20-Minute Cornbread Recipe (from Scratch!)

Sep 11, 2019 | Food, Recipes

Cornbread is a quick and easy side dish that goes with pretty much anything. This is a great recipe that you can shelf cook since you probably have all of the ingredients on hand!

Wedge of cornbread on a plate, from Fun Cheap or Free

Howdy Freebs! As you've probably guessed by now, I'm a big fan of quick and easy recipes, especially those using ingredients you likely already have on-hand. Today's is no exception! All you need is about 5 minutes to make the batter, and 15 minutes to bake and BOOM. Cornbread from scratch, that even I can do.  

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This quick and easy side goes with so many dishes! I promise you won't be disappointed. Keep reading to get some great tips!



CORNBREAD FROM SCRATCH

Muffins on a plate, from Fun Cheap or Free

This cornbread recipe is seriously so delicious and so easy! I love it because I always have the ingredients to make it on hand and the whole family loves it. One of the great things about cornbread is that you can make it a variety of ways! We usually make ours in a round 9-inch baking pan.

I've also made it in muffin pan for when we have taken it to a potluck dinner. It traveled so easily and I didn't have to worry about cutting it beforehand and having it get stale around the edges. We've even made it in a cast iron skillet when we were at our family's house for the weekend and that's all that they had to use.


TIPS FOR BETTER CORNBREAD

While it is easy, cornbread can be really finicky if you don't make it the right way! So I've got a few ideas for you to be able to make the perfect cornbread.

DON'T OVER-MIX

Over-mixing your cornbread mixture is the leading cause of crumbly cornbread. Don't even think about using an electric mixer to mix it! All you need is a mixing bowl and spatula and you're good to go. You want to mix it just until the dry ingredients are moistened and then STOP before you do any damage!


MAKE IT QUICKLY

Don't let your cornbread mixture sit for too long, work quickly and get it in the oven as soon as you're done mixing and pouring it into the pan. The moisture activates the baking powder and it will rise better if you work quickly.


MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS

Cornbread muffins on a plate, from Fun Cheap or Free

If you like a sweeter cornbread, substitute the milk for sweetened condensed milk. It'll make it sweeter and it makes the batter stickier, so you don't have to worry about crumbly cornbread!

The white flour can easily be substituted with whole wheat flour if that's all that you have on hand! Since the cornmeal is dense, nobody will even be able to tell that you switched it up and it'll still taste just as delicious.

For a lower fat and cholesterol version, use egg whites and skim or 1% milk. Just make sure that you use the appropriate amount of egg whites!

If your cornbread is still ending up crumbly, try adding buttermilk in the place of milk the next time that you make it. It helps to break down the gluten, making the cornbread nice and fluffy. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't worry because you can make your own! Just take a cup of regular milk and add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to it. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. BOOM, homemade buttermilk that was cheaper than what you can find at the store!


POSSIBLE CORNBREAD ADD-INS

I'm all about making the basic cornbread, but sometimes it's fun to spice things up a notch! Try adding these to your cornbread to see which one is your favorite.

  • Cheese – Seriously, can you ever go wrong with adding cheese to anything?!
  • Jalapeños – If you like the heat, then dice up some jalapeños and toss them into the mixture!
  • Green Chiles – If you want a Mexican flavor without the crazy heat from a jalapeño, then add a drained jar of these in.
  • Creamed Corn – This is another great way to add moisture to the mixture and make your cornbread fluffier.
  • Corn Kernels – I've added both drained canned corn and corn off the cob to our cornbread before and it's been so good!
  • Seasonings – Add your favorite seasonings to the mix! They will give it some more flavor and have your tastebuds giving each other high fives.
  • Bacon – Try adding some cooked bacon in with your cornbread, you can thank me later!

WHAT TO SERVE IT WITH

Cornbread basically goes with pretty much anything. I mean, seriously, what does it not go well with?! Here are our favorite ways to eat it.


HOW TO REPURPOSE CORNBREAD

While cornbread is delicious the day that you make it, let's all agree that it loses a little something the next day when you go to eat your leftovers. Instead of being disappointed, repurpose that cornbread into something new for your family!

  • Croutons – Take your cornbread and turn it into tasty croutons! Cut it into cubes, toss them with a little cooking oil and seasonings and bake until they're crispy.
  • Stuffing – Make a yummy stuffing out of your old cornbread!
  • Casserole – Use those stale crumbles in a delicious casserole!
  • Bread Crumbs – Turn your cornbread into breadcrumbs and store them in the freezer until you need them for a meal like meatballs.
  • French Toast – Take your stale cornbread and turn it into French Toast. You can thank me later! 😉
  • Homemade Chicken Nuggets – Make your own chicken nuggets using the leftover cornbread as the batter! They're not quite as crispy as regular chicken nuggets, but they taste delicious!

CORNBREAD RECIPE

Alright, now that you're a cornbread master, here's my basic recipe for you to give it a try! Use all of my tips and try out some add-ins and you'll want to make it with every meal when it's cold outside… and even when it's not 😉

Try out this great cornbread recipe from Fun Cheap or Free

20-Minute Cornbread

This quick and easy cornbread recipe is from scratch and one of the best recipes that you'll find!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾ cup cornmeal
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup oil or melted butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Add the 1 Tbsp butter to a 9'' baking pan. Place in oven for a few minutes until it melts, then swirl the pan around so the melted butter coats the bottom of the pan.
  • Meanwhile, combine eggs, milk and oil in a small bowl.
  • Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened.
  • Pour batter into baking pan, bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cut into wedges, serve warm with honey.

Notes

You can also make these in a muffin tin! Grease it really well, or add liners. Fill ⅔ of the way and cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Keyword easy, shelf cooking

This is a perfect shelf cooking recipe! So get out that old box of corn meal, and have yourself a grand ole' time.

Cornbread on a platter, from Fun Cheap or Free

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Want more easy recipes like this?

Happy eating 🙂

Jordan Page signature from Fun Cheap or Free

8 Comments

  1. ShotHotz

    Does the lowercase t stand for teaspoon?

    Reply
  2. Lisha

    This really is a delicious and simple, fun-to–make recipe with the kiddos – thank you! But what exactly are the accompaniments to corn bread?…Would be nice to know! Inviting you and your fans to join me on my parenting page at ” target=”_blank”>http://www.facebook.com/ConsciousParentingApproach where we exchange parenting tidbits and tips – see you there! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Melissa

    This is now by “go to” recipe for cornbread. Sweet and moist. I sub Splenda for the sugar but otherwise follow recipe exactly. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      So glad you love it! XO

      Reply
  4. Ariane

    This is soooo good. I use buttermilk instead of the milk and I bake it in a cast iron skillet. Perfection!

    Reply
  5. Megan

    It came out great, super easy! Also I added in a can of corn. My son wanted to only eat this cornbread for dinner last night lol

    Reply
  6. Valerie

    5 stars
    Best cornbread recipe I’ve used so far! It was moist and the family loved it.

    Reply
  7. Amber Turley

    5 stars
    The best cornbread recipe!

    Reply

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