The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

Hold the bread and butter please, I’d like a slice of deliciously SWEET, moist, fluffy cornbread that’s topped with salted butter and drizzled with a little more honey. Just so heavenly, right?

My favorite ways to enjoy cornbread include with my favorite turkey chili, with homemade sloppy joe meat served on top, or even with cheesy scrambled eggs + salsa + black beans. Or how about blueberry breakfast cornbread? Just the best.

There are so many ways to serve it my beloved cornbread and thankfully, I’m finally serving you up the BEST CORNBREAD RECIPE! It’s so moist (I know we hate that word, but it truly is!), tender, fluffy, and surprisingly on the lighter side — meaning you should have at LEAST two slices. Thank me later and enjoy this recipe. Can’t wait to hear how you like it! xo.

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The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (1)

Everything you need to make the best homemade cornbread recipe

This cornbread recipe uses just 10 super simple ingredients and the taste & texture are out-of-this-world amazing. We’re talking super fluffy, perfectly moist cornbread with a delicious crust that you’ll crave. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • Flour: we’re using good old all purpose flour in this cornbread recipe. Some recipes call for whole wheat flour, but I find it to be too dense.
  • Yellow cornmeal: for that cornbread flavor, of course.
  • Baking staples: you’ll also need some baking powder (not baking soda!) & salt so that the cornbread bakes up nice and fluffy.
  • Eggs: you’ll need two eggs in this recipe.
  • Sweetener: feel free to use pure maple syrup or honey to naturally sweeten the cornbread.
  • Yogurt: the secret ingredient for making moist cornbread? Greek yogurt! I like to use whole milk greek yogurt but a low fat yogurt would also work. It helps to replace additional oil (like vegetable oil) that many recipes call for. If you’re out of yogurt, feel free to use milk instead.
  • Milk: feel free to use regular milk or your favorite dairy free milk. No buttermilk necessary!
  • Butter: extra delicious cornbread requires some melted butter. I like to use salted butter for extra flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter. Vegan butter will also work.

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (2)

How to make gluten free cornbread

Good news, this homemade cornbread can easily be made gluten free! Just swap the all purpose flour for oat flour or gluten free all purpose flour. Check out my delicious gluten free cornbread muffins, too.

Can I make this dairy free?

Yep! Feel free to use a dairy free milk, dairy free yogurt and vegan butter instead of regular butter. If you’re out of yogurt, try replacing it with milk of choice.

Can I make it vegan?

I haven’t tested this cornbread with an egg substitute, but I think flax eggs should work; the cornbread just won’t be as fluffy. Don’t forget to be sure to use maple syrup as honey isn’t considered vegan. Be sure to also make the dairy free substitutions mentioned above, and let me know how it goes!

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (3)

How to make cornbread from scratch

The best part about this cornbread recipe? It’s SO easy to make. You’ll need two bowls and just 30 minutes:

  1. Prep your pan. Feel free to use a 9×9 inch square baking pan (or an 8×8 inch pan will work), 9-inch cake pan or 9-inch cast iron skillet and grease it with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Mix the dry. Add all of your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk them well.
  3. Mix the wet. In a separate bowl mix together all of your wet ingredients besides the melted butter until well-combined.
  4. Make your batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until your batter forms. Stir in the butter last and be sure to not overmix!
  5. Bake & enjoy! Bake your cornbread for 18-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with butter & honey!

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (4)

Jazz up your cornbread

This cornbread recipe is a great base for adding your fav mix-ins and flavors. Just mix these right into the batter and bake it up! Here’s what I suggest:

  • Jalapeno cheddar:1 diced jalapeno (plus some slices for the top) + 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • Blueberry:3/4 cup fresh blueberries (adding a few chopped up maple breakfast sausages would also be delicious!)
  • Honey bacon:1/2 cup chopped bacon (and use honey in the batter)
  • Cheesy garlic: 3 cloves minced garlic + 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • Green chile corn:add 1 (4 oz) can drained green chile + 1/2 cup thawed frozen corn + optional 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • Breakfast cornbread:fold in 1/2 cup chopped or crumbled cooked breakfast sausage
  • Cranberry: 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Turn this cornbread into muffins

Great news! You can easily make this recipe into the most fluffy moist cornbread muffins! Here’s how to do it:

  1. Make the batter as directed in the recipe, then pour the batter into a muffin pan lined with muffin liners that have been greased with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Serve warm with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (5)

Storing & freezing tips

  • To store: store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temp for a day, and then transfer it to the refrigerator.
  • To freeze: let the cornbread cool completely, slice if you’d like, and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cornbread slices at room temp or reheat in the microwave.

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (6)

What to serve with the BEST cornbread

Besides enjoying an afternoon snack with some butter & honey, try this cornbread with soup, stew, chili, and more:

  • The Best Healthy Turkey Chili
  • Healthy White Chicken Chili
  • Lightened Up Cheddar Cauliflower Broccoli Soup
  • Cheddar-Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
  • The Best Minestrone Soup
  • Actually, the Best Vegetarian Chili Ever

Get all of my soups, stews & chilis here!

