Cornbread is one of those simple recipes that you should always make from scratch. Not only does it have very basic ingredients, but it also tastes way better than anything you can get in a box. And this cornbread recipe probably won’t cost much more than a box would either.
When I originally set out to create a cornbread recipe, I wanted something easy to make, used few ingredients, and was a sweet cornbread. My goal was to make something to pair up nicely with a semi-hot chili, and contrast nicely with the heat.
Since corn is extensively a GMO plant, I choose to make my cornbread with Bob’s Red Mill Cornmeal. We have used both coarse grind and medium grind and both seem to work well. You would need to try them both to get the texture you like best.
We also don’t like to use baking powder that contains aluminum. While this change can affect the second rise while baking, I have never had an issue. We use the Rumford brand, as it is easy to pick up online and in most stores.
Getting Started
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a dark pan, or have only a top element in your oven, it works better at 325 degrees.
Start with the dry ingredients and combine them all in a medium-sized mixing bowl. This step is important to ensure you disperse the salt and baking powder throughout the entire mix. Before I started doing this, I would end up with clumps of salt, YUCK.
Next, I add the wet ingredients. Since we raise our chickens, I tend to break the egg into a separate small bowl and then add it to the main mix. This is good practice no matter what you are making to ensure you have a good egg and no shells get into the batter.
The batter should be thin, and pourable. Similar to a cake batter consistency. If it is too thick, you can add more milk. The egg size tends to be the big factor here. Grease or butter and then pour the mix into an 8×8 Pyrex baking dish. Any baking dish or even cast iron will do. It should be at least 2” deep to avoid overflow while baking.
Bake for 25-40 minutes depending on oven temp. You should be able to insert a toothpick into the pan 2” from the side and in the middle and it comes out clean. Keep a close eye on the bake towards the end of the time, so you don’t overcook the cornbread and dry it out.
Serve hot or allow to cool. I like mine hot with some honey and butter on top. My wife likes hers in a mug of milk. My in-laws like to crumble it into their bowl of chili. There is no way to go wrong with eating cornbread.
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to a week (not like it will last that long… haha) or overnight on the counter.
Variations
If you want to add some whole corn to the recipe, you can substitute a can of creamed corn and lower the milk to around 1/3 of a cup. It works great and tastes even better. The recipe also works by adding around ½ – 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the batter for a cheesy version.
Homemade Cornbread
10
minutes30
minutesHomemade cornbread at its finest, ready to pair with your favorite chili or simple to eat with some butter and honey.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8” square baking dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Stir in egg, milk, and oil until well combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. The top should be golden brown.
Notes
- You can add 1 can of creamed corn and lower the milk to around 1/3 of a cup for more corn and a different texture. Should be cake batter consistency.
- Add 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese for a cheesy variation.
