Easy Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe – Ready in 30 Minutes!
on Nov 21, 2024
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Master this easy jalapeño cornbread recipe with the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. Ready in just 30 minutes using simple pantry ingredients. Get that crispy crust and moist center every time!
Want to know the secret to making restaurant-style jalapeño cornbread at home? According to a recent survey by King Arthur Baking Company, cornbread ranks as America’s #3 most-loved quick bread!
My foolproof recipe delivers that perfect balance of sweet corn, buttery richness, and spicy jalapeños. Whether you’re serving it alongside chili or enjoying it solo, this 30-minute recipe will become your new go-to!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe
- Perfect Balance: This recipe is great because it strikes just the right balance between sweet cornbread and spicy jalapeños, with adjustable heat levels by keeping or removing seeds.
- Quick & Simple: Using basic pantry ingredients and just 15 minutes of prep time, this recipe is super simple and can be on the table in just 30 minutes!
- Serve With Anything: Works beautifully as a side dish for chili, BBQ, or soups, or can stand alone as a snack with butter.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Stores well at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for a week, with great reheating results – perfect for meal prep.
🌽 Does your family LOVE cornbread? Check out all of my easy cornbread recipes for more cornbread love!
Recipe Ingredients
- Yellow cornmeal
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
- Fresh jalapeños
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions & Variations
I’ve learned that the beauty of cornbread is how forgiving it is when you want to play around with ingredients! Here are just a few suggestions for altering the basic recipe provided below:
Buttermilk: Try swapping out the regular milk for buttermilk. It makes the cornbread incredibly tender and adds a subtle tangy flavor that’s absolutely fantastic. If you don’t have buttermilk handy, here’s a quick fix: add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to your regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Dairy Free: I’ve had great success making this recipe dairy-free for times when I know there will be guests who need to avoid dairy. Melted coconut oil works surprisingly well in place of butter, and unsweetened almond milk creates a perfectly moist cornbread. Just make sure your eggs are at room temperature to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying when mixed.
Adjust Spiciness: Want to kick up the heat? Here’s where it gets fun! While fresh jalapeños are classic, I’ve discovered that pickled jalapeños add an amazing tangy kick. Or try diced green chiles instead of jalapeños for a milder, more complex flavor profile that heat-sensitive eaters might enjoy.
Mexican-inspired: For a Mexican-inspired variation that absolutely rocks, try adding 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed) and 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese blend. The corn adds these lovely sweet pops of texture, while the cheese creates these incredible crispy edges. My neighbor literally begs me to make this version for our get togethers!
How to Make Jalapeño Cornbread
Step 1: Gather the ingredients, preheat the oven to 400°, and grease a 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter, beaten eggs, and milk. Stir just until combined; the batter will be slightly lumpy.
Step 4: Gently fold in the chopped jalapeños, ensuring they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula if needed.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Recipe FAQs
With 2-3 jalapeños (seeds removed), it provides a mild-medium heat that most people enjoy. For less heat, use just one jalapeño or remove seeds and membranes. For extra spice, leave the seeds in or add an extra jalapeño.
Yes! The recipe is written for a 9×9 inch pan, but you can use an 8×8 inch pan (increase baking time by 5-7 minutes) or a 9-inch cast iron skillet (reduce time by 2-3 minutes). For a thinner cornbread, use a 9×13 inch pan and reduce baking time by 5-7 minutes.
Insert a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown, and the edges will be slightly pulled away from the pan. Total baking time is typically 25 minutes at 400°F.
Expert Tips
- Make Ahead: Bake it up to 2 days ahead and store at room temperature in an airtight container. For best results, reheat slices in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before serving. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months – just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Some lumps are good! I stop stirring as soon as I don’t see any dry flour streaks, even if the batter looks a bit lumpy.
- Jalapeño Prep: For consistent heat throughout, finely dice the jalapeños and toss them with a tablespoon of the dry ingredients before adding to the batter. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking and ensures even distribution.
- Rest Before Cutting: Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting. This allows the structure to set while keeping it warm for serving. Cutting too soon leads to crumbling, while waiting too long can make it dry out.
How to Store Cornbread
Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.
It keeps at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Don’t store in the fridge while warm, as this can make it dry and crumbly.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months – just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheat leftover slices in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before serving.
Other Delicious Cornbread Recipes to Try
Obviously I’m a huge cornbread fan, and why not? It’s so yummy, super quick, and I always have the ingredients on hand to make any number of variations! Here are a few of my family’s very favorite cornbreads:
- My #1 cornbread recipe – always a winner!
- Cornbread with cheese & green onions
- Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins
- Zucchini Cornbread
More Quick Bread Recipes to Consider
Cornbread Recipes
Best Homemade Sweet Cornbread Recipe – Moist & Fluffy!
Pumpkin
40 Fall Pumpkin Recipes
Homemade Bread
Soda Bread
Quick Bread Recipes
Brown Bread
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Jalapeno Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 2-3 large jalapeños, finely chopped (seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter, beaten eggs, and milk. Stir just until combined; the batter will be slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold in the chopped jalapeños, ensuring they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula if needed. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cornbread cool in the dish for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy warm with butter or alongside your favorite chili, soup, or barbecue!
Notes
- Variation idea: Add 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a pinch of smoked paprika to the batter.
- Use fewer jalapeños or remove the seeds for a milder flavor. If you like extra heat, leave the seeds in or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Leftover cornbread can be wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in the oven for a fresh-out-of-the-oven taste!
- I really like my cornbread on the sweeter side. You can add up to an additional 1/4 cup of sugar if you’d like.
