To-die-for Cornbread! Crispy edges, it’s soft on the inside, savoury with a touch of sweet and so moist, you don’t need butter to scoff it down (but who in their right mind would skip butter…??) This is quick cornbread recipe that will be on your table in 30 minutes.
Want the muffin version? Here it is!
Cornbread recipe
I don’t want to brag, but I am known for my cornbread.
OK, it sounds like I’m totally bragging – but let me have just this one. Rarely do I say my recipes are the BEST version in the world! (Because who is to say one’s Chocolate Cake or one’s Meatloaf or Chili is the BEST in the world??).
This cornbread regularly makes an appearance all year round for a variety of purposes. As a side dish for a meal (especially Southern themed, like alongside Pulled Pork). As a snack or for afternoon tea – because it’s got more flavour than just plain bread rolls. Dunked into slow cooked stews.
And also to take to gatherings when I’m told “not to bring anything” or where I’m not specifically told what to bring, what others are bringing or if there’s a theme. Because cornbread is a generic all-round crowd pleaser that has a place at any meal – and it’s super quick to make!!
What you need for cornbread
Here’s what you need.
A note on a few of the items:
Canned creamed corn is the key ingredient here. Ordinary canned corn kernels won’t work
Cornmeal – ground from dried maize, these yellow grains add flavour and a hint of the signature tiny “crunch” to cornbread. Cornmeal is sold incorrectly labelled as “polenta” in most stores in Australia! Polenta is actually an Italian side dish which is made using cornmeal. Sold in packets labelled as “Polenta” in Australia like the Marco Polo and Il Molino brands (both sold at Woolworths). Do not get instant polenta.
How to make cornbread
And here’s how to make it. It’s as simple as:
Heat skillet until piping hot
Mix wet, mix dry, then mix them together
Dollop butter into hot skillet, then once it melts, pour batter in then bake until golden!
You’ll love how it comes out with crunchy buttery edges, that beautiful golden brown top and how moist it is on the inside!
How to serve cornbread
Cut it into pieces – large or small – and serve it warm if you can so the butter melts and oozes into the bread.
To take it over the top, add a drizzle of honey – it’s an experience worth trying at least once! And served like this, it’s definitely worthy of serving by itself – at book club, as a snack, afternoon tea with friends.
It’s right at home as a side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Sunday Supper, casual lunches and BBQ’s. Dunk it into Chili, serve it with Pulled Pork smothered in an incredible homemade BBQ Sauce….
Ugh, my knees are going weak at the mere though!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cornbread recipe (creamed corn)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal , medium grind (Sold in packets labelled "polenta" in Australia, Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups flour (plain / all purpose)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup canned creamed corn
- 1/2 cup / 125g melted butter , unsalted
- 2 eggs , lightly whisked
- 3/4 cups milk
Baking
- 1 – 2 tbsp butter , melted (for greasing & brushing)
Instructions
- Place a 26cm/10" castiron skillet in the oven and preheat to 220C / 425F while making the batter.
- Place the Dry Ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- Place Wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix until combined.
- Pour Wet into the Dry ingredients, mix until combined.
- Take the skillet out of the oven. Add the 1 tbsp of butter and swirl it around to coat the base and halfway up the sides (or use a brush to do this)
- Pour the batter in, smooth surface.
- Turn oven down to 190°C/375°F, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (or when you poke the top, it springs back).
- Cool 15 minutes in the skilet before tunring out onto serving platter or cutting board.
- Best served warm! It can be served in the skillet or turned out. Serve with butter and honey as well, to take it over the top!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published December 2014, updated November 2019 with fresh new photos, new video and Dozer in his adorable outfit that he hates so much!
Life of Dozer
Winnie the Pooh was always my favourite growing up… so I couldn’t resist this outfit!! 😂
I’ve cooked this one about 5 or 6 times now. Love corn bread and everything Nagi publishes but it never quite hit the mark for me. I cracked it tonight – creamed corn comes in 420gram cans in aus, instead of the 270g in the recipe I added the whole can and used buttermilk instead of normal milk. I also use Bobs Red Mill corn (imported mostly, expensive but so worth it), and a full teaspoon of cooking salt. I spent 6 hours cooking ribs and wings and the cornbread was what got the most praise! Add Pepe Saya cultured butter and you’re in heaven! Still a great recipe as is though.
