This is my very favorite cornbread recipe, because it’s the perfect balance of everything there is to love about this easy quick bread. Follow this recipe and you’ll be rewarded with soft, moist, buttery sweet cornbread with crisp-crumbly edges.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
One reader, Lia, commented: “This is the best cornbread I’ve ever made. I go back to it over and over again. It has the approval of my husband and my hard to please 13-year-old son. It’s delicious. ★★★★★”
Have you ever had the experience of biting into a piece of cornbread, only to be disappointed by how it crumbles apart and tastes bland, sandy, and dry? I know I have.
Which is why I spent years testing and tweaking recipes in order to hit on the right ratio of ingredients to achieve perfection. Think: thick squares of buttery moist cornbread with a touch of sweetness, and just the right amount of crumbliness. It’s become such a popular recipe around here, that I use a variation of it to make my beloved cornbread stuffing.
Why You’ll Love This Cornbread
- Quick and easy to make
- No mixer required
- Slightly sweet, extra buttery flavor
- Crunchy-crisp edges
- Moist and tender, not too crumbly (similar to this savory quick bread)
One reader, EL, commented: “I am Southern. I have tried SO MANY cornbread recipes and none have tasted like home like this one. It’s now my go-to recipe and is always a hit!! ★★★★★”
What I Learned From Recipe Testing
Cornbread is like coconut macaroons. Random comparison I know, but hear me out. Both are very easy to make, but their success depends on the ratio of ingredients. When done wrong, cornbread (and macaroons!) can be dry, crumbly, and flavorless. But when done right, this quintessentially American quick bread is moist, tender, and flavorful.
While testing batch after batch, I played around with butter vs. oil, regular milk vs. buttermilk, the ratio of flour to cornmeal, and different sweeteners.
Here are the key ingredients you need:
- Butter: Butter is one of the main flavors here. While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isn’t present. Because butter doesn’t make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist. It also adds flavor, and you’ll notice that flavor in my no-yeast bread and biscuits recipes, too. If you’re interested, I have plenty more on this topic in my Baking with Buttermilk post (including a DIY buttermilk substitute recipe).
- Cornmeal & Flour: Equal parts fine cornmeal and all-purpose flour makes for the BEST cornbread. With 1 cup of cornmeal, you get lots of that delicious corn flavor, and those crisp-crunchy edges.
- Brown Sugar & Honey: There are two opposing camps when it comes to how cornbread should taste: sweet vs. not sweet. This particular recipe falls more towards the sweet end of the spectrum. While it’s not as sweet as cake, it does have some sugar and a hint of honey to balance out the savory buttermilk flavor, and enhance the natural sweetness of the cornmeal. Regular white sugar is fine to use here, but I especially love this made with flavorful, moist molasses-spiked brown sugar.
And the rest:
Baking cornbread is as easy as mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately, and then combining them into 1 thick batter.
Spread into a greased or lined square 9-inch baking pan. And try it in a cast iron skillet! My skillet cornbread is a forever favorite recipe, too.
What Is Cornmeal?
A lot of readers ask about cornmeal. What is cornmeal? Is cornmeal the same as cornstarch/cornflour? What about polenta and grits? It can certainly be confusing. Cornmeal is dried and ground corn. It’s typically found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. If you’re curious, here’s an article I found about the differences between many dried corn products, including cornmeal, polenta, and cornstarch.
More Cornbread FAQs
I usually use fine cornmeal to make cornbread, but if medium-ground or coarse is all you can find, you can use that, too. Yellow cornmeal is the most common, but if you have white cornmeal, that’s also fine to use.
Baking cornbread in a skillet gives it an even heartier, crunchier crust. Bake this in a 9- or 10-inch oven-safe greased skillet at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
Feel free to stir in a little something extra if you wish! Try adding in 1 cup of corn or a can of creamed corn, 1 or 2 chopped jalapeño peppers, 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and walnuts, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup crumbled bacon.
Here is the same recipe baked as cornbread muffins!
