This is my favorite homemade cornbread recipe! It is very moist thanks to a little oil added to the batter, and extra sweet thanks to some sugar and honey. No more dry cornbread! This skillet cornbread is baked in a hot cast iron skillet for that extra crispy edge, perfect for dunking in a bowlful of chili. Originally posted October 23, 2019.
Table of Contents
- Homemade Cornbread
- Sweet Homemade Cornbread Ingredients
- How to make Cornbread
- Best Cornbread Recipe Tips
- Cornbread Topping Ideas
- What to make with Cornbread
- How to store Cornbread
- Moist Cornbread Recipe FAQ
- Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (Sweet & Moist) Recipe
- Making this cornbread recipe in a 9×13 inch pan
- Buttermilk:
- More recipes you are going to love!
Eric has hidden all the Halloween candy from me. I really can’t find it anywhere. I made the mistake of buying it too early and have been snacking on it a bit too much while the kids are at school.
Truman came in from the kitchen the other day and was like, “Mom, did you start eating the Halloween candy already??”
“How did you know??”
“I saw all the wrappers in the trash!!”
The days of putting one over on my kids are long gone you guys.
The same EXACT conversation happened not even an hour later when Charlotte found all the Reese’s wrappers in the trash. “Mom, stop eating all the Halloween candy!”
I remember a few years ago when my kids were much smaller and easier to deceive, I was over at my friend Amy’s house. Her husband came into the kitchen and asked where their daughter’s Halloween stash was. Amy told him that their daughter COUNTS it, so don’t even try sneaking some when she’s not around. I knew right then that this is what my children would have to resort to in the future. I either need to stop candy thieving or get better at hiding the evidence. (I’m thinking the latter is going to win out.)
Homemade Cornbread
Who’s heading to a chili cook-off this weekend? Did you sign up to bring a side of cornbread? Tis the season for this classic chili side dish.
I have always been extremely ho-hum about cornbread. Offer me dinner rolls or cornbread, and I will take the dinner rolls every time. Most of the time sweet cornbread is dry and sad and not worth the carbs.
So I set out to create a recipe that would be worth it!
There is a lot of debate surrounding cornbread. Southern cornbread? Northern cornbread? Sugar, no sugar? Skillet or cake pan? I’m from California. I claim no grandmotherly secrets. I didn’t know the first thing about cornbread or why people have strong opinions about it. But I wanted to get the dirt on all the controversy, so the answer?
Make a million batches of cornbread (or 8. The last one was still in the oven when I snapped this.) I tried Southern cornbread, Northern cornbread, and a bunch of in-between cornbreads. My final recipe is my personal favorite, but it’s clear that there are lots of opinions about this! My recipe is fluffy and sweet, with crispy edges.
What is Southern cornbread?
Southern cornbread is not sweet. The recipe I tried had only 2 teaspoons of sugar in the whole pan, and I thought it was awful. I made everyone who passed through my house try it, and my friend Jen literally took it out of her mouth and threw it in the garbage. (Right next to all the Reese’s wrappers). Stuff was dry as a bone.
Southern cornbread is baked in a preheated skillet with hot bacon grease, so that the edges get super crispy. It’s also thin: only about 1 inch tall. If you are from the South and you love this type of cornbread, please tell me what I am missing.
What is Northern Corn Bread?
Northern cornbread looks just like the cornbread most of us are used to, but the recipe I tried (Cook’s Illustrated for Northern and Southern) only had 4 teaspoons of sugar for the whole pan. It is taller and fluffier, but in my opinion still dry and bland. It is baked in a normal 8×8 inch pan (as opposed to the skillet). It does not have crispy edges.
(embrace the crispy edggge)
I took the crispy edges from Southern cornbread and the fluffy texture of Northern cornbread to make my own hybrid version of the best homemade sweet cornbread. Plus a whole lot more sugar. Because, guys, let’s be real, we are topping it with butter and honey, let’s just accept the fact that it is basically a cake with some cornmeal in it. And it is DELICIOUS. This is not an apology.
(why would I apologize for this)
Sweet Homemade Cornbread Ingredients
Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
- Flour (spooned and leveled)
- Yellow cornmeal
- Kosher salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder (SEE NOTE)
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Honey
- Eggs
- Buttermilk. You can use cheater buttermilk for this recipe. For 1 cup of cheater buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, then add milk until you reach 1 cup. Stir and let sit 5 minutes before using. (For the 1 and 1/4 cups that the recipe calls for, use 4 teaspoons vinegar and fill to the 1 1/4 cup mark.)
What type of cornmeal is recommended for sweet cornbread?
