By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 14, 2023
This homemade Cornbread Recipe is a Southern classic that I just love making throughout the year. It’s so easy to make from scratch–no box of mix needed! I find myself wanting to serve these moist and fluffy squares of golden cornbread (slathered in butter) with every holiday feast and comfort meal.
What’s in This Cornbread Recipe?
Cornbread has always been one of my favorite side dishes for hearty meals like chili & BBQ, so I made and re-made this recipe until I got just the right texture and flavor.
- Corn: This cornbread is easy to make with canned corn, but you can use fresh corn or frozen corn instead (if using frozen, thaw it first).
- Milk: Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk sweeten this cornbread and make it super moist!
- Vanilla: A little bit of pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of this cornbread.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the bread.
- Eggs: Help bind the cornbread.
- Flour: Gives the bread structure.
- Cornmeal: Adds texture and enhances the corn flavor.
- Baking Powder: Helps this bread rise up light and fluffy.
Variations on Homemade Cornbread
There are so many easy ways to customize this cornbread recipe. To make it less sweet, I omit the vanilla and add a pinch or two of extra salt. For a spicy version, I fold in 1-2 sliced or diced jalapeños. I love to add shredded cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, or another favorite) and/or bacon crumbles to enhance the savory flavor.
For a gluten-free cornbread, you can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour in place of the all-purpose flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill).
How to Store
Store fresh cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze
To freeze, wrap squares of homemade cornbread in plastic wrap, place into a resealable freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw on the countertop before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This easy cornbread is delicious served alongside Southern favorites, like buttermilk fried chicken , mac and cheese casserole , black eyed peas , and chicken fried steak . It’s also the perfect side dish for bowls of chili , BBQ favorites like pulled pork , or potlucks .
Notes from the Test Kitchen
It’s so easy to make cornbread from scratch with this recipe. You only need a few pantry staples, like canned corn, cornmeal, and sweetened milk. Dense but still fluffy and deliciously moist, this cornbread has the ideal texture. If you’re a fan of Southern comfort food , you’ll want to make this recipe to go with all of your favorite meals.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 15 ounces corn kernels drained (1 can)
- ▢ 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- ▢ 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ▢ 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (1¾ stick)
- ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 cup cornmeal
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a blender, blend the corn, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla together until smooth. 15 ounces corn kernels, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter until soft and fluffy. 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add in the eggs and mix. Add in the corn mixture and mix again until smooth. 2 large eggs
- Add in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt and stir with a spatula until just combined. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are a bit golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cornbread cool. Then, cut into squares and serve.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- High Powered Blender
- Hand Mixer
Becky’s Tips
- Try not to over-mix the batter when incorporating the flour. This can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a dense cornbread.
- Keep an eye on the cornbread while it bakes. It takes about 40 minutes at 350°F, but it’s ready when the edges are slightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Cornbread Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside. We recommend measuring out all of the ingredients ahead of time so they’re ready to use.
Blend the Corn: In a blender, blend 15 ounces (1 can) of drained corn kernels, 14 ounces (1 can) of sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces (1 can) of evaporated milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together until smooth.
Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream 14 tablespoons of room-temperature unsalted butter until soft and fluffy. Add in 2 eggs and mix, then add in the blended corn mixture you made in the previous step, and mix everything until smooth.
Add the Dry Ingredients: Add 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of cornmeal, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt into the batter, and stir with a spatula until just combined. Don’t over-mix!
For best results, bake this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan. To bake cornbread in an 8- or 9-inch pan, divide a full batch into 2 pans or halve the recipe and bake it in one pan. Keep an eye on the bread as it bakes – it may need a little longer in the oven. If you use a slightly larger pan, the bread may need less time as it will yield a thinner cornbread. For something different, try baking cornbread in a greased cast iron skillet!
For quick breads, I like to use all-purpose flour. You can use bread flour, but bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which can lead to a dense, heavy cornbread.
While delicious on its own, top cornbread with butter, jam, or a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Many cornbread recipes use all-purpose flour, which means it is not gluten-free. However, you can use a gluten-free flour or more cornmeal for this recipe to make it gluten-free.
I use butter to make cornbread because it gives it a sturdy yet fluffy texture that I really love.
Once all ingredients are combined, the batter should be pretty thick–thin enough to pour, but you don’t want it to be runny or soupy.
When cornbread is done baking, the edges will be slightly golden, and a toothpick will come out clean when inserted into the center.
More Bread Recipes To Try
- Dutch Oven Bread
- Garlic Croutons
- Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread
- Garlic Butter Hawaiian Rolls
- Texas Toast Garlic Bread
Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9x13 Baking Pan
- High Powered Blender
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 15 ounces corn kernels drained (1 can)
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (1¾ stick)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a blender, blend the corn, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla together until smooth. 15 ounces corn kernels, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter until soft and fluffy. 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add in the eggs and mix. Add in the corn mixture and mix again until smooth. 2 large eggs
- Add in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt and stir with a spatula until just combined. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are a bit golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cornbread cool. Then, cut into squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- Try not to over-mix the batter when incorporating the flour. This can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a dense cornbread.
- Keep an eye on the cornbread while it bakes. It takes about 40 minutes at 350°F, but it’s ready when the edges are slightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
