Our Sweet Cornbread Recipe turns out perfectly moist and tender every time. If you love northern style cornbread, with that perfect balance of sweetness, this will quickly become your go to recipe!
I am sharing the best cornbread recipe today and you’re about to see that it has sugar in it.
I generally love me some southern food, but when it comes to cornbread I just have to have the sweet stuff.
I know that people are very passionate about whether or not sugar belongs in cornbread, so please just pass right on by if you like the southern version without a hint of sweetness. You’ll hate this recipe.
If you want a rich, dense, sweet cornbread that goes great with my turkey chili and my Instant Pot ham and bean soup, well, here you are. I have the best cornbread recipe for you and I’m so excited you’re here for it.
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Cornmeal – The key ingredient! This will give the cornbread the taste, texture, and color that we all know and love.
Dry Ingredients – In addition to the cornmeal you’ll need some all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda for the cornbread batter. The flour helps lighten it up a bit. If you use just cornmeal, the bread will be quite dense.
Wet Ingredients – Some egg, buttermilk, and vegetable oil are the remaining ingredients you’ll need for the batter. The buttermilk helps keep the bread moist and the tangy flavor pairs well with the sweet.
How To Make Cornbread:
Dry Ingredients: One of the things I love about cornbread is that it’s EASY! Start by adding the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda) to a large mixing bowl.
Combine: Now you can start adding the wet ingredients (oil, egg, buttermilk) to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.
No need to even use a mixer here. Just stir it together by hand until it’s a mostly smooth batter with just a few lumps remaining.
Bake: This buttermilk cornbread mixture can be baked in a greased round cake pan or a cast iron skillet. It’ll take about 25 minutes for the cornbread to finish baking.
That’s it! I told you it was easy.
Cast iron skillets are my favorite! They heat so evenly, get piping hot for searing, and nothing is better than bacon fried in a cast iron skillet.
Like a little heat with your sweet? Stir in some diced jalapenos!
Out of buttermilk? Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a measuring cup and then add milk up to the 1 cup mark. Let sit for 5 minutes and you’ve got a cup of buttermilk. This is buttermilk cornbread, so don’t skip the buttermilk! You need the acid to help the cornbread rise.
Like it sweet, but not too sweet? Feel free to adjust the sugar to your tastes. I wouldn’t leave it out entirely, but you should be able to cut it down to half without any issues.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- Better Than a Box: This homemade cornbread is so much better than the boxed mix! It’s a little more work, but you’ll love the result.
- Versatile: Slather on some butter and have a slice for a snack or serve this alongside your favorite soup, stew, or chili!
- Kid-Approved: Kids love the sweet, moist texture of this cornbread, making it a great choice for family dinners.
Did you know that you can make cornbread without flour? yes! it’s so simply! Check it out below!
FAQ
Can I leave baking powder out of cornbread?
What can I substitute for baking powder in cornbread?
What if I forgot baking powder in cornbread?
What is the purpose of baking powder in cornbread?
Can you make cornbread without baking powder?
You can make cornbread without baking powder if you use an alternative rising agent, like homemade baking powder, self-raising flour, or baking soda combined with an acid (e.g., buttermilk, yogurt, molasses, vinegar, or lemon juice). Or make cornmeal spoonbread without baking powder.
Is corn bread gluten free?
Corn as a cereal comes under the category of gluten free foods. Gluten is a protein which is mainly present in cereals like wheat, rye, barley. Corn bread can be gluten free but checking for the ingredient list is important as other things added into it may contain gluten. So whenever ready to eat corn bread is available check the food label to understand whether it is 100 percent gluten free.
Does cornbread need baking powder?
Even if your cornbread recipe veers toward the non-tart side of the palate, however, options abound for getting around the lack of baking powder. Baking soda helps breads rise when paired with acidic ingredients such as buttermilk.
What can I use instead of baking powder for cornbread?
For cornbread and other quick breads reliant on baking powder to rise, combine a few other pantry staples in its place to approximate a commercial baking powder mix. Blend together 2 parts cornstarch, 1 part baking soda and 1 part cream of tartar. Use this mix as a 1-to-1 substitution for baking powder.