Homemade Cornbread

Learn how to make the BEST cornbread from scratch! With a lightly sweet corn flavor and tender crumb, it's delicious alongside a hot bowl of soup.

Cornbread recipe

This cornbread recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for years. I hope it’ll become one in yours too!

If my Midwestern upbringing taught me one thing, it’s that there’s nothing better than a slice of cornbread and a bowl of chili on a cold fall night. But I’m not talking about just any cornbread. I’m talking about good cornbread, the kind that’s slightly crumbly, perfectly golden, and right on the line between savory and sweet.

This homemade cornbread recipe checks every box. Even Jack, who generally swears off cornbread, is happy eating slice after slice. I’ll always vote for pairing it with chili, but really, it’s fantastic with any soup or stew. Serve it alongside piping hot bowls of whatever soup you like best.

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, pop them in the freezer for another day, or devour them for breakfast with a drizzle of honey, butter, or jam.

Let’s bake!

Cornbread recipe ingredients

Recipe Ingredients

This is my favorite cornbread recipe because it’s just as simple as it is delicious. You likely have all the ingredients in your pantry already:

  • Cornmeal and all-purpose flour – They make up the base of the batter. I like to make this recipe with medium grind yellow cornmeal. It adds some texture to the bread, but it’s not too coarse or crunchy.
  • Baking powder and baking soda – They make the cornbread nice and fluffy.
  • Buttermilk or any milk – For moisture. Buttermilk is fantastic here, but if you don’t keep it on hand, feel free to use whole milk, unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk instead. They all work well!
  • An egg – It binds the cornbread together and helps it puff up in the oven.
  • Melted butter or neutral oil – Either works here! Use the butter to add buttery flavor. Opt for a neutral oil, like vegetable oil or avocado oil, for a milder taste.
  • Sugar and honey – For sweetness. The sugar also perfects the cornbread’s moist texture, while the honey adds delicious depth of flavor.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Pouring wet ingredients into dry ingredients

How to Make Cornbread

You can find the complete cornbread recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:

First, whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Hand using spatula to stir batter in a mixing bowl

Stir until just combined—a few lumps are ok.

Pouring cornbread batter into baking pan

Next, pour the batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish.

Homemade Cornbread

Finally, bake at 350°F for 25 minutes to 35 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the top should spring back to the touch. A toothpick inserted should also come out clean.

Let the quick bread cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. It’ll be tempting to try a slice right away, but trust me, the wait is worth it. After it cools, the cornbread will have a moister texture and richer corn flavor.

Enjoy!

Homemade cornbread sliced in a baking dish

What to Serve with Cornbread

This homemade cornbread is a yummy side dish for all kinds of soups, stews, and chilis. Try pairing it with any of these recipes:

It also goes well with hearty salads like my Sweet Potato Salad, Kale Salad, and Broccoli Salad.

This homemade cornbread is a great recipe to enjoy for breakfast too. I love slices with jam or honey butter on top!

How to Store Cornbread

Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

It also freezes well. I like to cut it before freezing so that I can thaw individual slices. Seal slices in an airtight container, or wrap them tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw, let frozen cornbread sit at room temperature for an hour or so. You can also quickly defrost it in the microwave or warm it in a 350°F oven.

Best cornbread sliced on a plate

More Favorite Baking Recipes

If you love this easy cornbread recipe, try one of these delicious baking recipes next:

Get This Recipe In Your Inbox
Share your email, and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, enjoy daily doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!

Homemade Cornbread

rate this recipe:
4.92 from 50 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 8 to 12
My best cornbread recipe! This lightly sweet, moist cornbread is easy to make. It's a delicious side dish for any soup or chili.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup cornmeal, spooned and leveled
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter or neutral oil, plus more for the pan
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, sugar, and honey.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

41 comments

4.92 from 50 votes (32 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Sonia
    11.24.2023

    4 stars
    So comforting and yet so simple. The ultimate comfort food on your thanksgiving table. Definitely prefer it warm to room temperature. Will make it again! I used a cup of apple sauce in lieu of the egg and it worked perfect!

    • Beck
      11.30.2023

      Why give 4 stars when you didn’t follow the recipe?