What to Serve With Cornbread:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Homemade Minestrone Soup
- Honey Chipotle Salmon
- Crab Cakes or Maryland Crab Soup
- Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
- Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
- Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
- Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
PS: Don’t forget the honey butter for on top!
And here’s my cornbread muffin recipe—I love adding jalapeño for a little kick. You can also bake it directly on top of chili when you make cornbread chili casserole.
My Favorite Cornbread Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
I was never a fan of cornbread until this recipe! After lots of recipe testing, I found the perfect ratio of ingredients for soft, moist, and buttery cornbread with crisp-crunchy edges. I guarantee this is the best cornbread recipe you’ll try!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) fine cornmeal
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) honey
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Then, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Avoid over-mixing.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test. Edges should be crispy at this point. Allow to slightly cool before slicing and serving. Serve cornbread with butter, honey, jam, or whatever you like.
- Wrap leftovers up tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze baked cornbread for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm the cornbread in the microwave or in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. If you don’t have any, you can make a DIY buttermilk substitute by adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to make 1 cup total. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using. Whole milk is strongly recommended for moistest, richest texture, but you can use lower-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch.
- Optional Add-ins: 1 or 2 chopped jalapeño peppers; 1 cup blueberries; 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and walnuts; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; or 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- Skillet Cornbread: Baking cornbread in a skillet gives it an even heartier, crunchier crust. Bake this cornbread in a 9-inch or 10-inch oven-safe greased skillet at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
- Cornbread Muffins: Here is the same recipe as cornbread muffins!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Best cornbread ever, even with modifications! I needed for this to be dairy-free, so I subbed avocado oil for the butter, and soured Oatly Barista for the buttermilk. It was perfectly baked at about 18 minutes, could’ve maybe even gone just a minute or two less. I did decrease the sugar to 3 tbsp, and would probably decrease a bit more, but that’s just personal taste. I’ve never really been a fan of cornbread in the past, but this was so moist and delicious, both my husband and I loved it!
Huge hit for chili night. It is a keeper
I like this recipe
Hello everyone! Thank u for the recipe! Can someone help me with the nutrition facts please!? Thank you
This is the best cornbread recipe ever. I share it with everyone!! I do have a question though, could you use this recipe to make cornbread waffles?
Hi Dawn, we haven’t tried, but can’t see why not!
Just made this for the very first time, delicious
We made this last night. I found the recipe in a rush and somehow missed that I needed buttermilk. I ended up using a mix of 2% and heavy whipping cream and it still turned out. We all really enjoyed it and I will be making it again!
Made this recipe tonight. It was terrific. Nice crumb, not too sweet. I added about a cup of fresh corn kernels and we were very pleased with the result. This is going in the keeper file.
OK, I need to apologize for my post. Although your cornbread is very crumbly (we have to use a fork to eat it), the off-taste was not your fault. Thee had been rust in the pan, and that’s what we are tasting. I’ll try your recipe again, but what can you change about it to make it easier to handle with just hands? This improvement would also make it easier to butter. Thank you.
Hi Frederic, thank you for giving this recipe a try. If it’s a bit too crumbly, try decreasing the bake time by just a minute or two. It sounds like it could be over baked just a bit.
I made a gluten free version of this tonight and it turned out beautifully subbing Trader Joe’s 1-for-1 GF flour for the all purpose flour. Took it to a dinner party with a bunch of people who eat gluten and a few who don’t and the gluten eaters gobbled it up and went back for seconds. I found it to be moist, fluffy, and superior to even the glutinous cornbreads I have made in the past. For those of you who are wondering if this is adaptable, it is in every way! Same cook time as well. Thanks for this absolute winner of a recipe, Sally!
Hi – If I wanted to do this in a 9x 13 should i one and a half this recipe? What about the baking time? Thanks!
Hi Samantha, you can double this recipe for a 9×13 inch pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but use a toothpick to check for doneness.
Great recipe. So moist. Definitely a keeper.
Hi Sally♡
Question:
Are you measuring in UK cups or American cups?
Hi Sybil, we measure using American cups. See recipe ingredients list for metric measurements, too!
