There’s one recipe I always keep in my back pocket to complete a meal if I feel like I need more on the table—cornbread. It goes with so many dishes. Of course, it’s required if I make chili, but it also goes with so many other meals.
Bacon and eggs for breakfast? Chicken noodle soup for lunch? Barbecue chicken or meatloaf for dinner? Cornbread goes with any of those dishes. Anytime I make cornbread, half of it is bound to be gone by the end of the meal, and various family members head into the kitchen throughout the rest of the day to keep snacking on it. There’s rarely any left the next day.
Make Cornbread with Kitchen Staples
One of the reasons cornbread became one of my most made side dishes for any meal is that I always have the ingredients on hand. As long as I keep cornmeal in my pantry, I’m never without the other ingredients—flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, oil, eggs, and salt.
Many cornbread recipes call for buttermilk, but my go-to is plain milk because I rarely have buttermilk on hand. I know you can turn regular milk into sour milk to substitute for buttermilk in recipes, but it’s an extra step I don’t want to take when throwing together cornbread. One of the things I love about the cornbread I make is that it takes five minutes at most to mix up the batter. It cooks in about 20 minutes, so it’s less than a half hour from start to finish.
The 1 Change I Make to This Popular Cornbread Recipe
I’ve been making Golden Sweet Cornbread for my family for over a decade. With 2/3 cup of sugar in the recipe, it’s certainly named well. It’s moist and delicious. A hot-out-of-the-oven slice with regular butter or honey butter is the definition of comfort food.
I change just one thing that the original recipe calls for, and it’s not an ingredient. Rather than baking it in a 9-inch round cake pan, I bake it in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. This does two things.
It makes the finished cornbread a bit thinner, so 20 minutes is the perfect cooking time (when I’ve done it in the cake pan, it takes closer to 25 minutes.) It also creates a larger surface area for a crispy top that’s a bit caramelized (because of the amount of sugar in the recipe) and makes the BEST crispy edges, and more of them. I cut the cornbread in wedges like a cake, so every single piece has a bit of that satisfying crispy edge.
How Allrecipes Members Switch Up Golden Sweet Cornbread
I love the ingredients just as they are, but our community loves to be creative in the kitchen, and they also love to tell us about it in the comments. Here are just a few ways that our members put their own spin on this cornbread recipe. Even if they make tweaks, our members overwhelmingly love this cornbread recipe as much as I do.
Some members add extra ingredients. Sarah Red Dezelin adds pickled jalapeños on top before baking. Another member adds tablespoons of melted butter to the batter so the cornbread doesn't get too crumbly. Lucy Footery—who has made this recipe for over 20 years—adds a4-ounce can of diced green chiles "to get a sweet/spicy flavor."
Other members make substitutions. Some substitute an equal amount of butter for the oil. Another substitute is coconut milk and brown sugar for the milk and white sugar. For those who don't like their cornbread to be "crumbly," member Jeremy Joseph suggests adding one additional egg white and only two teaspoons of baking powder. Some members had success with substituting alternative flours for the white flour, such as Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
If you're now craving cornbread and trying to decide what to make tonight just so you can serve it, may I suggest this Spicy Black Bean Vegetable Soup made with canned beans for ease? The cornbread will go so well with it, and the timing of the two recipes is perfect.
FAQs
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.
In what wars did cornbread play a significant role in feeding soldiers and why was it used? ›
During the Revolutionary War, cornbread also played a significant role in feeding troops as it was cheap, easy to transport, and a good source of calories.
Can you use milk instead of water in cornbread mix? ›
Can I substitute water for milk in cornbread mix? Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.
What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›
Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.
How do you keep cornbread from being dense? ›
Add in some Flour
If you use straight cornmeal, it will tend to be dryer. 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.
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil to make cornbread? ›
Olive oil can be substituted for vegetable oil or butter in any recipe. After creating our Little House inspired olive oil cake, we decided to try olive oil in cornbread. This recipe is a hit! This cornbread is sweet, moist and with the help of a pre-heated cast iron pan, crispy on the edges.
Is cornbread African American? ›
For whatever reason, some might refuse to let their brains show love to this bread without realizing that cornbread and its variations were here in the Americas with the Indians, prepared by white folks living in the Appalachian Mountains and put together by black folks before, during and after slavery.
Who eats cornbread? ›
Cornbread is a common bread in United States cuisine, particularly associated with the South and Southwest, as well as being a traditional staple for populations where wheat flour was more expensive.
What did Civil War soldiers eat for dinner? ›
The most common food given to soldiers was bread, coffee, and salt pork. The typical ration for every Union soldier was about a pound of meat and a pound of bread or flour. The Confederacy started out following the same rules.
How to improve Krusteaz cornbread? ›
Give your cornbread a spicy kick by adding 1/4 cup chopped green chiles or jalapenos and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Want to really turn up the heat? Instead of green chiles or jalapeno peppers, add 3 tablespoons of serrano peppers. Add the sweet taste of summer to your cornbread.
Final answer: If too much milk is added to Jiffy cornbread mix, you can balance it out by adding more dry ingredients to the batter such as additional mix or a blend of flour, cornmeal, and baking powder.
What is a good substitute for sour cream in cornbread? ›
Mayonnaise. Mayo is a great sour cream substitute. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement in both baking and dips. You'll lose some of that tang that sour cream offers, but it still does a great job at adding moisture to baked goods.
How to doctor up boxed cornbread mix? ›
Heat and spices
You can stir in 1 cup of roasted chopped jalapeños or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne into the batter. Or, you can mix in 3 tablespoons of your favorite chile paste. Fields also recommends trying a little NOLA flair by adding a rounded ¼ teaspoon Cajun spice blend to your cornbread mix.
How to elevate boxed muffin mix? ›
Add Fresh or Frozen Fruit to the Batter
Add strawberries to chocolate muffins. You can even experiment with crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges to add a citrus twist to your favorite muffins. We recommend adding 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) fruit. Gently fold into the batter.
How do you make cornbread moist again? ›
MICROWAVE. When you're short on time, the microwave is a great option to warm up cornbread. Place the bread on a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a damp paper towel. This will help keep the cornbread moist.
Is cornbread batter supposed to be thick or runny? ›
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg/milk mixture, along with the melted butter. Gently stir, just to combine. The batter should be thick, but still pourable.
