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    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Breads > Cornbread

    The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe

    Published: Dec 14, 2020 · Modified: Sep 25, 2023 by Melissa · 1,058 Comments

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    Cornbread in Pan and Slice of cornbread on white plate

    Fill your kitchen with the aroma of homemade cornbread! My family has been making this easy cornbread recipe for decades. The crisp golden crust and moist, fluffy center really can't be beat. If you have some cornmeal sitting in your pantry, cornbread is comfort food just waiting to happen.

    If you're wondering how to make cornbread, this simple cornbread recipe is what you've been looking for.  It makes buttery, perfect cornbread - every time. Plus, it only takes 25 minutes from start to finish! You can make it in a skillet or any baking dish, too.

    Picture of homemade cornbread

    Homemade Cornbread

    This cornbread has been a staple for my family for years and years, but I realized a while back that I hadn’t created a post to share it with you! My family absolutely loves this cornbread and I'm sure your loved ones will too.

    This cornbread is EASY. No buttermilk. Bake it in any pan. Ready in 25 minutes!

    One of the reasons I love this cornbread recipe is that you don’t need anything fancy to make it. Many cornbread recipes require buttermilk or creamed corn or a very specific kind of pan. By comparison, my recipe is one you can make any day, any time, with what you have on hand. You can use any kind of pan and don't need any special ingredients. With just a few things you probably already have on hand you can make the best cornbread ever!

    What Makes this the Best Cornbread?

    Well for starters, it tastes DIVINE. It’s sweet but not over the top, soft but not cakey, and crumbly without being a plain mess. I can’t recommend it enough!

    Plus, there's a lot of room to play with the recipe. Use melted butter OR oil, use fine OR medium ground cornmeal, use all-purpose flour OR a white whole wheat flour. Don't like a sweet cornbread? Feel free to reduce the sugar to as little as ¼ cup. It's perfect, the ingredients are simple, AND you can make it your own.

    slice of cornbread with butter and honey on top with pan of cornbread behind it

    Cornbread Ingredients

    • All purpose flour: All purpose flour will allow the bread to rise a bit and give it the spongy, caky consistency of bread.
    • Yellow cornmeal: A must for cornbread! It give the bread its beautiful golden-brown color and the grainy, delicious consistency.
    • Granulated sugar: This gives the bread a touch of sweetness it needs to balance out the corn and bread flavors.
    • Salt: Just a pinch to bring out the complexity of flavors.
    • Baking powder: To help the dough rise and expand as it bakes.
    • Butter: This is a must -- it gives the bread a moist, flaky, rich flavor that is heavenly.
    • Egg: This binds everything together and helps the bread to rise.
    • Milk: For a rich, moist cornbread!

    How to Make Cornbread

    Okay, now let's get to the subject of this post: how to make homemade cornbread! You may be surprised to discover that baking a perfect pan of cornbread only requires a few easy steps:

    1. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
    3. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
    4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    5. Serve hot.

    See! It's that easy. I love a side that comes together in a snap and is on the table in about 30 minutes.

    aerial view of a sliced pan of cornbread with one slice out on a plate next to the rest of the pan

    Topping Ideas for Cornbread

    Did you know that you can add fun toppings to cornbread that make it even more delicious to eat? Here are some of my favorite topping ideas for homemade cornbread:

    • A drizzle of honey
    • Butter
    • Honey butter
    • Jelly or jam
    • Ham and cheese
    • If you live someplace where you can get your hands on maple cream, that's amazing on cornbread too!
    • Or just as it is

    Serving Suggestions

    I like to serve cornbread with beans or chili. It goes well with lots of things. My favorite thing is crumbling the cornbread into my chili, mixing it in, then sprinkling cheddar cheese on top. So good! It's a great side for any meal that needs a few extra carbs though.

    slice of cornbread on plate with honey and butter on top

    Homemade Cornbread FAQs

    What kind of baking dish should I use?

    You can make it in a 9-inch round cake pan, square baking dish, or 9-inch cast iron skillet. Bonus! You can also make these into muffins or double the recipe and toss it in a 9x13-inch baking pan. You'll just need to adjust the baking time if you are making muffins or doubling the batch. Muffins take around 15 minutes to bake and a doubled recipe takes 35-40 minutes to bake.

    What is the best kind of cornmeal to use for cornbread?

    Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn't look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. Also, don't try to sub any of the cornmeals used for making tamales - they are a different grind and the texture doesn't come out the same.

    What is Cornmeal?

    A lot of readers ask about cornmeal. What is cornmeal? What about polenta? It can be confusing. Cornmeal is dried and ground corn. It’s found in the baking aisle of grocery store. Cornmeal is just dried and then ground field corn and you can typically find it in a fine or medium grind. Both will work well for this recipes. Polenta and grits will also work in this recipe. Corn flour is more finely ground and can also be used.

