I can honestly say that this Homemade Cornbread Recipe is one of my all time favorites. It’s so easy to make, cooks golden, tender, and buttery with crisp edges and tastes better than any of the pre-made mixes.
You are going to love this easy homemade cornbread recipe. Making cornbread from scratch isn’t as hard as you might think. This cornbread recipe is the perfect side dish to our favorite crock pot meal. This is one of our favorite oven baked recipe.
I’ve been making your corn bread for a couple of years. Absolutely love it. I like to add diced jalapeno occasionally. Thank you for sharing a great recipe.
-Bertha H
This is the Best cornbread recipe and is super easy to make. We think it tastes much better than store bought cornbread and it will save you money. Try these other delicious cornbread recipes – Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe, southern cornbread recipe, Mexican cornbread, cornbread casserole recipe, cornbread salad, and gluten free jalapeño cheddar cornbread recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Ready in 30 minutes. Just one bowl and a 9×9 pan — no mixer required, and it’s in the oven in about 5 minutes.
- Costs about 24 cents a slice. This whole pan costs around $2.15 to make, a fraction of the cost of a boxed mix or store-bought loaf.
- Slightly sweet, buttery flavor with crisp edges. It’s tender in the middle without tasting like cake.
- Basic pantry ingredients. No buttermilk or specialty cornmeal required — just flour, cornmeal, sugar, and staples you likely already have.
- Kid-approved. My own 8 kids ask for this on repeat, and it’s easy to customize with mix-ins the whole family will eat.
One of the best money-saving tips I use for my family is making homemade cornbread mixes — it makes it so much easier to have the dry ingredients already mixed together and ready to go.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – You can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour
- White Sugar – Reduce the sugar if you don’t want it as sweet
- Whole Milk – If you are all out of milk, you can definitely use water. Just add about 1 ½ teaspoon of butter to ensure you still have soft and moisture to the cornbread.
- Vegetable Oil – You can use melted butter instead of oil
- Baking Powder – This is what makes your cornbread rise and gives it a light, tender texture instead of a dense, heavy one. Make sure yours isn’t expired, or the cornbread won’t rise properly.
- Egg – Helps bind the batter together and gives the cornbread structure so it holds its shape when sliced.
The ingredients for this recipe are not complicated. If you already love to bake, I bet you already have most of these items in your pantry. Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
How to Make Homemade Cornbread
Step 1 – Prepare oven and baking pans – First preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then spray a 9-inch baking pan with the non-stick spray of your choice. You can also lightly grease the pan with butter or shortening.
Step 2 – Combine Ingredients – Simply whisk the dry ingredients together then add the wet ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. I usually use a hand mixer but you can stir the mixture by hand as well. It’s okay if there are lumps.
Step 3 – Pour batter into pan – Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cornbread is golden brown and starting to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Step 4 – Serve and Enjoy – Allow to cool slightly or to room temperature and then slice and serve. I love to serve warm with butter.
Troubleshooting Common Cornbread Problems
My cornbread came out dry or crumbly. This usually means it was baked a little too long. Start checking a few minutes before the recipe’s suggested bake time, and pull it as soon as a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
My batter looks really thin. This can happen if your cornmeal has a finer grind than what’s called for. It’s not a mistake — it will still bake up fine, just double check that you’re using standard yellow cornmeal and not a super fine corn flour.
My cornbread tastes more like cake than cornbread. This recipe is on the sweeter, more tender side (what’s sometimes called Northern-style cornbread). If you prefer a more savory, less sweet, crumblier cornbread, try our Southern Cornbread Recipe instead.
Variation Ideas
I love that this recipe is so versatile. This easy recipe is a base cornbread recipe. It is so simple to add in your favorite ingredients to make this recipe your own!
- Honey is a great addition to this recipe, if you like sweet cornbread recipe. All you have to do is add ¼ cup of honey to the ingredients and mix it in before baking.
- If you prefer spicy foods, I recommend that you add chopped jalapeños prior to baking. You can easily remove as much seeds to give this homemade corn bread recipe the prefect amount of spice.
- Cheese is also a great add in for this recipe. I love making cheddar cheese cornbread. Mix in approximately ½ cup of your favorite cheese to all the other ingredients. Chopped bacon is also a great addition when adding in cheese.
- Cornbread Muffins – We love this batter baked as cornbread muffins too! Divide the batter into a greased or lined muffin tin and bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Buttermilk Swap: Want a tangier flavor and extra-moist texture? Swap the milk for 1 cup of buttermilk. No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a scant cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Corn Kernels or Creamed Corn – Stir in 1 cup of corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or drained canned) or a can of creamed corn for extra corn flavor and texture in every bite.
- Blueberry Cornbread – For a sweeter, breakfast-style version, gently fold in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries right before baking.
Topping Ideas for Cornbread
What do you top your cornbread with? You can use fun toppings that make this easy cornbread recipe even more amazing and adds so much flavor. Try these toppings the next time you make cornbread:
- A little bit of honey
- Butter
- Honey Butter
- Syrup
- Jelly
Even if you like your cornbread fresh out of the oven, you will not be disappointed.
What Can I Substitute for Vegetable Oil?
If you prefer to use something other than vegetable oil. Here are some of our suggestions. Any of these would work great with this cornbread recipe.
- Canola Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Melted Butter
What is the Difference between Southern Cornbread and Regular Cornbread?
- Southern Cornbread – Made with all or mostly cornmeal, little to no sugar, and often buttermilk. It’s savory, has a firmer, more crumbly texture, and is traditionally baked in a hot cast iron skillet.
- Northern Cornbread – Uses closer to equal parts cornmeal and flour, plus sugar, which gives it a sweeter flavor and a softer, more cake-like texture. Our recipe on this page falls into this camp — slightly sweet with a tender crumb.
What to Serve with Cornbread
- Soups or Stews – It is the perfect bread to serve with soups and beef stews. We also like to crumble it and mix in a bowl of beans. It is even delicious with Crock Pot Pinto Beans.
- Chili – Add a side of this cornbread to this Crock Pot Chili or Ranch Style Beans. I like eating it on the side of my chili with some melted butter on top. But my husband crumbles it up puts it in his bowl of chili.
- Other Options – Check out What Goes with Cornbread for more ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornmeal is a meal ground from dried corn. This staple ingredient is a must when preparing cornbread. It gives the cornbread a golden-brown color and the grainy texture that makes the best cornbread.
There are 3 different types of pans that can be used for this recipe. I usually use a metal or glass 9X9 baking dish. However, you can also use a cast iron skillet for this recipe. For the crispiest, crunchiest crust, pour the batter into the hot, pre-warmed skillet instead of a room-temperature one — you’ll hear it sizzle as it hits the pan.
Once the cornbread has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze cornbread. Cornbread freezes very well if stored properly. Place cornbread in a freezer safe container and it will last about 3 months. Thaw the leftovers at room temperature then reheat in the oven or the microwave.
Yes! Bake it up to a day ahead, then store it airtight at room temperature. Warm it in the oven for a few minutes before serving and brush the top with a little melted butter to bring back that fresh, moist texture.
More Easy Cornbread Recipes
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Homemade Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a 9×9 pan.
- In a bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 3 tsp baking powder.
- Add 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and ? cup oil, then stir until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool, slice, and serve.
This looks so yummy, and so easy to make!