Homemade Cornbread is a crumbly, slightly sweet cornbread that is deliciously served with a bowl of homemade gumbo or chili or topped with honey or maple syrup. For an even sweeter cornbread made with cake mix, try this cornbread recipe.

Slice of Homemade Cornbread with Honey Drizzled on Top

Homemade Cornbread

With all the cornbread recipes out there, it can definitely cause a debate over which is the best. Some are on the sweeter side; some are more savory. And, to top it all off, is cornbread one word or two? (Yet, another debate.) Well, this cornbread is right in the middle of sweet and savory. It is nice and crumbly and is delicious topped with butter. This recipe can also be made into cornbread muffins. I will give you more ideas on how to enjoy cornbread below.

Homemade Cornbread Ingredients

Cornbread is a quick bread (no leavening agent) made with cornmeal.

Milk: I prefer whole milk in this recipe. Be sure to let the cornmeal soak in the milk for about 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients.

Cornmeal: Cornmeal is ground yellow corn. I recommend sticking with yellow cornmeal (as opposed to white) for a stronger flavor.

Sugars: Yes, you will notice this homemade cornbread recipe does include both granulated and brown sugar. But, again, it does not make the bread overly sweet.

Pouring Cornbread Batter into Pan

How to Make Homemade Cornbread

Cornbread is not difficult to make, so skip the cornmeal mix at the store and make your own homemade cornbread. To get started, first, in a large bowl,  combine the milk and cornmeal. Let the cornmeal soak in the milk for about ten minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. This will soften the cornmeal.

After ten minutes, add the flour, both sugars, salt, baking powder, egg, and vegetable oil to the milk and cornmeal mixture. Mix the ingredients until they are well combined. Then, pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400°F.

When ready, check for doneness. Just like making a normal cake, you can do the toothpick test to ensure the cornbread is done baking. Simply stick a dry toothpick into the center of the baking dish. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is ready to come out of the oven. If the toothpick comes out wet, the cornbread needs to continue baking. When done, remove the cornbread from the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Store cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Or, store it in the refrigerator, covered, to keep it lasting a few more days.

Overhead Image of Sliced Cornbread in a Pan

How to Serve Cornbread

Cornbread is delicious on its own, with a little butter, or even smothered in honey or maple syrup. Here are a few other ways to enjoy this popular side dish:

Slice of Cornbread on a Spatula

More Bread Recipes

5 from 7 votes

Homemade Cornbread

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Homemade Cornbread is a crumbly, slightly sweet cornbread that is delicious served with a bowl of chili or topped with honey or maple syrup.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • Serve topped with honey or maple syrup, or serve with chili or your favorite soup

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine milk and cornmeal. Let this soak for 10 minutes.
  • Add in the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, egg, and vegetable oil. Mix until well combined. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  • Let the cornbread rest on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

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You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.

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Reader Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is an excellent cornbread. We really enjoy it. My husband doesn’t normally like cornbread but he likes this one a lot!

  2. 5 stars
    My husband has never been a huge fan of corn bread… Until I tried your recipe! Now he asks for it all the time! Thank you so much for sharing! I love all of your recipes.

    1. I think what you meant to say was “I, Teresa, do not want sugar in my cornbread. I think it tastes like cake.”

    2. I didn’t grow up eating sweet cornbread. Many folks in my community consider it a sacrilege to put sugar in it. We don’t consider chili to be chili if it has beans in it.

  3. Hi! I have recently started following you … your recipes looks so tempting, I would love to try them, can you please help me? I am vegan ,is there any substitute for eggs in your recipes? Thanks 😊

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