This Cornbread Recipe Bakes to Moist + Buttery Perfection in 25 Minutes — So Easy!
Our moist cornbread recipe beats the Jiffy boxed mix. Great to serve with Super Bowl chili!
If your upcoming Super Bowl menu includes chili, make plans to whip up a batch of cornbread as well. This bread is a delicious addition as its sweet and buttery flavor does wonders for tempering the chili’s spiciness. And for the big game — when chili will be consumed in abundance — your party guests deserve nothing less than the best cornbread you can make. The good news: We’re sharing easy tips from a chef along with our moist cornbread recipe to help you make this baked good from scratch.
How cornbread is made
This baked good is made using a thick batter of cornmeal, milk, eggs, butter, sweetener and baking soda and/or powder. Once combined, the batter is baked in a square pan, cast iron skillet or muffin tin until it’s golden brown and tender. Since cornbread doesn’t contain yeast, it’s considered to be a “quick bread” that you can mix up and bake it right away. However, not all cornbread is the same as the ratio of ingredients varies by region.
The different types of cornbread
The two popular ways of preparing cornbread are Northern-style and Southern-style. In Southern regions, it traditionally contains less sugar and plenty of cornmeal; this results in an intense corn flavor and crumbly texture. By contrast, Northern-style cornbread recipes tend to rely heavily on sugar and flour, resulting in a sweeter taste and more cake-like texture. The type of cornbread you make boils down to flavor and texture preference. That said, Southern-style is more versatile for savory dishes like chili where the bread can absorb the stew’s bold flavors without being overly sugary.
3 tips for making delicious cornbread
Cornbread is one of the simplest baked goods you can make without a boxed mix. Just use these three tips from Alea Chappell, owner of Trengredient.com, to nail tasty homemade cornbread every time.
1. Swap regular milk for buttermilk.
Buttermilk is more acidic than regular because it’s fermented. This acidity reacts with baking soda in the batter to help the bread rise, giving your cornbread a larger crust and fluffy interior once baked. The milk also has a tangy flavor that will make your cornbread extra tasty.
2. Gently incorporate extra ingredients into the batter.
Adding ingredients like grated cheese, diced jalapeños or crumbled bacon into the batter creates a cornbread that your taste buds will love. Just be sure to combine the ingredients until a thick yet still lumpy batter forms. Otherwise, mixing the batter too much will cause gluten to form and result in a dense and dry cornbread.
3. Cover the baked cornbread before serving.
If you’re serving the baked cornbread within a few hours, drape a clean tea towel over it once it’s slightly cooled. This helps the cornbread retain its moisture so it doesn’t dry out and it keeps it warm.
Our favorite moist cornbread recipe
Below, you can find out test kitchens’s Buttermilk Cornbread recipe that’s slightly sweet, crumbly and moist. Whip up a batch to go with your game day chili for a tasty touchdown!
Buttermilk Cornbread
These moist and tender squares are oven-ready in just 15 minutes — for extra color, fold in fresh herbs and red pepper.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Directions:
- Active: 15 mins
- Total time: 50 mins
- Yield: 6 servings
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Coat 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk and butter; whisk until blended. Pour batter into pan.
- Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. Cut into squares.
- Easy variation: Make it Pepper Jack Scallion Cornbread. Fold 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese and 2 chopped scallions into batter. Continue with recipe.
For more Super Bowl-inspired dishes, check out these recipes below!
Slow Cooker Recipes Perfect for Game Day — 10 Winning Ideas That Are So Easy to Make
Tired of Buffalo Wings? Supercharge Your Super Bowl Wings With These 3 Recipes
Game Day Snack Recipes That’ll Score Big With Your Crowd — Perfect for Tailgating!
