How to Make Cornbread

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 26, 2022 Tested

There are few things more enjoyable than biting into a warm piece of cornbread. With its buttery goodness and its melt-in-your-mouth texture, cornbread may be the perfect side. Scroll down to Step 1 to find out how you can make your own delicious cornbread.

Cooking time: 30 to 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup (150 g; 5.3 oz) cornmeal
¾ cup (140 g; 4.9 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1½ cups (375 ml; 12.6 fl oz) buttermilk
2 large eggs

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Batter

1
Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218°C). While the oven is heating, grease an 8-inch (20.32-cm) baking pan with butter or cooking spray. If you don’t have an 8-inch (20.32-cm) pan, you can also use a 9x1-1/2-inch (22.86-x-3.81-cm) round baking pan, or 10-inch (25.4-cm) cast-iron skillet. Make sure to grease the bottom and sides of whatever pan you choose to use.^{[1]
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- Instead of greasing the pan, you can also add a tablespoon of butter to whatever pan you are using and stick the pan in the preheated oven for about three minutes. When the butter is melted, take it out of the oven and swirl it around. Using a hot pan helps to make the edges of the cornbread crispy and the butter serves to increase the flavor of the cornbread.
2
Mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cornmeal to the bowl along with the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix all of these ingredients together so that the texture is even and smooth throughout.
- You can vary the amount of sugar you add to your recipe. Some people like sweeter cornbread, while others like to skip over the sugar entirely.
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3
Mix your wet ingredients together. Crack two large eggs into a medium bowl. Use a fork to beat them until they are smooth. Add the buttermilk to the eggs. In a separate container, melt six tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add it to the egg and buttermilk mixture and whisk all of these ingredients together.
- If you do not have any buttermilk, you can instead combine two eggs with one cup (125 ml; 4.2 fl oz) of milk and 1/4 a cup (125 ml; 4 fl oz) of melted butter or cooking oil. Stir this all together.
4
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. You can add the buttermilk mixture to the cornmeal mixture all at once. Use a spatula to get any lingering drips of buttermilk into the bowl. Fold the ingredients together until there are no more dry spots. In particular, make sure there are no pockets of cornmeal left at the bottom of the mixture. Don’t try to get out all of the lumps however--the batter should be lumpy.^{[2]
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- Over mixing the batter can actually lead to a tough texture so stop stirring as soon as all of the dry spots have been removed.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Baking the Cornbread

1
Pour the mixture into your baking pan of choice. Use a spatula to make sure you get all of the batter into the pan. Place the pan into the heated oven, making sure to note the time that you put it in.
- If you chose to heat your pan in the oven but notice that it has gotten cool, stick it back in the oven for another couple of minutes before removing it and pouring the batter in.
2
Bake your cornbread for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind that every oven is different so you will want to keep an eye on your cornbread to make sure that it doesn’t burn. The cornbread will be ready when the top becomes a crisp golden-brown. To make sure that the center is cooked all the way through, insert a toothpick into the center of the cornbread. If it comes out clean (no batter clings to it), your cornbread is done.
3
Remove your cornbread from the oven. Place your cornbread on a stovetop or potholder and let it cool for five to ten minutes. Once it has cooled, use a serrated knife to cut the cornbread into pieces. The serrated knife works to cut the cornbread without making it crumble and fall apart.
4
Finished.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Trying Variations

1
Spice up your cornbread. Give your baked goods a kick with the addition of some jalapenos. Nothing heats up a meal like a side of this delicious cornbread.
2
Try a sweet corn recipe. If you prefer a sweet side to your chili, try out some delicious sweet corn cornbread. It will be a hit with adults and kids alike.
3
Give gluten free cornbread a try. Just because you are gluten-free doesn’t mean that you have to pass on the cornbread when it makes its way around the dinner table.
4
Make some mini cornbread muffins. If you happen to be making mini bowls of chili as an appetizer, what could possibly go better than mini cornbread muffins? These are also great to eat as a quick snack.

Community Q&A

Question

Which cornmeal works better, plain or self-rising?

Community Answer

I think either option will make great cornbread, just be sure to follow the instructions closely. You will have more ingredients in the recipe if you are using plain corn meal. Self-rising will already have the ingredients required for the cornbread to rise.
Question

How many muffins will this recipe make?

Ann Hupe

Community Answer

Based on the fact that this recipe uses an eight-inch baking dish, this recipe should make 10 to 12 regular muffins.
Question

Where do I get the cornmeal?

Tryallthescience

Community Answer

It's available at most grocery stores, in the baking aisle near the flour.