Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe – Simple & Easy (With Video!)
on Mar 08, 2018, Updated Oct 23, 2024
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This is truly the best homemade cornbread recipe. It’s my go-to quick bread on busy nights because it’s ready for the oven in 5 minutes! If you’re wondering how to make cornbread, this simple cornbread recipe is what you’ve been looking for. It makes buttery, perfect cornbread – every time.
See How Easy It Is To Make This Cornbread Recipe!
My family has been making this easy cornbread recipe for decades, and thousands of people on the internet have, too. This recipe has over 1000 comments and 600 glowing reviews and is officially THE favorite cornbread recipe!
17 Best Cornbread Recipes Ever!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This cornbread is EASY – prep in just 5 minutes!
- No buttermilk and basic pantry ingredients.
- Bake it in any pan.
- Ready in 30 minutes!
This cornbread has been a staple for my family for years and years. My family absolutely loves this cornbread recipe, and I’m sure your loved ones will too.
Table of Contents
- See How Easy It Is To Make This Cornbread Recipe!
- What Makes This THE Best Cornbread
- Recipe Ingredients
- Practical Substitutions
- How to Make Homemade Cornbread
- Different Baking Dishes & Cooking Times
- What is the Best Cast Iron Skillet for Cornbread?
- Recipe FAQs
- Topping Ideas for Cornbread
- Ways to Use Leftover Cornbread
- How to Store Cornbread
- More Great Cornbread Recipes
- The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe Recipe
What Makes This THE Best Cornbread
One of the reasons I love this cornbread recipe is that you don’t need anything fancy to make it. Many cornbread recipes require buttermilk or creamed corn or a very specific kind of pan.
- Well for starters, it tastes DIVINE.
- It’s sweet but not over the top.
- It’s soft but not cakey.
- And crumbly without being a plain mess.
I serve this cornbread alongside all my soups, favorite chilis, and along with my favorite barbecue.
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Yellow cornmeal: A must for cornbread! It gives the bread its beautiful golden-brown color and grainy, delicious consistency.
- Granulated sugar: This gives the bread sweetness. I LOVE sweet cornbread, and this is a sweet cornbread recipe. Don’t love sweet cornbread? Just leave it out or reduce it!
- Salt
- Baking powder: To help the dough rise and expand as it bakes.
- Oil
- Egg: This binds everything together and helps the bread to rise.
- Milk: For a rich, moist cornbread!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Practical Substitutions
There’s a LOT of room to play with this recipe so don’t feel that you have to make it exactly as it’s written.
- Use melted butter OR oil—canola, avocado, vegetable oil, or even coconut oil.
- Use fine OR medium ground cornmeal, and you can use white OR yellow cornmeal.
- Use all-purpose flour OR a white whole wheat flour.
- Don’t like a sweet cornbread? Feel free to reduce the sugar to as little as 2 tablespoons.
- Use cow’s milk—whole milk is perfect—OR alternative milk, like almond or soy.
- Use an egg OR a flax egg.
How to Make Homemade Cornbread
I can’t express enough how easy this cornbread recipe is to make, even for a new cook. And it’s a great recipe for kids learning to bake for the first time!
So, how do you make cornbread? Just follow these easy steps to make this super simple recipe.
Step 1: Toss your dry ingredients in a bowl.
Step 3: Give everything a quick mix. So easy!
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Pour it into a greased dish or cast iron pan and bake in a preheated oven. You’re done putting it together in 5 minutes!
Different Baking Dishes & Cooking Times
I have tested this recipe a ton! You can use whatever pan you like or have on hand, including a metal or glass dish or a cast iron pan.
- 8×8 inch square or round baking dishes: bake 35 minutes
- 9×9 inch square or round baking dishes: bake 25 minutes
- Double the batch for a 9×13 inch pan: bake 45-50 minutes
- 12 muffins in a standard muffin tin: bake 15-18 minutes
- Cast iron skillets are the same cooking time based on size
Extra Yummy Tip: If you pour the cornbread batter into a hot skillet and then bake, it will result in an amazingly crisp golden crust!
What is the Best Cast Iron Skillet for Cornbread?
I love using the Staub Cast Iron Fry Pan for my homemade cornbread. While it’s a bit of a splurge, I’ve found that the extra smooth interior lasts forever! It’s oven-safe up to 900 degrees F and the enamel construction is safe to use on all stovetops. Unlike other cast iron skillets, it doesn’t require seasoning (a huge bonus!) and it’s dishwasher-safe, although I recommend hand washing it. Plus, your freshly made cornbread will look absolutely gorgeous in it!
