Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is savory cornbread that is made with sharp cheddar cheese, corn kernels, onions, and jalapeno peppers. If you prefer sweet cornbread, check out this Cornbread Recipe that is made with cake mix. And be sure to pair it with my amazing Homemade Chili!
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Cornbread recipes come in both sweet and savory varieties. This Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is definitely a savory cornbread; no sugar is added in this recipe and there is a spicy kick in every bite from the jalapeno peppers. Plus, there is added corn, onions, and cheese. I also have Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins you will want to try!
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Ingredients
Cornbread is not hard to make, so skip the cornbread mix at the store and make your own.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal is ground yellow corn. I recommend sticking with yellow cornmeal (as opposed to white) for a stronger flavor.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk is one of the wet ingredients (along with eggs and oil) that the cornmeal will soak in. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own homemade buttermilk.
Corn: Just a cup of sweet corn kernels is all you will need to add some texture to the cornbread.
Jalapeno Peppers: I used two jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced, in the cornbread. Yes, you will get a jalapeno flavor in every bite. If you don’t want such a strong flavor, just use one jalapeno. If you want extra spice, look for jalapenos that are ‘stressed’, or have white streaks running down the length of the pepper.
How to Make Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
To get started making this cornbread, you will need an 8-inch cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet. If you do use a 9-inch skillet, the cornbread will be a little thinner and you will need to watch the baking time. You could also use an 8-inch square baking dish. IMPORTANT TIP: If you do use a baking dish, as opposed to a skillet, you do not need to heat up the baking dish in the oven.
First, grease the oven-safe skillet and place it in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and let the skillet heat up as the oven heats. While the oven and skillet are preheating, prepare the batter.
In a medium bowl, combine the whisked eggs, oil, buttermilk, and cornmeal. Let the cornmeal soak in the wet ingredients as you prepare the remaining ingredients, or for about ten minutes. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the cornmeal mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold in the shredded cheese, corn, onion, and jalapeno peppers.
Finally, carefully remove the hot skillet from the preheated oven and pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Bake the jalapeno cheddar cornbread for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out with a few dry crumbs, but no wet batter. Let the bread sit for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Store cornbread in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature, or up to five days in the refrigerator.
More Bread Recipes
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup corn kernels
- ½ white onion, diced
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (approximately ½ cup)
Instructions
- Place a greased 8-inch cast-iron skillet into a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, allowing the skillet to heat up with the oven.
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, and cornmeal. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk together until combined.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
- Fold in cheese, corn, onion, and jalapeños.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
- Bake 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. (An inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs.)
- Let the cornbread cool for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Hey Amanda. Made your recipe for a fish fry yesterday. It was a HUGE SUCCESS! Everyone at the picnic raved about the corn bread. I did double the recipe and used a 9×13 pan which I oiled with bacon fat. I made some slight changes as follows. Used melted butter instead of oil, didn’t have buttermilk so used 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 sour cream, and lastly (although hate to admit) did add just 3TBL sugar for the double batch! Lastly sprinkled top with some previously cooked bacon bits! Yum, so delicious! Thanks Amanda for a great recipe!
I really wanted to like this cornbread more than I did. I think a non sweet cornbread just isn’t my thing. It looked really pretty though!
Fair! You can always add some sugar to it if you want to try again. I would use the amount in this recipe:
https://iamhomesteader.com/homemade-cornbread/
Dear Amanda:
Your jalapeno cornbread recipe is superb. I used water-powered stone-milled yellow cornmeal from North Carolina and a giant Texas jalapeno. I am in Texas now and my genuine Texan friends and I absolutely loved this cornbread recipe. People should do as they please, but my Mama never ever added sugar to any of her many types of cornbread and she would urge us all to reject the sweet songs of the sirens of sugar. She was always right about everything, including nutrition, which may be why she lived to 100 years.
Sounds like your mom was the BEST! 🙂 Thank you so much for the kind words, Fred!
I’m excited to make your recipe for CJCB🤠It’s close to how my folks made it! No Sugar is the way! I had a client that had me put brown sugar in hers! To each his own😀
How can this be adapted to an 8x8x2” glass baking dish? I don’t have a cast iron pan and I’d love to try it!
This is a great recipe, and very adaptable. I didn’t have fresh jalapeño, so I used canned. I didn’t have the full amount of cheddar – so I used a cup of cheddar and threw in a half cup of mozzarella. I didn’t have enough regular corn meal, so I used half cornmeal, half grits. It came out great. I like my cornbread with the extra texture of grits in any case. One question for you – is there any reason not to use fresh garlic, instead of garlic powder? I did use the powder, but I wondered.
HI Deb! Love those adaptations and so glad you enjoyed it! I agree, it is a very adaptable recipe.
The reason we switched to garlic powder was that in the original testing of the recipe I had 2 tablespoons of fresh garlic and it got lost! You could barely tell it was there! I felt that the garlic powder helped add that wonderful flavor. You can definitely use it in yours if you prefer!
It needed a tablespoon of sugar to bring out all the flavors. And a bit more salt for the same reason. It finished in 40 minutes, so be careful not to overbake.
Hi Connie- so glad you were able to make it how you enjoy it! I have several recipes of cornbread with sugar, but very specifically did not put sugar in this one. It is a southern jalapeno cheddar cornbread.
I love 😍 your reipes and want to make them soon ..
If possible..let’s try..I always wanted to be me fresh bread so you hVe given me some tasty receipes do hope I can successfully make something tomorrow.
Can I leave out the can of corn?!
You can do whatever you would like.
I made this to serve with white chicken chili. It was perfect. I have a moist cornbread I make too, but this was the perfect consistency and taste to complement the chili. Thanks for sharing it.
THANK YOU for sharing! This was my first time making cornbread. I followed your recipe and my husband said it’s the best he’s had. Everyone went back for seconds.
You have a bunch of great recipes.. but this recipe has absolutely no sweetness to offset the dry and spicy. I’m team bit sweeter cornbread with spice. I’m not from the south .. probably why I don’t like it. Thank you though
So I made this tonight for a Christmas church potluck and I’m just gonna tell you it was loved, delicious and so not bleh smh. They ate it ALL! I will make again!!!
I appreciate a good southern cornbread recipe that is not sweet. This is a great recipe amd the cornbread was delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Missing a sweet element. It was very bleh in flavor. No depth. Cornbread needs that hint of sweetness and this recipe is void of that. I know you have a honey recipe. But it’s not that because I always drizzle honey over my cornbreads and it was STILL BLEH.
hahahaha Hi “Your Mom”. That’s rich.
You are welcome to add sugar to the cornbread. This is definitely not meant to be sweet, and is the reason I didn’t add any sweetness. It should have heat from the jalapeno and flavor from the cheese. If yours was “blah” you may have gotten a mild jalapeno or used a flavorless cheese.
First of all this isn’t a corn bread with sugar or honey. Y’all get out of here with that. If you’re looking for sweet cornbread then go somewhere else. I def don’t like sweet cornbread in my beans or savory dishes. That is what the bleh cornbread is for plus it’s not bleh it has buttermilk in it and all the other trimmings.
This is my go to cornbread recipe now! My husband and I absolutely love it!!! If you followed this recipe and you think it is bleh…I hate to tell you, but your tastebuds are broken. It is perfect, just like it is. Thank you for sharing.
Yo “MOM”: . Be advised—real, truly authentic Deep South cornbread is made with white cornmeal (always) and buttermilk and it is NEVER sweet.
Can I use the jiffy boxes instead of the other ingredients?
I suppose you could.
but why…the entire point of a recipe is to make a recipe. Not to use a box mixed…