A goodly number of people say white cornmeal is best for Southern (less sweet) cornbread and yellow cornmeal is best for Northern (sweeter) varieties. A goodly number of people say either color is fine for either recipe. A hopefully small number of people will argue until breathless over the “right” answer. You can join any category. I personally stay out of this one! For this recipe, we are using yellow cornmeal.
How to make Cornbread
Oil is the answer to all of your dry cornbread woes. It is also the ingredient that makes for a supremely moist cake, so you know it’s going to help out a humble cornbread! We are also using plenty of butter to get that perfect honey butter flavor. Oh and don’t forget the buttermilk. It adds that perfect tang. (You can use cheater buttermilk if you want. See notes)
You need two bowls for this recipe, and one of them only has dry ingredients, so when you are done you can wipe it clean and put it away. (Can you tell I hate dishes?) The batter is slightly lumpy, and that’s okay.
Preheat your cast iron skillet in the oven, then grease with a bit of butter. The cornbread batter going into a hot skillet is part of what makes the edges crispy.
You can see it bubbling and cooking on the edges of the pan before you even put it in the oven! Yesssss
Best Cornbread Recipe Tips
Why Sweet Cornbread should be made in a skillet
There is a reason that seasoned cooks swear by cast iron skillets. They give you the BEST crispy edges for baked goods like homemade cornbread. You will not get edges QUITE as crispy if you bake in a square or 9×13 pan, and that might be totally okay with you. (See notes for the changes you will have to make if you are not using cast iron.) But I love the combination of a super moist and tender center, right next to a crispy crackly edge that you can dunk in your chili.
If I don’t have a skillet, what other type of pan can be used to make corn bread?
You can use a 8×8 inch, 9×9 inch, or 9×13 inch pan but first you have to do two things:
- You have to put “cast iron skillet” on your wishlist.
- You have to look at the notes on the recipe before you start because you need to change the amount of ingredients you use in the batter. I’ve got all the notes you need in the recipe itself.
Cornbread Topping Ideas
What did I put on top of my cornbread? Let’s see. Butter, check. Honey, check. More butter, check. More honey, check. Listen, there might be other options but why would you ever use them? Okay fine here are some ideas:
- This would be so good topped with Lemon Curd!
- Even better: this Cinnamon Honey Butter. Heaven!
- Turn it into cornbread shortcake and drizzle with Fresh Strawberry Topping. Oh my gosh, I think I’m onto something here!! With some honey whipped cream? Who’s here for it??
What to make with Cornbread
Try this cornbread with The Best Chili Recipe I’ve Ever Made! It’s a match made in heaven! Try these other chili recipes too:
- Chili Mac and Cheese << I bring regular chili to the parties, but this Chili Mac is what we make for the family on actual Halloween every year.
- Easy White Chicken Chili << 30 minutes and done! Who can say no to this classic?
- Cream Cheese Chicken Chili << this one is made in the crock pot and is SO easy.
- Quick and Easy Chili Recipe << Don’t forget the secret ingredient!
You could also try cornbread with:
- Pulled Pork and a side of Coleslaw!
- Any kind of BBQ like Tri tip or Beef Brisket
- Dunk it in this Beef Barley Soup
- Fried chicken, I mean right? Try this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.
- Jam. Listen, if you put on enough jam, and eat enough cornbread, who says it’s not a meal? (I know. I know. I said I only ate cornbread with honey and butter but…sometimes I eat it with jam too, okay?)
And if you’re looking to have more cornbread deliciousness in your life, be sure to check out this Cornbread Casserole Recipe or my Layered Cornbread Cake with Whipped Honey Butter Frosting!!
How to store Cornbread
This cornbread will last in covered on the counter for 2 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to reheat Cornbread
When you take it out of the freezer, thaw the cornbread at room temperature, then serve as-is, or warm in the oven at 350ºF until heated through (or microwave single slices).
Moist Cornbread Recipe FAQ
Not necessarily, but it will last longer if stored in the fridge. The cornbread will stay more moist if it’s stored at room temperature, but will only last for a couple of days. It may dry out slightly if stored in the fridge but will stay fresh for up to one week.
There are a few ingredients at work here to make this homemade cornbread super moist, but the key ingredient is buttermilk! The acidity in buttermilk creates a super moist and tender texture that just can’t be achieved with regular milk. Cheater buttermilk (made with milk and vinegar) has the same effect, so don’t worry, you’ll still get incredible moistness. The other secret ingredient is oil, which is 100% fat and brings the MOIST.
Cornbread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet batter on it. You can also shake the skillet a little, and if is at all wobbly, leave it in a couple more minutes. The top should be golden brown and the edges should pull away from the edges of the pan. It should be about 200 degrees, maybe a little more.
And that’s it! Cornbread is one of the easiest side dishes ever. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to mix up the ingredients and get it in the oven. Make it! Love it! Happy Halloween everyone!
