There’s something soul soothing – and very budget friendly – about a hot bowl of soup beans and a piece of homemade cornbread right along with it. That’s where this homemade cornbread recipe shine! Slather a bit of butter and a light sprinkle of salt and you’ll be in southern comfort food Heaven!
Ya’ll? I love cornbread. Slap a piece down on my plate with a good bowl of chili, alongside a piece of fried chicken, with a bowl of hot soup beans, or served along side my slow cooker beef stew recipe, I am not one to ever – and I mean ever – turn down a good piece of cornbread. Plus, with Thanksgiving coming up soon, it’s the perfect easy side dish!
Okay, honestly? Most of the time I simply warm it, slather it with melted butter, a little bit of bacon grease or honey butter and sprinkle some salt on top and I am in Heaven!
But, I am not one who likes a box mix when I can make the same thing at home for less money and get a better taste. Enter my homemade cornbread recipe.
If you like cornbread, you’ll love this homemade cornbread recipe just as much as I do. It’s a quick bread which means you’re working with nothing more than a batter that produces a moist cornbread without having a cake like texture. It’s sweet but not too sweet. Truthfully, it’s the best cornbread recipe that I’ve ever tried and once you bake a batch of your own; I am certain you will agree with me.
This recipe was one of the ones that I turned to when I began in 2015 working hard to find ways to save money on food beyond what I was already doing. These days, I have stopped buying and started making over 52 items and instead, make them homemade.
In other words? It was one of my first success stories frugally.
How to Make Better Cornbread
When it comes to cornbread, one of the questions I see a lot is how to make better cornbread. A lot of folks seem to have issues with a dry bread, something that has zero sweetness at all or it simply doesn’t set up correctly.
To start, use a properly seasoned cast iron skillet. I don’t know the mechanics behind it, but cornbread always tastes better piping hot from cast iron. If you want to get fancy with it, you could also use cast iron cornbread molds as well. If you don’t have cast iron, that’s okay. Just me sure to use an oven-safe baking dish.
The second tip I can give you is this; don’t overbeat your batter. Cornbread is supposed to be dense but not so dense and dry that it sucks every bit of moisture out of your body. Instead, hand beat the ingredients just until they are fully incorporated. It produces a bread that has a bit of air in it to help reduce the density of the yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour so you get the moist cornbread recipe you’re looking for.
Finally, don’t bake it too long. This is an easy cornbread recipe so it bakes up pretty quickly. You’re looking for a clean toothpick in the center and a golden brown edge and top. Once you get to that point, pull it from the oven.
How to Make Cornbread Muffins
For those of you looking for how to make cornbread muffins, it’s super simple! Simple make the recipe as stated and instead of using an 8×8 or 9-inch baking dish, pour the cornbread batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners. Personally, I prefer to use silicone cupcake liners because they’re reusable so your out of pocket cost will be cheaper in the long run.
How to Make Homemade Cornbread into Mexican Cornbread
I love Tex-Mex and Mexican food so of course I’ve learned how to make homemade cornbread into mexican cornbread! It’s super simple and this recipe works incredibly well for it!
Make the recipe as stated, but instead of baking it plain, add cheddar cheese, diced bell pepper, diced jalapenos, green chiles and of course, extra corn if you would like.
The one thing that I will caution on is that because this can be a thicker batter, just be mindful of your additions. You may need to add extra corn or more milk to thin it out enough to keep it from becoming a brick. It’s hit or miss for me on that one honestly.
How to Store Homemade Cornbread
Homemade cornbread will keep for about five days in the fridge but can be frozen for up to three months without losing its flavor or texture. To do so, allow it to cool completely.
Wrap each piece in parchment paper and store it in can airtight container or freezer bag.
Homemade Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- Wire Whisk
- 8×8 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ C all-purpose flour
- ¾ C cornmeal
- ¼ C sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Large egg beaten
- 1 C milk
- ¼ C oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Pour into a greased 8×8 baking dish
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cut into 2×2" squares and serve warm with butter.
