Homemade cornbread is slightly sweet with a tender crumb. Pair this easy quick bread with chili, soup or serve at your Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, friends! Today I’m sharing a recipe for cornbread. It’s an easy, quick recipe that you can make from scratch for your holiday meal. Just a few ingredients, a mixing bowl and baking pan is all you need to make classic Northern cornbread. Note this is a quick bread recipe, which means it will have the texture and sweetness of bread, not cake!
This will not be an overly sweet cornbread that you often find at your local grocery store or restaurant. It’s moist, light and tastes like corn. Also, notice how I said Northern cornbread. I grew up in New England and I will be the first to admit there is a difference between Northern and Southern cornbread. Northern cornbread calls for melted butter, yellow cornmeal and flour, while Southern cornbread requires bacon drippings, white cornmeal and hot water. Personally I love both types of cornbread!
How to make homemade cornbread
Cornbread calls for yellow stone-ground cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, buttermilk, milk and butter. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the milks and eggs in another. Stir the two together just until combined (avoid oxer-mixing!) Stir the butter in last.
Bake the cornbread in an 8×8 baking dish at 425 F for 25 minutes. This high temperature will make the outside perfectly golden and slightly crusty while the inside stays moist. Let the cornbread cool for 10 minutes in the pan and serve warm.
FAQ about cornbread
How to store cornbread
Cornbread is best when eaten the day it is made (it dries out quickly). However, it can be covered and kept at room temperature for up to two days. I suggest covering it with tinfoil in the 8×8 pan so you can reheat the cornbread when you’re ready to eat.
How to reheat cornbread
Homemade cornbread can be reheated in the oven at 350 F for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with butter or as a side to your meal.
Can you freeze cornbread
Cornbread can be frozen for up to two months if properly wrapped. Let cornbread cool completely and don’t cut. Use plastic wrap to tightly wrap the cornbread. Wrap it again with aluminum foil. When ready to eat, remove wrapping, place cornbread back in the 8×8 pan and bake at 350 until heated through.
How to make cornbread moist
Cornbread is supposed to be somewhat dry and crumbly. However, if it is too dry you may have cooked it a little too long. Also, the proportion of flour to cornmeal should be about equal. If the cornbread is still dry, try reducing the cornmeal by 1 to 2 tablespoons and replacing it with flour. See recipe card for high altitude adjustments, which affects moisture in baking.
What to eat with cornbread
There are plenty of meals that you can serve homemade cornbread with. Chili is a popular option, but there are other meals you can serve cornbread with besides chili. Here are a couple ideas…
- Vegetarian sweet potato chili
- Turkey chili – Live Well, Bake Often blog
- Beef stew (instant pot) – The Salty Marshmallow blog
- Homemade raspberry jam – The Kitchen Magpie blog
- Cornbread stuffing – Carl’s Bad Cravings blog
Homemade Cornbread
crumb. It is a traditional Northern style cornbread that pairs well with chili
and holiday meals.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) yellow stone-ground cornmeal
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2/3 cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted and still warm
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Generously grease a metal 8×8 baking pan with butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl (or directly in the liquid measuring cup), whisk together the buttermilk, milk and eggs. Pour the mixture into the bowl of the dry ingredients. Whisk just until combined (do not overmix). Add the melted butter and stir just until incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan gently tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake at 425° F for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cornbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut with a butter knife and serve warm.
Kelly Anthony says
We love homemade cornbread! It’s my little girls absolute favorite. And I adore the idea of serving it at Thanksgiving dinner!!!
Pam Greer says
I love Southern cornbread and haven’t made a northern version in awhile, so this will be perfect with our bean soup today!
Jessica says
Great idea to add the buttermilk, I bet that makes it so light and fluffy. Also, thanks for the recipe tips – I’m learning a lot!
Jacque Hastert says
I had this cornbread last night with a big bowl of chili and it was an amazing combination. Everyone loved it and I can’t believe how easy it was to make homemade. Thank you!
Erika says
Cornbread is one of my faves, and I love this from scratch recipe.