UPDATE February 2024: This recipe was developed for a 9-inch cast iron skillet. But, very often I need to take a big batch of cornbread to an event, and the cast iron is not practical for that (plus doesn’t make a ton.) So I went back to the drawing board on making this recipe in a 9×13 inch pan. I’ve included my updated notes at the bottom of the recipe card!
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Best Homemade Cornbread Recipe (Sweet & Moist)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon for 8×8 pan, SEE NOTE
- 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk*
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place your 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while the oven preheats. (If you are baking this in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan, see note.)
- In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 2 teaspoons baking powder. (Use 1 teaspoon baking powder if using a square pan.)
- Slice off about 1/2 tablespoon from your 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and set aside (you will grease the pan with it soon).
- Melt the remaining butter in a large bowl in the microwave.
- Add 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/3 cup honey to the large bowl with the melted butter. Stir well until combined.
- Add 2 eggs and 1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk.* Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (then wipe out the dry bowl and put it back in your cupboard!) DO NOT over mix! Make sure the dry ingredients are fully incorporated but don't worry if there are a few lumps.
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and shut the door. Grease the bottom and sides (all the way to the top) with the remaining half tablespoon butter. I use a butter knife. If it melts too fast, use a pastry brush to spread it around.
- Pour the batter into the hot pan and smooth out the top.
- Use hot pads to place the skillet back in the oven. Bake at 375 for 28-32 minutes. The cornbread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet batter on it. You can also shake the skillet a little, and if is at all wobbly, leave it in a couple more minutes. The top should be golden brown and the edges should pull away from the edges of the pan.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This is best served right away so the edges are nice and crispy! Top with butter and honey, and/or serve with The Best Chili Recipe I've Ever Made!
- Store the cornbread tightly covered on the counter for up to 3 days. If you made it in a cast iron pan, remove the cornbread from the cast iron once cool, and store in a sealed container (otherwise it will start to taste all iron-y. no thanks.)
Video
Notes
- Only use 1 teaspoon baking powder. (Your cake will overflow the pan if you use 2 teaspoons.)
- Do not put the pan in the oven while it is preheating. Spray the pan with nonstick spray. There is no need to set aside the 1/2 tablespoon of butter from the stick of butter called for in the recipe.
Making this cornbread recipe in a 9×13 inch pan
UPDATE February 2024: There have been a lot of reviews saying that a doubled recipe overflows. This never happened for me, but I experimented with reducing the amount of batter for a 9×13 and am happy with the results. If you bake in a metal pan, the edges will still get pretty crispy, which is awesome. Below is my updated recipe for a 9×13 pan; it’s 1.5x the recipe, not a full double. Grease a metal 9×13 inch pan and do not put it in the oven while preheating. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, not 375. 1.5x all the ingredients except for the baking powder:- 1 and 1/2 cups flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup butter (this is 1 and 1/2 sticks)
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1 and 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
My first time reviewing something I made from Pinterest. But I had to it was that good! It’s delicious! It came out exactly how you said it would, crispy edges and moist inside. I’ve made cornbread many times never coming out this good. Very good recipe. Even my toddler approves he said “tastes good mama” and he’s a tough critic. 😀
If the toddler approves, then you know it’s a winner Rebecca! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to review!
All these negative comments I just HAD to come here and comment!
1.) If your batter is “soupy”, you should probably double check your measurements somewhere. Or you could have over mixed. My batter was thinner than a boxed corn bread we usually use.
2.) This is sweet corn bread. Not everyone enjoys the bland, dry, corn bread that old folks dip in milk. Y’all are crazy. I’ll continue to smother my sweet corn bread in honey. Yum.
3.) I used my cast iron skillet. My convection did brown the top a little and I started to get nervous it might burn, but it didn’t! A couple more minutes and it evenly browned on top, but wasn’t burned and completely cooled through. Popped right out of the pan perfectly.
This recipe has been saved and will forever be my go to! My picky kids who hate corn bread just ate two pieces each! That’s a win in my book! 🙌🏻
Dear Briana,
I love you. I love you. I love you.
Love,
The Food Charlatan
PS “Bland dry cornbread that old folks dip in milk” had me laughing. I read it out loud to my husband. haha!
So upset that I even spent the time making this recipe though I blame myself for not stopping once I saw that it called for a cup of sugar. This is cake, not cornbread. We tried to eat it with cornbread and my husband resorted to saving it for dessert with ice cream. Stick to the southern style cornbread because this most certainly isn’t cornbread!