These are delicious. I forgot to add the butter and they were still fine; didn’t really need it. I did add @ 1/3 cup chopped jalapeños and they added a nice flavor with mild heat. Two thumbs up
This recipe works incredibly well with gluten free flour. Keeps together and the gluten free flour feel in the mouth is minimal. Have cooked both with gluten and gluten free flour and
Was a hit both times. Great recipe
Loved this recipe and my husband who isn’t normally a fan ate at least a third of the recipe himself!!
Another keeper from your page, thank you!
For what it’s worth, the three times I made this I didn’t read the directions closely enough and I used an entire 14oz can of creamed corn instead of just 1 cup. Every time it came out fabulous, so moist and delicious, I didn’t realize anything was wrong until I was reading the recipe aloud. I’m going to continue just using the whole can, wouldn’t want to change a thing about how it turned out.
Just like home (USA). It’s been years since I’ve had Cornbread. It was so good we ate the whole thing the first night. And I made it again 2 days later.
I grew up with Jiffy mix cornbread, sometimes jalapenos were mixed in, sometimes honey. Either way it was always a treat. Being in Australia, though, has deprived me of easy access to Jiffy Cornbread mix. But today I used this recipe to make cornbread to go with my chili con carne. Turned out unreal. I’m thinking now to use this same recipe to make American style corn dogs (hot dogs dipped in cornbread batter and deep fried until golden). Thank you, the family and I enjoyed the cornbread, probably me more than them considering it was a staple growing up in the US.
Crazy question but is there any way to make this without the creamed corn, or can one easily DIY some creamed corn? They don’t sell it, to my knowledge, in the UK. I’m an American expat desperate for some good cornbread that can be made with UK polenta, as that’s all that’s available…!
I have the same issue in France & discovered that the answer is surprisingly simple. Take a regular can of corn, empty it into a bowl, & using an immersion blender, crush about a third of the kernels, & then mix the corn together. Voilà! Creamed corn.
Can this be made with gluten free plain flour?
Very good cornbread! Thank you for sharing the recipe, followedas written. Wouldn’t change a thing. Whole family enjoyed it. * the top did not brown so turned on broiler for a minute or two to give it some color.
Literally the best cornbread ever! Everyone always loves it. I serve it with some honey butter on the side — to die for!
I loved this recipe! My son is allergic to eggs so I used an extra 1/4 cup of creamed corn as an egg substitute!
Hello, I would like to make this recipe, but the imperial and metric measurements are different. 3/4 cup cornmeal is 90g, yet the recipe says to use 140g. Also, 1.5 cups of flour is 180g, yet the recipe says to use 225g. If I make this recipe using metric weights, how many grams of cornmeal and all-purpose flour should I be using? Thanks!
Hi Rema, I make this often using imperial measures. There’s a batch in the oven as a matter of fact. I just scooped out the cornmeal and flour using my measuring cups and weighed them on my kg/lb kitchen scale. Here’s what they weighed in grams: 3/4 C old fashioned stone ground yellow cornmeal is 98 grams, and 1 1/2 C King Arthur all-purpose flour is 225 grams. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much!
I just made this cornbread. Added nuts and raisins and used Evo instead of butter and cream instead of milk. Absolutely delicious
As mentioned in several comments, this is a fabulous recipe. It’s easy to make from ingredients that are available just about everywhere.
The only issue I have is that the amount of sugar used. It makes the “bread” WAY too sweet. It’s not a cake!
After the first time, I used less than half the sugar and the cornbread was delicious!
Apart from that, some readers (Americans?) seem to have trouble with “creamed corn”. Some misunderstanding, perhaps.
Hi can i use monkfruit or allulose in place of the sugar?
This recipe with creamed corn took 2 hrs and 10 min to bake!!!
The best corn bread I’ve ever had. I don’t care for corn bread, but this really is thee best corn bread. My family loves it. Thanks for making me look good at the pot luck
A winning recipe, thanks for sharing!!
Loved this recipe thank you Nagi. I added jalapeño and it just gave a touch of heat and burnt the butter slightly to add that burnt butter flavor. Thank you for sharing your recipes ♥️