This is the best cornbread recipe I’ve ever made. I followed directions as in the recipe. The only thing I added was a little sugar on top before baking. It came out perfectly! Love all the recipes on this site.
Wow! My family really enjoyed this cornbread and even went for seconds! I’ve tried so many cornbread recipes before, but they were always too dry. This one is just the right amount of sweetness and moisture and crumbliness. Delicious!
first time trying cornbread and it’s lovely, tasted like a carrot cake/pie without carrots? dont know how to explain: pretty sweet, maybe even a bit too sweet, smells very rich from the butter, its very moist. didnt have buttermilk so used the method with vinegar. overall easy to follow and quick:) thank you! my family and friends loved it too
Very good cornbread recipe. Better moisture than most others, sweetness comes on at the end. I used light brown sugar to keep the traditional cornbread color and used jumbo sized eggs. I enjoyed it enough to make 5 double batches (2 with jalapeño and sharp cheddar cheese) in foil pans for a cookout with 100 people. After filling the pans I scraped the bowl and put the dribbles in a mini muffin pan so I had samples for the chef.
Could you use a silicon baking dish/pan to make this and get the desired texture? Or does it need to be thicker (ceramic/metal/cast iron) to get the correct texture?
Hi Alicia, we haven’t tested it in a silicone baking pan, but let us know if you do!
Happy to report the silicone baking dish worked perfectly well! The bottom and sides were still a light crispy brown and everyone loved it.
5/5 of us loved it! I rarely make cornbread but it went with the meal and was great! My friends really like corn bread and they gave this rave reviews; it even cuts the way that it supposed to! It wasn’t too dry and I have to admit that while I was making it my friend said please make it really sweet so I did add a half a cup of sugar and generous tablespoons of honey! Definitely going to make this again!
Why does 1 measured cup of fine cornmeal weigh more than 120 gms.?
Which measurement do I use since 120 gms. is a lot less than 1 cup?
Hi Nancy, what brand are you using? Try spoon and leveling the cornmeal into the measuring cup. I usually weigh it as 120g.
Sorry, I’m sure you’ve answered this question countless times, but I have a question about “fine” cornmeal. When you say fine cornmeal do you mean corn flour, or just regular cornmeal? Thank you!
Hi Dorci, you’ll want regular fine cornmeal, not corn flour.
This is the best cornbread recipe I have ever made! And I’ve been cooking for almost 50 years! Thank you!
So happy to read this, Patricia!
50 years? The recipe says 20 mins. LOL.
I followed the recipe exactly and this was the best cornbread I’ve ever made. My husband loved it!
It was tasty, but very crumbly. I’d add 2 eggs rather than one and 2 tsp BP.
My go to recipe, I use bacon grease instead of the oil ❤️
Best recipe I have found for homemade cornbread! I used cassava flour instead of all purpose and masa harina instead of cornmeal because that’s what I had on hand. Really delicious! This will be added as a staple in my home, thank you!
Could I substitute sour cream for the buttermilk?
Sprinkled frozen Maine wild blueberries atop batter in pan, then swirled w/knife. While baking the blueberries didn’t bleed into batter. Extra tasty.
Hi Sally. I love everything you make!! This calls for fine cornmeal. Can I get medium and put it in my food processor or just use the medium. Will it be the same texture using medium? Or is the fine ground recommended?
Hi Donna, medium grind should work fine here, though you can try pulsing it a few times before using.
This is wonderful cornbread! I made some modifications to adapt it to feeding a large family and for the ingredients I had on hand. Specifically, I doubled the recipe, I didn’t have honey on hand, so I used more brown sugar, and I added a 15 oz. can of cream style corn. I baked it in a greased 9×13 glass dish and added 12 minutes to the bake time. It was perfect!
Excellent recipe! I’ve tried many other recipes but this is by far the best! Even my picky, growing, teenaged son loves it. A staple in this house!
I tried this recipe today… my family adored it!! I’ll use a bit less sugar in future , but oh my!! It’s DELICIOUS