Please take cornbread out of the name of this recipe! It’s nothing like cornbread. Well-made cornbread is NOT dry and doesn’t have any sugar in it. I have to admit, I was ready to call this a fail before I tasted it. So to give you the benefit of the doubt, I made the recipe. I shouldn’t have. It was greasy, pucker-up sweet and gross. I had to throw it out because everyone tried it (I made them) and agreed with me. I’m sorry I tried it but this is nothing like cornbread.
I’m not sure I’ve ever left comments on a recipe, but this one absolutely warrants it. I was hesitant after reading some of the comments, but went ahead and gave this cornbread a shot. And — I am beyond glad I did!!! Aside from using half the sugar, I followed the recipe and it came out amazing. Cleaning and seasoning my cast iron skillet is what keeps me from using it more often. The cornbread released from it perfectly and there’s no need to mess with cleaning and seasoning. Even if I did have to fuss with cleaning it, this cornbread is 100% worth it.
I’m so glad you tried it out Lori! I hope this inspires you to use your cast iron pan more :) It’s so handy! Thank you so much for reviewing!
The instructions provided for using a 9×13 dish are NOT accurate. I followed the amounts to the T and the batter completed overflowed all over the oven. It makes WAY too much batter to fit in a 9×13 dish. WHAT A MESS.
Also, after 25 mins of baking it is still soup. Yet the top is getting too brown so I can’t leave it much longer.
This is by far the best cornbread I’ve ever made. Thank you for publishing your recipe!
NOPE. To call this cornbread is an insult to cornbread. It’s far from it. And greasy as H-E-double hockey sticks. Blech! Butter AND oil? A WHOLE CUP of sugar AND 1/3 cup honey? No… Do not recommend this recipe.
So good, it’s ridiculous! If you’re looking for dry, savory cornbread, move on. But if you’re looking for a moist, just the right amount of sweet, cornbread… this is it! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it turned out perfect. I was worried when my batter looked more ‘thin’ than ‘chunky’ as in the picture, but baked it in the oven and it baked up wonderfully. Rave reviews from my teenager and husband.
I should make that the tagline for this recipe Alyssa. “If you’re looking for dry and savory, move on.” haha! Thanks for reviewing!
I made this today. It was very soupy. I doubled it & used a 9 x 13 pan. Not sure if it’s my oven or what but it took about 40 minutes for the middle to get done. We had to try a small piece, It was very good & even my husband liked it & he usually only likes the southern kind.
There is one spot that didn’t brown for some reason. Like I said could be my oven. I tried to copy my picture but it wouldn’t paste to Pinterest.
I’m so glad you liked it Cathy! Every oven is different, and if you doubled it I would indeed expect the bake time to be longer. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Great cake recipe. Terrible cornbread recipe. No need for this amount of sugar or the buttermilk. This is dessert.
Mine did not turn out as described in the blog. Moist, yes, to the point of being almost wet and it was completely cooked as it did not sink in the center. Very heavy and I’m wondering if the honey was actually necessary in the recipe. The sugar would’ve made it sweet enough then if needed the honey could’ve been drizzled on top. The outer part did not crisp up. It got dark but not crispy. I used a fairly new cast iron skillet that had probably only been used 2 other times. I buttered it as per instructions. My husband liked it because it was sweet and not dry but it wasn’t for me, so I guess cornbread is just a matter of taste. I’m not sure if I should tweak this recipe or just keep looking. 🤔
I usually use a boxed sweet cornbread to go with my chili but I decided to try homemade instead. So glad I found your recipe! I used my 9 inch cast iron but it almost spilled over the edges as it was baking, so the edges were a bit overdone (almost burnt). Next time I’ll just add a little less batter to the pan so it doesn’t do that. I did have to bake it about 4-5 minutes longer than what the recipe calls for. At 28 minutes it was still very soupy in the middle. I just kept checking every couple of minutes and finally it was done! Perfecto! Will definitely save this recipe and make it again!
So glad you loved the recipe Donna! Thanks for sharing your notes and leaving a review!!
Not sure what I did wrong it was like soup! I double checked and I measured everything right. Like, I literally have no idea! I’m so sad I was so excited to eat this but I can tell already this isn’t going to work.
So sorry to hear that Rachel!! Not sure what went wrong!
Let me get into this DELICIOUS sweet honey cornbread recipe. I have been through so many recipes and it was was never the taste I was looking for. Like you I like my cornbread sweet as can be. You have outdone yourself and I thank you for sharing this we us. The best recipe this far.
That makes me so happy to hear Amy! I’m so glad you are loving the recipe. Sweet cornbread for the win. Thank you so much for reviewing!
I have been looking for a great, sweet cornbread recipe for years, and yours is perfect! It was a hit with my whole family. Thanks for sharing!
So happy to hear you loved it Kristin!! Bring on the sweet cornbread :) Thanks so much for reviewing!