Recipe FAQs
Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn’t look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. NOTE: Do NOT use anything that says Cornmeal Mix or self-rising cornmeal, or you’ll have too much baking soda and salt in the recipe.
Cornmeal is dried ground corn. It’s found in the baking aisle of grocery stores. You can typically find it in a fine or medium grind. Both will work well for this recipe. Don’t use polenta or grits; they are processed differently and will not work. Corn flour is more finely ground and can also be used, though the texture will change.
You don’t have to use cow’s milk in this cornbread recipe!
-Use an alternative milk, like a nut or seed milk—almond, soy, hemp, coconut, or oat.
-Use evaporated milk for a shelf-stable milk substitute from the pantry.
-A powdered milk, either dairy or nondairy, can also be used.
Yes, cornbread can be frozen! Wrap individual pieces or a whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place in an airtight freezer bag for an additional layer. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave in the wrapping to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for several hours before reheating.
Topping Ideas for Cornbread
Did you know that you can add fun toppings to cornbread that make it even more delicious to eat?
Here are some of my favorite topping ideas for homemade cornbread:
- A drizzle of honey
- Butter
- Honey butter
- Jelly or jam
- Maple syrup
- Or just as it is!
What To Serve With Cornbread
We eat this cornbread about once a week! A slice of cornbread is scrumptious served with any of these easy recipes:
Make This A Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipe
Make this recipe gluten-free by simply swapping out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking blend (often labeled 1:1 gluten-free baking blend). It works perfectly!
This truly is the best cornbread recipe! It can be whatever you need it to be and still come out amazing.
Ways to Use Leftover Cornbread
For special meals, I will use any leftover cornbread in a tasty and so simple Cornbread Dressing with Sausage & Apples.
My next favorite way to use it up is in this extremely versatile Cornbread Salad—yes, a salad!
And the simplest way to give a new life to leftover cornbread is to pop it in a glass and top with cold milk. It’s so yummy, whether the cornbread is warm or at room temperature! (This is the perfect way to eat cornbread for breakfast IMO.)
How to Store Cornbread
Cornbread can be stored in a bag or airtight container on the counter for 1 to 2 days if the room temperature isn’t too hot.
For warm or humid conditions, it’s best stored in the refrigerator.
More Great Cornbread Recipes
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Zucchini Corn Bread
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl I love these because they have lids and double as serving bowls.
- parchment paper The precut pieces are easy to use and cut as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, not self rising flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal, fine ground, not cornmeal mix
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, see notes for recent changes
- 1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk, or milk substitute like almond milk
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or square baking dish or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. See notes for other pan sizes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
- Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- NOTE! The original recipe called for 3.5 teaspoons of baking powder and it worked great for many people (me included) but a few people reported it leaving a bitter taste. I take reviews seriously, so I did major recipe testing on 6/11/24 and tested the recipe 10 times on one day. I made the decision to change the amount of baking powder to 1.5 teaspoons. I tested it many times and had my mom test it as well at sea level. I believe this is a great move for everyone and the recipe will work perfectly. You can always use the original amount of baking powder if that’s how you made it before.
- You can make this in a 9-inch round cake pan, 9-inch square baking dish, or 9-inch cast iron skillet. You can also bake this in an 8×8 square baking dish for 35 minutes, make it into 12 standard sized muffins baking them 15-18 minute, or double the recipe and toss it in a 9×13-inch baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn’t look the same. Don’t use a cornmeal mix or self-rising cornmeal so check the package to make sure it doesn’t have added baking soda, baking powder, or salt.
- To make this recipe gluten free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. It works very well! You can let the batter rest in the pan for 30 minutes before baking to improve texture.
Based on all the fab reviews, I’m planning to make this for Thanksgiving — at a friend’s house. Can I make this day ahead, or is it best day of? Also, since I’m taking it to a friend’s house, would you wrap it in cling wrap or Tupperware?