    What Can I Substitute for Vegetable Oil in Cornbread?

    Another great thing about this particular tried-and-true cornbread recipe is you don’t NEED to use vegetable oil. You can use any mild oil you prefer, like canola oil, avocado oil, or even melted butter!

    Why is My Cornbread Crumbly?

    Ugh, isn’t overly crumbly and dry cornbread just the worst? If you’re experiencing just a little bit of crumble, that’s normal. It shouldn’t be true quick bread consistency, but it also shouldn’t be totally dry and feel like wet sand. Using too much cornmeal is one way to dry it out, so don’t skip out on the equal portion of flour.

    What Should I Serve With Cornbread?

    A lot of people love to pair cornbread with chili… for the obvious reasons (it’s amazing). But I love cornbread with so many other meals, too! It’s great with all kinds of barbecue or grilled meats. Its subtle sweetness makes it a great accent for spicy and meaty foods.

    What is the ideal cornbread texture?

    This recipe is perfect because it makes a delectable texture: spongy, moist, and soft, and just crumbly enough to sprinkle crumbs over chili. It's buttery and rich with just the right amount of sweetness.

    Can I Make This Cornbread Gluten Free?

    Yes! I have made this recipe gluten free by simply swapping out the all purpose flour for a gluten free baking blend (often labeled 1:1 gluten free baking blend) and it worked perfectly. This truly is the best cornbread recipe! It can be whatever you need it to be and still come out amazing.

    This is seriously the BEST cornbread recipe! Sweet & fluffy cornbread that comes out perfect every time. Great dinner side for soups, chilis, stews & more! #cornbread #corn #chili #baking #easy

    Watch my video showing you how to make this easy cornbread recipe here:

    Print
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    white plate with a stack of gingerbread

    The Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe


    ★★★★★

    4.8 from 519 reviews

    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 8-10 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Fill your kitchen with the aroma of homemade cornbread! My family has been making this easy cornbread recipe for decades. The crisp golden crust and moist, fluffy center really can't be beat.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
    • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ⅓ cup neutral oil or melted butter
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 cup milk

    Instructions

    1. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
    3. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
    4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    5. Serve hot.

    Notes

    • You can make it it in a 9-inch round cake pan, square baking dish, or 9-inch cast iron skillet. Bonus! You can also make these into muffins or double the recipe and toss it in a 9x13-inch baking pan. You'll just need to adjust the baking time if you are making muffins or doubling the batch. Muffins take around 15 minutes to bake and a doubled recipe takes 35-40 minutes to bake.
    • Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn't look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. Also, don't try to sub any of the cornmeals used for making tamales - they are a different grind and the texture doesn't come out the same.
    • To make this recipe gluten free simple sub the all-purpose flour for a gluten free 1:1 baking flour.
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Category: Baking
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: best cornbread, easy cornbread, skillet cornbread, gluten free cornbread, sweet cornbread, thanksgiving cornbread, how to make cornbread, southern cornbread, homemade cornbread

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

    After you master this recipe (and you will!), I challenge you to learn how to make biscuits and gravy next. Also a staple in this house 🙂

    More Cornbread Recipes:

    • Sour Cream Cornbread
    • Skillet Cornbread
    • Hot Water Cornbread
    • Cornbread Salad
    • Corn Muffin Recipe

    Easy dinner recipes to serve your cornbread with:

    • Classic Ham and Bean Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker recipe)
    • Hearty 15 Bean Soup in the Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
    • Easy Slow Cooker Chili
    • Quick and Easy Chili Recipe
    • Side salad with any of these 9 homemade salad dressing recipes (a good dressing makes everything better)

    Ohhh see how simple, flexible, and adaptable this recipe is? Now you can whip up a pan of cornbread any time the craving hits. It's so simple and this recipe will turn out perfect every time, just read the reviews!

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    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Julie Hampson

      September 26, 2023 at 3:07 pm

      Does this freeze well?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 26, 2023 at 4:06 pm

        Yep, it freezes great.

    2. Rochelle Jones

      September 24, 2023 at 10:40 pm

      Hands down the best homemade cornbread I’ve made, and I’ve tried multiple recipes. I’ve always used oil but tried the melted butter this time and I’ll never go back! Delicious and soooo addicting. Saving this as my new go-to!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. George

      September 18, 2023 at 10:42 pm

      Hi Melissa,

      Made the cornbread and it tasted great! However, mine crumbled apart extremely easy. Any suggestions here?

      Thanks!
      George

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 19, 2023 at 2:54 pm

        You can beat the egg before stirring it in, use butter instead of oil, or use a finer grind of cornmeal!

