Sour Cream Cornbread Recipe
on Dec 03, 2018, Updated Feb 04, 2025
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This easy sour cream cornbread recipe makes a slightly dense and moist cornbread with just the right amount of sweetness! This cornbread is not too crumbly and goes perfectly with a bowl of soup or chili.
When I was a kid, my mom made Jiffy cornbread from that fun little blue box. Her secret touch was adding a little sour cream to the mix to make it more moist and thicker than it normally cooks.
I’ve taken a page from her book and am sharing a great recipe for sour cream cornbread. The sour cream in the cornbread recipe replaces part of the oil and helps to make the cornbread a bit thicker and denser than traditional cornbread. It makes a great cornbread that is sweet and moist but doesn’t fall apart. I love this recipe to serve alongside chili. It’s also perfect for buttering up with lots of honey butter.
Table of Contents
17 Best Cornbread Recipes Ever!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The best part of this recipe? It only takes 5 minutes to stir together and another 20 minutes to bake. That means you can have a hot bread side dish in less than a half hour on the table. It’s so quick and easy!
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients just until they are mixed. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough cornbread.
- Let the cornbread cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. This prevents it from becoming soggy.
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour — if you’re gluten-free you can totally substitute this and it will work perfectly
- Yellow cornmeal — you can use white cornmeal too
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sour cream
- Egg
- Butter
How to make sour cream cornbread
- Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt..
- Make a well in dry ingredients and add sour cream, egg, and melted butter.
- Mix the ingredients just until everything is incorporated.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Recipe FAQs
Because you are replacing the fat and oil in this recipe with sour cream, I have found it best to use full-fat sour cream and not light.
Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn’t look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. Also, don’t try to sub any of the cornmeals used for making tamales – they are a different grind and the texture doesn’t come out the same.
This recipe is great with a drizzle of honey, butter, honey butter, or just as it is.
I like to serve it with lentil chili, vegetarian chili (made in the Instant Pot!), or next to simple baked chicken legs with some roasted veggies or a salad on the side. It goes well with lots of things.
I have made this recipe gluten-free by simply swapping out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking blend and it worked perfectly.
Expert Tips
- Using room temperature ingredients will help you get a nice smooth batter.
- Adjust the baking time if using a different pan size. A larger, shallower pan will cook faster, while a smaller, deeper pan may require a bit more time.
- Use high-quality butter for a richer flavor. If you prefer, you can also use melted bacon fat for a savory twist.
Sour cream vs. buttermilk cornbread:
Sour cream and buttermilk alike create a nice and tender cornbread. They both have acids in them that tenderize gluten strands, making the bread softer after baking. Buttermilk isn’t fatty, however, so it adds a rich flavor and texture without adding fat.
Sour cream makes cornbread more moist and gives it a creamier texture, but it has a higher fat content than buttermilk. If you follow a lower-fat diet, you may prefer to make buttermilk cornbread like this one rather than sour cream cornbread.
More Breads Recipes To Consider
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30-Minute Southern Cornbread Recipe
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Southwest Spicy Mexican Cornbread Recipe
Cornbread Recipes
Southern-Style Cornbread Dressing (With Make-Ahead Tips)
Cornbread Recipes
Crispy Cornbread Fritters: A Simple Southern Delight
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Sour Cream Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven for 400 degrees F. and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch round pie plate.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until well combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the sour cream, egg, and melted butter.
- Slow mix the ingredients until everything comes together, taking care not to over mix.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cornbread is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving hot.
Video
Notes
- Preheat your baking pan or skillet before adding the batter. This helps form a crisp, golden crust. If you’re using a cast-iron skillet, place it in the oven while it preheats!
- You can add ingredients like shredded cheese, chopped jalapeños, cooked bacon, or fresh herbs to enhance flavor.
- Start checking for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. The cornbread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container or wrap it in foil. It will keep at room temperature for a couple of days, or you can freeze it for longer storage.
Amazing!!! The only substitute I made was using aquafaba because I didn’t have eggs. Oops!
I also made honey butter to top after it was baked.
I’ll be adding this to my family chili nights.