Homemade Cornbread - Love and Lemons (2024)

Learn how to make the BEST cornbread from scratch! With a lightly sweet corn flavor and tender crumb, it's delicious alongside a hot bowl of soup.

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Homemade Cornbread - Love and Lemons (1)

Homemade Cornbread - Love and Lemons (2)

If my Midwestern upbringing taught me one thing, it’s that there’s nothing better than a slice of cornbread and a bowl of chili on a cold fall night. But I’m not talking about just any cornbread. I’m talking aboutgoodcornbread, the kind that’s slightly crumbly, perfectly golden, and right on the line between savory and sweet. If you dunk it into the smoky, spicy chili, it’ll taste delicious, but it’s also tasty on its own, with or without a pat of butter on top.

This homemade cornbread recipe checks every box. Even Jack, who generally swears off cornbread, is happy eating slice after slice. I’ll always vote for pairing it with chili, but really, it’s fantastic with any soup or stew. Serve it for dinner, alongside piping hot bowls of whatever soup you like best. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, pop them in the freezer for another day, or devour them for breakfast with a big slather of honey or jam. Let’s bake!

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Cornbread Recipe Ingredients

This cornbread recipe isn’t just delicious – it’s simple too! There’s a good chance you have all the ingredients in your pantry already:

  • Cornmeal and all-purpose flour – They make up the base of the batter. I like to make this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal. It adds some texture to the bread, but it’s not too coarse or crunchy.
  • Baking powder and baking soda – They make the cornbread nice and fluffy.
  • Almond milk – For moisture. If you don’t keep almond milk on hand, feel free to substitute a different type of milk. My homemade oat milk or regular cow’s milk would work here too.
  • An egg – It adds richness and helps the cornbread puff up in the oven.
  • Maple syrup – You can’t make good cornbread without a little something sweet! I love the combination of the corn and maple flavors in this recipe.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – I use extra-virgin olive oil because it’s what I keep on hand. If you prefer, you can use a neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, in its place.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

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How to Make Cornbread

Ready to bake? Here’s what you need to do:

First, whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Then, pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.

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Stir until just combined – a few lumps are ok.

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Next, pour the batter into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish.

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Finally, bake! Transfer the cornbread to a 350° oven and bake for 25 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the homemade cornbread cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before slicing and serving. It’ll be tempting to try a slice right away, but trust me, the wait is worth it. After it cools, the cornbread will have a fluffier, more cohesive texture and richer corn flavor.

Enjoy!

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Homemade Cornbread Serving Suggestions

Did I mention that this is a great recipe to pair with chili? I kid, but the combination of the lightly sweet cornbread and spicy chili is a tough one to beat. Still not in the mood for chili? That’s ok! Serve this cornbread with any soup or stew. These recipes would all be great choices:

  • Butternut Squash Soup
  • Many-Veggie Vegetable Soup
  • Creamy Potato Soup
  • Yellow Split Pea Soup
  • Roasted Red Pepper Soup
  • Wild Rice Soup
  • Tomato Basil Soup
  • Or any of these 25 Best Soup Recipes!

It’d also go well with a hearty salad like my Sweet Potato Salad, Rainbow Kale Salad, or Best Broccoli Salad. And of course, you can’t go wrong by topping your cornbread with butter, jam, or honey and enjoying it on its own.

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More Favorite Baking Recipes

If you love this cornbread recipe, try one of these delicious baking recipes next:

  • No-Knead Bread
  • Rosemary Focaccia
  • Homemade Soft Pretzels
  • Healthy Banana Muffins
  • Pumpkin Muffins
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Or any of these 25 Super Fun Baking Recipes!

Homemade Cornbread - Love and Lemons (10)

Homemade Cornbread

rate this recipe:

4.92 from 47 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Serves 16

Save RecipePrint Recipe

This easy cornbread recipe is one of my favorite things to make in the fall! Serve it with a bowl of chili or soup, or enjoy it on its own with honey, butter, or jam.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 large egg*
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or any neutral oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

  • In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, egg, maple syrup, and oil.

  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 to 32 minutes or until the center springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

*To make this vegan, replace the egg with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, and decrease the flour by 1 tablespoon.

Homemade Cornbread - Love and Lemons (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.

What to add to cornbread mix to make it better? ›

24 Things To Add to Jiffy Cornbread Mix to Make It Even Better
  1. ⅓ cup white sugar + ¼ cup brown sugar + ⅓ cup sour cream + 4 tablespoons melted butter + 1 tablespoon vanilla.
  2. 1 tablespoon oil, melted butter, or browned butter.
  3. ½ cup mayonnaise.
  4. ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt.
  5. 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup.
Dec 18, 2022

What ingredients keep cornbread from being dry? ›

Just like the buttermilk, sour cream can be added to help cornbread stay moist. Just like buttermilk is fermented milk left over from making butter, sour cream is fermented cream. It is actually thicker than buttermilk and has more tang to it.

Why does my cornbread crumble and fall apart? ›

you need the gluten in the flour to hold it together and also enough moisture. if it is too high in fat it will also be too tender and crumbly. i don't know what ingredients you are using but you could try using a higher protein flour if you are using a cake flour or soft southern flour such as white lilly.

What does adding an extra egg to Jiffy cornbread mix do? ›

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

How to doctor up boxed cornbread mix? ›

You can simply stir 2 tablespoons honey into your cornbread batter to add a touch of sweetness. But things get even better when you add your favorite fruit. For a citrusy flavor, stir the zest and juice of 1 orange or 2 lemons or limes into the batter.

Is cornbread better with milk or water? ›

Can I substitute water for milk in cornbread mix? Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.

Should cornbread batter be thick or thin? ›

The batter should be thick, but still pourable. Add more milk or buttermilk if necessary. Remove the skillet from the oven and tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom and sides of pan.

What temperature do you cook homemade cornbread at? ›

Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round cake pan with the cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, milk and egg with a fork or wire whisk until well mixed.

Why isn't my cornbread moist? ›

Don't over mix.

Once you add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, be sure only to stir until combined. Over mixing will result in a dry cornbread.

Should I refrigerate cornbread? ›

Cornbread can be stored at room temperature as long as it's kept in a dark and dry place, like a cupboard. Make sure the cornbread has fully cooled down before you store it. Wrap the loaf in aluminum foil or plastic wrap two times, and then place it in a zip-tight plastic bag.

What is the best cornmeal for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

Why is my cornbread dense and heavy? ›

Why is my cornbread dense? If you overmixed your batter or over-measured your flour, your buttermilk cornbread could turn out dense. Be gentle with your batter and make sure you know how to properly measure flour.

What is the binder in cornbread? ›

Purpose of Eggs in Breads and Muffins

Eggs play multiple roles in our favorite baked goods. They bind, stiffen, and provide structure. Additionally, they add a fatty richness and flavor. More importantly, they act as a leavener, helping baked goods to rise and become nice and fluffy.

What makes cornbread fall? ›

While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.

How do you keep cornbread from getting gritty? ›

The trick to this perfect cornbread is letting the cornmeal, corn flour, and buttermilk sit overnight; this allows the corn flour to fully hydrate, while the acid from the buttermilk tenderizes the cornmeal, helping to create a tender, almost cakey bread that still retains that slightly gritty texture you expect.

How to make krusteaz cornbread less crumbly? ›

Eggs, or egg substitutes help add structure to the cornbread. Without an egg or substitute, the cornbread may crumble and fall apart easily.

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