  2. Tracy
    10.25.2023

    5 stars
    So easy! So deliciously perfect! I’ve been searching for a go to cornbread recipe and this is it, 26-27 minutes made a beautifully moist bread (I made the vegan version)…served it with your White Bean Soup, also a keeper. Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.27.2023

      Hi Tracey, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Zephaniah
    10.20.2022

    5 stars
    I have searched high and low for a GOOD, healthy cornbrea6 recipe. Praise the Lord! I finally found it. I’m grateful! ?? Thank-you for sharing. ??

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.21.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  4. V
    10.16.2022

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved this. Made it with a red cornmeal and simply eggless (vegan version), cut a parchment circle out and also used a baking spray for quick release, and it was perfect. We put it with the white bean soup (divine) and made quite an Autumn evening of it.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.21.2022

      That sounds wonderful, I’m so glad you loved the recipes!

  5. Tabitha from tabithaallman.com
    03.16.2022

    5 stars
    I think this was literally the best cornbread I have every had. It was devoured over dinner and my family is asking me to make more! Thanks for coming through again, Love & Lemons!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.17.2022

      I’m so glad it was such a hit!

  6. Amanda
    02.04.2022

    3 stars
    Great texture and consistency! Fluffy and super easy to make. However not a whole lot of flavor to it. I’ll probably try adjusting to make sweeter since my hubby likes sweeter cornbread. But definitely a great base recipe!

  7. Deidra
    08.22.2021

    5 stars
    This cornbread is absolutely delicious! The level of sweetness is perfect.

  8. Stephanie
    06.09.2021

    5 stars
    This is officially our go-to cornbread recipe now. My husband is always asking for it, which is big because he was never much of a cornbread fan (until now). Thank you for this!

  9. Priyanka Pawar
    04.08.2021

    I want to try corn bread recipe .. Can All purpose flour be replaced with whole grain flour like spelt flour/ Einkorn?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.09.2021

      Hi Priyanka, light spelt flour should work just fine.

  10. Joan Perlman
    01.04.2021

    5 stars
    This was delicious, but a wee bit dry. Any suggestions as to making this more moist?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.05.2021

      Hi Joan, you could try baking it a tad less.

  11. Rebecca Hartley
    01.02.2021

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!! This is the perfect sweet cornbread, exactly the recipe I was looking for. Highly recommend!!

  12. Lola
    10.12.2020

    4 stars
    I really enjoyed this cornbread, but I will say it wasn’t quite sweet enough for me. I’m not smart enough to know exactly how to fix that without messing up the ratios. However, it was very good otherwise. If you prefer a savory cornbread, this one’s for you. Also, it was extremely easy to make.

  13. Sandra randell
    10.12.2020

    Can I add drained corn kernels to the corn bread recipe.

  14. Athina Antunes
    10.08.2020

    May I sub oat milk instead of almond ?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.08.2020

      yep! Any type of milk will work.

  15. Vanessa
    10.07.2020

    Hello! It’s a quite expensive to find maple syrup where I live. Have you tried using honey instead? Would I need to bake it at a lower temp?

  16. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    10.06.2020

    cornbread is maybe my greatest weakness, but I have to have it from time to time, so thank you

  17. Erin
    10.06.2020

    I’m excited to try! I make your maple cornbread muffins all of the time!

  18. Hayley
    10.06.2020

    Oh I’m excited to try this! My classic cornbread recipe is very similar to this but uses refined sugar and melted butter so I’d like to try with the healthier swaps maple syrup and oil.

  19. Susan
    10.06.2020

    Can I use gluten free all purpose flour instead of regular flour?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.06.2020

      Hi Susan, I think it might be fine, but I haven’t tried so I can’t be sure.

    • Jill
      10.08.2020

      5 stars
      I used Cup-4-Cup Gluten Free Flour and it worked great! And I made them as cupcakes…baked for 20 min.

  20. Rose
    10.06.2020

    5 stars
    Hi Jeanine, I’ve never really been a cornbread fan (like your husband), but I decided to give this a try – you haven’t failed me yet. Delicious!
    I would highly recommend this recipe for those who may be wary like I was. Soooo good!! Thank you!!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.