxes of mix, this recipe will save you money also.
Bonus: When you keep a good supply of cornmeal around, not only will you be able to make this easy cornbread recipe, you'll never need to buy one of those premade mixes again and you will also discover many other great recipe ideas that use cornmeal.
Can't use sugar, or prefer reduced sugar?
This easy cornbread recipe is very versatile. Simply substitute the sugar for Splenda and it comes out perfect. Or you can also reduce the amount of sugar you use to as little as 1/4 cup.
Yellow Cornmeal: Medium or fine-grind works well and will give your cornbread a beautiful golden-brown color. The medium grind gives the cornbread that slightly grainy consistency that I personally love.
All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour will help the cornbread to rise and give it the consistency of bread.
Granulated sugar: This gives the cornbread a touch of sweetness to balance out the flavor of the cornmeal and the bread flour. If you prefer low-calorie sugar, using Splenda in place of the sugar will make your homemade cornbread low-calorie. If you like your sweet cornbread recipe a little less sweet, you can always adjust the sweetness by adjusting the amount of sugar or even the Splenda.
Baking powder: When you're learning how to make cornbread, you will find that the baking powder helps the dough expand as it bakes.
Salt: It doesn't take much but you'll want a little to bring out all the flavors in your scratch cornbread recipes.
Butter: Gives this easy cornbread recipe a moist, rich flavor that just can't be beaten.
Milk: Makes this easy cornbread recipe moist and rich
Egg: Helps to bind everything together, plus it helps the cornbread to rise.
This is where you discover this easy cornbread recipe is so versatile it makes this is the best cornbread recipe out there.
Preheat oven to 400°
Cut 1/3 cup of butter from a stick of butter and set aside in a microwave-safe container. Add the remainder of the butter to an 8-inch cast-iron skillet well and set that aside for the moment.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Place your cast iron skillet with butter into the preheated oven to heat the skillet.
Using a microwave-safe container, melt the 1/3 cup of butter and then mix with milk to cool. Add the egg and whisk all liquid ingredients together until well blended.
Make a well in the center of your dry cornbread ingredients and add your liquid ingredients. Mix just until the cornbread mixture comes together with only a few lumps remaining in the batter.e
Pour all the batter into your prepared, hot cast-iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve hot.
Toppings make your cornbread even better. Here are some of my favorite toppings we use for our homemade cornbread.:
Butter (Well, that's kind of a given) but there are different types of butter you might try.
A dribble of honey is always good on cornbread
Any kind of jam or jelly.
You can even use your homemade cornbread to make sandwiches. Ham & Cheese anyone?
You can also use your homemade cornbread as a topping too. My favorite is crumbling it into a good old-fashioned bowl of ham and beans, or chili with a little shredded cheddar cheese on top. You can even use your homemade cornbread in soups, rather than crackers.
I think I'm making myself hungry just typing this!
How long will cornmeal keep?
Best if used by date: When stored properly, ground cornmeal is fine long after the best if used by date. This date is the manufacturer's suggestion for peak quality, not food safety.
How can you tell if ground cornmeal is bad or spoiled?
The best way to tell is to look at and smell the ground cornmeal. if insects appear in the cornmeal or the cornmeal develops a flavor, appearance, or odor that is off it should be discarded.
For more information on the length of storage, check with our friends at StillTasty
If you are looking for some of the best airtight containers on the market to store your cornmeal in, I would highly recommend you check here.
Do I have to use a cast-iron skillet?
Nope, you can make this easy cornbread recipe in pretty much any 9-inch pan. A cast-iron skillet helps to give the cornbread that crunchy edge though and I would highly recommend having one. Personally, I have one cast-iron skillet that is literally dedicated to making cornbread.
You can also make a double batch in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9×13-inch baking pan if you wish. You’ll just need to adjust the baking time to 35-40 minutes if you are doubling the batch.
Muffins are easy also, just adjust the cooking time to around 15 minutes
Can I use white cornmeal for this recipe?
Of course, personally, I prefer the yellow cornmeal in this easy cornbread recipe because it gives the cornbread that beautiful golden color but white cornmeal works just fine.
Can I Substitute the butter for Vegetable Oil?
Not a problem, you don't need to use butter. You can use any mild oil that you prefer, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or even avocado oil if you wish!
Can I Make This Cornbread Gluten-Free?
Absolutely! You can make this easy cornbread recipe gluten-free by simply swapping out the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 ratio of gluten-free baking flour and it will work out great.
Why is My Cornbread Crumbly?
Cornbread is unlike shortbread in that a little bit of crumble is normal but it shouldn’t be completely dry. Trick number 1, use equal portions of all-purpose flour and cornmeal. Trick number 2, Don't overbake it.
Once you've become a pro at this recipe, Why not try your luck at homemade buttermilk biscuits or even biscuits and gravy?
There is nothing quite like fresh homemade cornbread! We've been making this easy cornbread recipe for years in our house and it makes the best homemade cornbread time and time again! The crust is perfectly golden, the center fluffy and moist. That's a combination that is really tough to beat.
Preheat oven to 400°Cut 1/3 cup butter from the stick and set aside. Add the remainder of the butter to your cast-iron skillet and set it aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Place your cast-iron skillet with butter into the preheated oven to heat the skillet.
Using a microwave-safe container, melt the 1/3 cup of butter and then mix with milk to cool. Add the egg and whisk all liquid ingredients together until well blended.
Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your liquid ingredients. Stir just until the mixture comes together with only a few lumps remaining.
Pour the batter into the prepared cast-iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Servings 12
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
NOTES