Sweet Cornbread

Are you craving the perfect comfort food to accompany your next hearty meal? This sweet cornbread recipe achieves the ideal balance of fluffy texture and irresistible sweetness.

A slice of warm cornbread is always a treat! Whether making a holiday tray or pairing it with a bowl of homemade chili, it’s quick and easy to prepare. I used to grab a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, but then I learned how to make sweet cornbread from scratch. The taste is so much better!

Get the eggs and milk at room temperature as your first step. This ensures that the melted butter doesn’t clump up when mixed. Plus, when the batter isn’t cold, it will bake up light and fluffy instead of dense. It’s easy to convert the recipe into cornbread muffins to simplify portioning.

Key ingredients

• Cornmeal: Use finely ground yellow cornmeal to add a slightly crunchy texture and savory taste.
• Flour: All-purpose flour contains 10 to 13% protein, adding structure to the bread while keeping a tender crumb.
• Leavening Agents: Baking powder ensures a good batter lift and prevents a dense texture. Eggs help in multiple ways: bind so the bread doesn’t crumble apart, rise from the egg whites, and add fat from the yolks.
• Sweeteners: Granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness. A bit of honey adds a more interesting taste and is a humectant to help keep the cornbread from drying out.
• Salt: Kosher salt enhances the taste of the cornmeal and sweeteners so that the bread does not taste bland.
• Butter: The milk solids in the butter give a more complex taste and butterscotch note. The fat also keeps the bread soft.

Combine the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. The particles are very fine, and to ensure an even rise, make sure they are well distributed. If you are meal-prepping, you can store this in an airtight container until ready to use. I do this a few days before when making Thanksgiving dinner to save me time on the day of.

Combine the wet ingredients

Temperature is critical to making a tall, fluffy, and tender cornbread. The eggs and milk should be at room temperature. You can speed up the process by adding the eggs to a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes. Heat the milk in the microwave briefly until it’s tepid.

The melted butter should be slightly cooled and not hot so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. The milk and butter should not be above 144ºF (62°C). Whisk together until all of the wet ingredients are well combined.

Bake the batter

Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Don’t overmix, or the texture will get tough from too much gluten development. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish, I used a metal pan. Add the batter to the pan and bake at 350ºF (177ºC). To test for doneness, there should be no crumbs sticking to a toothpick when inserted in the center.

I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check. It’s ready at 185 to 190ºF (85 to 88ºC). The edges and surfaces should be golden brown. The baking time will be about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes to finish cooking. Slice and serve while still hot!

Flavor variations

This easy cornbread recipe is a fantastic base to add more flavorful mix-ins. Try these exciting options:

• Oil: Vegetable oil or coconut oil can be substituted for butter. However, since there will be no toasted milk solids, the flavor will not be as nutty, and the color may not be as golden brown on the edges.
• Milk: Instead of whole milk, use buttermilk. The extra fat and fermented flavor add dimension.
• Flour: Instead of all-purpose flour, add whole grains with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. Gluten-free flour works well with the recipe too.
• Sweetener: Maple syrup can be swapped for honey. Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar for a molasses note.
• Sweet Spices: To enhance the sweetness without adding more sugar, mix in a warm spice. Cinnamon or nutmeg, or use a pre-blended spice mix like pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice. Start with ½ to 1 teaspoon.
• Savory Spices: Add smoked or sweet paprika, cumin, or coriander. Make it spicy with chipotle, cayenne, or chili powder. Use ½ to 1 teaspoon.
• Herbs: Chop fresh rosemary, thyme, lavender, chives, basil, or tarragon. Dried herbs work well, use half the amount as directed. Start with 1 tablespoon.
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese, swiss, gouda, parmesan, or gruyere add a melty texture. Sprinkle some feta or goat cheese on top, then bake. Add ½ to ¾ cups.
• Vegetables: I love adding ¾ cups of canned sweet corn kernels. It makes for a more hearty bread with bursts of corn flavor. Mince up ¼ cup of jalapenos or salsa for a spicy bite. Stir in ½ cup of banned beans for extra fiber.
• Fruit: Add lemon or lime zest for a citrus note. Stir in fresh or dried cranberries. Make a skillet cornbread with blueberries for sweeter slices.

Serving suggestions

• Roasted turkey
• Fried chicken
• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Macaroni and cheese
• Green bean casserole
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Turkey chili

Frequently asked questions