    4. Tracy

      September 17, 2023 at 6:31 pm

      Last minute search for homemade cornbread!! I will never make premade again. So easy and so yummy! Just the right amount of sweetness.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jean Parker

        September 20, 2023 at 4:44 pm

        I am making this tonight to go with the chili, can’t wait to taste it ❣️

      • Melissa

        September 21, 2023 at 1:27 pm

        I just made it with chili on Monday night! SO good! I hope you loved it!

    5. Barbara Christie

      September 17, 2023 at 7:57 am

      Can I make this a couple of hours ahead of cooking?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 18, 2023 at 6:47 pm

        Sometimes if you make the batter too far ahead of time the baking powder will react while resting and then not rise in the oven so I don't recommend it. You could mix the wet and dry ingredient separate and then just mix them before you plan to bake it.

    6. Lou Is

      September 16, 2023 at 8:39 pm

      Do you use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 18, 2023 at 6:48 pm

        I generally used salted but you are free to use what you like or have on hand.

    7. Mette

      September 16, 2023 at 6:15 am

      Your recipe looks great! Could I use buttermilk? Or would I change the consistency?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 18, 2023 at 6:49 pm

        It works great with buttermilk! You'll love it.

    8. Cheryl

      September 14, 2023 at 1:31 pm

      May I ask: can I add a can of creamed corn? Thank You.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 19, 2023 at 2:55 pm

        Yes, it works great, it might just need to bake a little longer!

    9. Jayne

      September 08, 2023 at 3:27 am

      Love this recipe. This was my first attempt at cornbread and it turned out perfectly! I beat the eggs as others suggested, used butter instead of oil and halved the sugar and used 1/3 cup which was plenty sweet enough. The tase and texture were great - moist and ever so slightly crumbly. I found the FAQs particularly useful. Now I can't wait to make more - maybe muffins next time!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chantelle

        September 09, 2023 at 1:50 pm

        My daughter loves cornbread from this recipe! She wants me to try adding canned corn kernels. Could I do that for this recipe?

      • Melissa

        September 09, 2023 at 9:28 pm

        Yep, you can add some canned corn! I drain it first.

    10. Cotrina Davis

      September 04, 2023 at 2:58 pm

      Cornbread

      Reply
    11. keith Rheaume

      August 30, 2023 at 8:11 am

      ive made this 3 times and it always turns out fantastic

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Linda

      August 27, 2023 at 4:29 pm

      Can u use lactose free milk

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 29, 2023 at 1:07 pm

        Yep, it'll work great.

    13. Chez

      August 26, 2023 at 11:20 pm

      Thanks from Down Under, made this today and it’s superb! Looking forward to browsing more of your recipes Melissa. God bless you all!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Lisa

      August 20, 2023 at 9:22 pm

      Great recipe! This cornbread is awesome! Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. M-J

      August 09, 2023 at 12:00 pm

      How do you prevent the cornmeal from being a weird texture. It felt like we were eating sand... We don't have a large variety of corn meal here, so I wonder if I might have purchased one that doesn't work. The taste was great but the texture didn't turn out for us...

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 10, 2023 at 9:20 am

        The grind of your cornmeal will influence the texture a ton, what does your package say?

    16. Deborah

      August 08, 2023 at 6:28 pm

      Tried this recipe and was so looking forward to it, but was disappointed with an aftertaste that I couldn’t identify. Thought I followed the recipe pretty well ?

      Reply
      • Deborah

        August 10, 2023 at 9:13 am

        Just realized I used baking soda instead of baking powder when I made the cornbread. Would that have created the aftertaste ?

      • Melissa

        August 10, 2023 at 9:18 am

        Yep, it's a lot more bitter.

    17. Charlene

      August 05, 2023 at 7:02 am

      I live in Canada and we don’t have much corn bread around. But every summer a rib fest comes to town and have the best cornbread we buy so much! We wanted to make some and have been trying recipes and this is definitely the best!!!! The whole pan was eaten at dinner! Absolutely delish! Thank you

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Laurence

      July 26, 2023 at 3:01 pm

      After the parade of rave reviews, I have no fear of rating this as a five even before making it. I have no doubts as to the outcome. (we have a housekeeper five days per week, so I need to wait for the weekend to do my own thing)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Andrea James

      July 26, 2023 at 2:35 pm

      My 9 year old loves to make this recipe. After making it for breakfast a few times we have adjusted it very slightly (because it is such a good base recipe). As others mentioned, we beat the eggs before adding them (less crumble in the cornbread). We doubled the recipe and added a can of cream style corn, and then had to add an additional 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of cornmeal (because of the extra moisture of the can of cream style corn). We're excited to try and add jalapeños to it next! Fantastic recipe, thank you for this.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
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