The Best Cornbread Recipe

September 25, 2018  //  56 Comments »
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This easy cornbread recipe is extremely moist, made with buttermilk and real corn, and it comes together in less than 10 minutes. It will become your go-to recipe to enjoy alongside ribs, chili, or any of your favorite meals!

Squares of cornbread on a piece of parchment paper.

Let’s talk cornbread.

If I go to a restaurant and open the menu and see cornbread listed somewhere, I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. Bonus points if it’s served piping hot with some honey butter on the side. The absolute best restaurant cornbread I’ve ever had was at Copper Canyon Grill in Rockville, Maryland. I could have eaten the entire pan and made it my meal, but I restrained myself.

When I make cornbread at home, I always turn to this recipe, which has been my go-to for well over 10 years now. It’s an extremely quick recipe to prepare, comes out wonderfully moist every single time, and the leftovers stay fresh for days.

I’ve tried many others, and while there are tons of great cornbread recipes out there, I always come back to this one. It’s simply the best.

Squares of cornbread on a wire cooling rack.

How To Make a Cornbread Recipe From Scratch

I know.

It’s super easy to grab a cornbread mix, add a couple of ingredients and toss it into the pan, but honestly? This is not much more involved and it tastes SO much better!

Let me show you how to make fabulous, old-fashioned cornbread without the mix…

Corn and buttermilk for cornbread in a food processor.

If you keep a bag of corn in the freezer and buttermilk in the refrigerator, you will likely have everything you need to throw this together in less than 10 minutes.

All it takes is a bowl, a blender or food processor, and a spatula. That’s IT!

Cornbread batter mixed together in a bowl.

  • First, whisk together your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Then, bust out your food processor or blender and give the corn and buttermilk a quick spin. Add the eggs and process a few seconds longer.
  • Add your blended corn mixture to the dry ingredients and stir together briefly, then add the melted butter (mmmm butter!) and stir until mostly combined. BIG TIP: Do not overmix! You just want to make sure the dry ingredients are moistened, but lumps are okay!
  • Spread it into a square pan and pop it into the oven. Done!

Cornbread batter spread into a pan before baking.

Cornbread in a pan, fresh from the oven.

The resulting cornbread is crusty on the outside, moist on the inside and loaded with bits of real corn.

It is absolutely delicious all on its own, but I will also never turn down a smear of salted butter (or honey butter if you’re kicking things up a notch!).

If You Like This Cornbread Recipe, Try These:

Squares of cornbread on parchment paper, with a pat of butter on top.

Four years ago: Crispy Potato Latkes
Five years ago: Applesauce Snack Cake with Oat-Nut Streusel
Six years ago: Cake Batter & Sprinkles Chocolate Bark
Nine years ago: Peach Crumb Bars

Squares of cornbread on a piece of parchment paper.
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The Best Cornbread Recipe

Servings 10 to 12 servings
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 45 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Author: Michelle
This easy cornbread recipe is extremely moist, made with buttermilk and real corn, and it comes together in less than 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • 1½
    cups
    unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1
    cup
    yellow cornmeal
  • 2
    teaspoons
    baking powder
  • ¼
    teaspoon
    baking soda
  • ¾
    teaspoon
    table salt
  • ¼
    cup
    light brown sugar
  • ¾
    cup
    frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1
    cup
    buttermilk
  • 2
    eggs
  • ½
    cup
    unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
US Customary - Metric

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined; set aside.
  3. In a food processor or blender, process the sugar, thawed corn kernels and buttermilk until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps will remain), about 5 seconds longer.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour the wet ingredients into the well. Fold the dry ingredients into wet, giving the mixture only a few turns to barely combine; add the melted butter and continue folding until the dry ingredients are just moistened (do not overmix!).
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cornbread onto wire rack, turn right side up and continue to cool until just warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into squares and serve. Leftovers can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes:

  • To freeze the baked cornbread, cool completely then wrap well in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, place in a ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then remove the foil and plastic wrap, wrap loosely in aluminum foil and reheat in 350-degree oven until warmed through, 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional values are based on one serving

Nutrition:

Calories: 270kcal
Fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 59mg
Sodium: 244mg
Potassium: 229mg
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 5g
Vitamin A: 400%
Vitamin C: 0.7%
Calcium: 77%
Iron: 1.7%

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in September 2007. It was updated in July 2015 with new photos, then refreshed in September 2018 with more new photos and extensive recipe tips.

[photos by The Almond Eater]

posted in Quick Breads
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