I hope you love this cornbread recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (7)

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The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (8)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

ServesServes 12 servings

The best cornbread recipe ever! This fluffy, moist cornbread is easy to make in just 30 minutes with under 10 ingredients. It has the perfect amount of sweetness and will be your new go-to side dish for any meal. You'll never need another homemade cornbread recipe after this one!

Ingredients

  • Dry ingredients:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Wet ingredients:
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • ½ cup plain yogurt (a whole milk greek yogurt works great!)
  • ½ cup milk of choice (cow’s milk, oat, cashew or almond milk are great options!)
  • ¼ cup melted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch pan or 9 inch skillet or 9 inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

  • In a separate large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: eggs, maple syrup/honey, yogurt and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir with a spoon until it just begins to combine, then stir in the melted butter until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.

  • Bake for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Serve warm with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey!

Recipe Notes

To make these dairy free: use a dairy free milk, dairy free yogurt and vegan butter instead of regular butter.

To make gluten free cornbread: feel free to make this with oat flour or a gluten free all purpose flour.

To make cornbread muffins: divide between 12 greased muffin liners in a muffin pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 142calCarbohydrates: 21.2gProtein: 3.8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2.6gFiber: 1.1gSugar: 6.4g

Recipe by: Monique Volz of Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eat

The Best Cornbread Recipe (fluffy & moist!) | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How do I make sure my cornbread is moist? ›

Melted butter and thick buttermilk keep this cornbread moist. After baking, I like to run a stick of butter over the top of the hot cornbread so that it soaks right in and stays even more moist and buttery.

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

How do you make cornbread less dense? ›

Another few tips:
  1. Use a quality Southern cornmeal blend. It won't include sweetness, but you can add any if desired.
  2. Use a significant amount of flour and cornmeal. 100% cornmeal is presumably denser.
  3. Try substituting an extra egg and a little bit more liquid than called for in the recipe.
Jul 2, 2022

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Adding about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread. You can do this even if your recipe doesn't call for butter or oil. Replace milk or water with creamed corn. If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn.

Why isn't my cornbread moist? ›

Adding in flour will help to keep the cornbread moist. I like to use a 50/50 ratio of cornmeal to flour in my recipe. I feel this gives a moist and fluffier texture. As mentioned though, this is a very subjective topic as some feel traditional southern cornbread made in a cast-iron skillet should be 100% cornmeal.

How do you make cornbread less dry and crumbly? ›

  1. 1Put in an extra egg yolk. ...
  2. 2Cut back on fat or grease by one third. ...
  3. 3Replace white sugar with a moist sweetener. ...
  4. 4Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) more butter or oil. ...
  5. 5Replace milk or water with creamed corn. ...
  6. 6Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sour cream.
Sep 26, 2016

Why do Southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

How do Southerners eat cornbread? ›

It is also widely eaten with barbecue and chili con carne. In parts of the Southern and Southwestern United States, cornbread, accompanied by pinto beans, has been a common lunch for many people. It is still a common side dish for many suppers, often served with butter.

What is better for cornbread polenta or cornmeal? ›

Polenta is made from ground cornmeal, so it is possible to use it as a substitute for cornmeal in a cornbread recipe. However, it's important to note that polenta has a coarser texture and may be less finely ground than cornmeal, which could affect the texture of the cornbread.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do? ›

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture.

Is it better to use butter or oil in cornbread? ›

While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isn't present. Because butter doesn't make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk. Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist.

Should you let cornbread batter sit before baking? ›

Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

Which cornmeal is best for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

Why is my cornbread not crunchy? ›

To achieve the crispiest golden crust on your cornbread, Delk Adams instructs you to grease the skillet liberally with bacon grease (if you don't have that, shortening, butter, or oil will do), then pop it into the hot oven for 5 minutes before pouring the batter in.

Why is my homemade cornbread so dry? ›

Cornbread is known for being dry, and that's because it's not properly hydrated. This can lead to unpleasant. hard bits that get stuck in your teeth, making the final product taste even drier. Start by soaking your cornmeal and buttermilk overnight. or up to 24 hours.

What consistency should cornbread be before baking? ›

The batter should be thick, but still pourable. Add more milk or buttermilk if necessary.

How long does cornbread take to dry out? ›

You can achieve the perfect crunch by letting crumbled cornbread go stale on the counter in open, zip-top bags, but you'll need at least 24 hours. If you don't have time to spare, toasting cornbread in the oven can create the ideal texture too.

Why is my cornbread still watery in the middle? ›

Cornbread, or any baked good, will fall in the middle if it is not completely baked, or if you add too much leavening, which causes it to rise more than the structure of the batter can sustain. Always use a tester inserted in the center of your cornbread to make sure it's done.

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