I like it best hot out of the oven, but if it’s Thanksgiving and that oven space is a hot ticket item, you’d be fine to make it ahead of time by a day. Just make sure you let it cool all of the way before covering it so that it doesn’t get steamy or sweat on itself. You care good to cover the whole pan with cling wrap and serve it out of the pan. You can also warm it a bit in a warm oven for a few minutes it you like though I think it’s fine at room temperature. I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
My daughter has an egg allergy. Have you ever made this using an egg substitute? If so would you be able to share how you made it egg free? Thanks so much!
It’s so flexible, I bet an egg replacer would work, you could make a flax egg, and I have even tried it using sour cream or greek plain yogurt to replace the egg. I think it’ll work great!
Best cornbread recipe ever! It’s going in my Recipe Binder- my husband asked for it to be made again, that’s twice in one week!
Woohoo! I feel the same way about it, so glad that you liked it as much as we do!
Amazing cornbread. I have an old corn bread recipe I use for thanksgiving every year but wanted something much easier to make. This one tastes like authentic cornbread you find at restaurants and way way easier. Thanks for a great recipe.
Yay! I’m so glad you found success with the recipe too!
From all of us who aren’t wizards in the kitchen, thanks for this super simple, delicious recipe.
Bookmarked!
You are SO welcome, it’s just one of those recipes that works every time!
I’ve never made cornbread before. I decided to give this a try to go with ribs and baked beans this weekend. The recipe was so easy. I did my first batch in an 8″ square and now I am doing a double batch in a square muffin tin for individual loaves. Slathered with butter, it is so good. I have already bookmarked this recipe. Thank you. ?
Thank you! Your meal sounds perfect and I think you’ll LOVE having the fun little loaves to serve. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and leave a review.
Best cornbread ever! I wish I could post a photo of it here, since I don’t use Instagram. It was beautiful! Thanks for the great recipe!
I love that you said that you’d like to add a photo. We are working on that functionality right now and it should be available to you in just a few weeks!
I know I will probably upset some people with this review but I have to say it, cornbread is not cake. I have been making cornbread since I was 16 years old and I have NEVER put sugar in my cornbread, sorry if you put sugar in the mix you have never eaten real southern cornbread. I have tried the sweet stuff and it is repulsive to me, but that’s just me.
All you need is 1 -2 cups of self-rising cornmeal with an egg, 1/4 cup oil, and buttermilk to make a loose, smooth consistency and you will have a great pan of cornbread. Bake about 425. It’s not a cake but it’s wonderful! Serve hot with butter!
What was the point of commenting on this if you have a recipe that you like? Not everyone likes all foods the same and as far as I recall, no one claimed this was a “real southern cornbread”. Don’t like this style of cornbread? Don’t make it. Want to post your recipe? Go post a real southern cornbread recipe on your own blog. No need to try to tear down someone elses’. The collective is that this is a great recipe and I would agree.
Northern corn bread has no sugar in it and a crumbly texture. Southern cornbread has sugar and a more cakey texture. This recipe is more like true southern cornbread. I personally find northern corn bread flat and bland.
My mom made this recipe and I grew up in Indiana, so maybe the midwest like theirs sweet like the south!
That’s simply not true. I was born and reared in Louisiana, can’t get much more Southern than that.
I never heard of sweet cornbread until I left the South as an adult. No one I ever knew in the South put sugar in their cornbread…not anyone. Not at home, not at any relatives home, not in any restaurant, cafe, church social, work event, community event, ….no one anywhere.
If you do happen to like your cornbread like cake then this is a good recipe for it.
Exactly. My family has lived in the South for generations. I have Never known anyone that puts sugar in their cornbread in the South. Nothing wrong with it if you want to do it but Southerners do NOT put sugar in their cornbread. But we do put LOTS of sugar in our tea.
I am a life long Southerner and we do not put sugar in our cornbread in the South. I know a lot of awesome Southern cooks and none of them put sugar in their cornbread. Most Southerners also use white meal and not yellow meal.
Loved this cornbread recipe! I added a chili pepper, rosemary and cheddar cheese too. Definitely making this again. Thank you!
Ohhhh those sounds like amazing additions, thank you for letting us know what worked for you. I appreciate the review!
This cornbread is the best I’ve ever made. I substituted the milk for unsweetened almond milk and added a bit more of it and it turned out so fluffy and lovely. Thank you for this recipe. It’s a family and friend favorite and I make it all the time!
This recipe got rave reviews from my family and friends. It’s perfect served with a thick hearty soup.
Hooray! I always love a good family review of a recipe. Hope you make it again.