Cornbread cut and on a white plate
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January 15, 2026 by Linda Loosli 34  Comments , , , ,

How To Make Cornbread From Scratch

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I’m sure you’ve had some amazing cornbread in your life, but have you ever had the best cornbread recipe out there? Probably not. I’m going to teach you how to make the best Cornbread Recipe out there. I’ve been making this recipe for years, and now it’s time that I pass it on. Cornbread is one of those recipes that pairs perfectly with chili, soup, or serves as a satisfying snack.

Whenever I have people over, I enjoy making cornbread because it’s tasty and very filling. My friend, Kathleen, gave me this recipe years ago, and it’s the best one I’ve ever tasted.

Making cornbread from scratch is one of those timeless kitchen skills that brings comfort, flavor, and tradition together in one simple dish. Long before boxed mixes lined grocery store shelves, cornbread was made with basic pantry ingredients and baked fresh for every meal. Learning how to make cornbread from scratch isn’t just about food; it’s about preserving a skill that’s fed families for generations.

Cornbread ready to eat with butter.

This guide walks you through the process, techniques, tips, and common mistakes involved in making homemade cornbread without a recipe, so you understand the why behind every step.

Why Make Cornbread From Scratch?

Homemade cornbread has a texture, flavor, and freshness that store-bought mixes can’t replicate. When you make it from scratch:

  • You control the ingredients
  • You avoid preservatives and fillers
  • You can customize sweetness, texture, and moisture
  • You achieve a more authentic corn flavor

From-scratch cornbread also adapts easily to different meals, from hearty chili nights to simple beans and greens.

Understanding the Key Ingredients

While cornbread is simple, each ingredient plays an important role in the final result.

Cornmeal

Cornmeal is the foundation of cornbread. The grind size matters:

  • Fine grind creates a softer, cake-like texture
  • Medium grind offers a traditional crumb
  • Stone-coarse-ground cornmeal provides a deeper flavor and texture

Flour

Flour balances the cornmeal, giving structure and preventing the bread from being too crumbly. The ratio of cornmeal to flour determines whether your cornbread is dense or light.

Fat

Fat adds moisture and richness. Butter, oil, or rendered fat all affect flavor and texture differently. Traditional Southern cornbread often relies on fat heated in the pan for crisp edges.

Liquid

Milk or other liquids hydrate the cornmeal and flour. Some cooks prefer to let the cornmeal soak briefly to soften the texture before baking.

Leavening

A leavening agent helps cornbread rise slightly, keeping it tender instead of compact.

Sweetener (Optional)

Sweetness is a personal and regional preference. Some styles of cornbread are completely unsweetened, while others include a touch of sugar for balance.

Choosing the Right Pan

The pan you use has a major impact on how your cornbread turns out.

  • Cast iron skillet: Creates crispy edges and even heat
  • Glass or ceramic: Produces a softer crust
  • Metal pan: Bakes evenly with a moderate crust

Preheating the pan, especially cast iron, helps develop that golden, crunchy exterior many people love.

Mixing the Batter Properly

One of the most common mistakes when making cornbread from scratch is overmixing.

  • Mix just until combined
  • Overmixing can lead to tough or dense cornbread
  • A few small lumps are normal and expected

Cornbread batter should be thick but pourable, not runny or stiff.

Baking Tips for Perfect Cornbread

  • Preheat your oven fully before baking
  • Place the pan in the center of the oven
  • Avoid opening the oven door too early
  • Look for a golden top and firm center

Cornbread continues to set slightly after being removed from the oven, so resting time matters.

Common Cornbread Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using stale cornmeal
  • Skipping pan preheating
  • Adding too much flour
  • Baking at the wrong temperature
  • Cutting too soon after baking

Avoiding these mistakes helps ensure a tender crumb and balanced flavor.

Variations You Can Make From Scratch

Once you master the basics, cornbread is easy to customize:

  • Savory additions like herbs or vegetables
  • Richer versions with added fat
  • Rustic styles with coarse cornmeal
  • Softer versions with extra moisture

Making cornbread from scratch gives you full control over how it turns out every time.

Cornbread Ingredients

  • Bread or all-purpose flour will help your cornbread rise and achieve a spongy, cake-like texture.
  • The yellow cornmeal is really what you need for good cornbread. It gives that grainy texture and beautiful color.
  • Granulated white sugar gives the cornbread that hint of sweetness we all love.
  • Salt is critical to bring out all the flavors we want to taste in that first bite of cornbread.
  • Baking powder (must be fresh) helps our cornbread dough to rise and expand as it bakes.
  • Milk makes our cornbread taste rich and makes it so moist!
  • Eggs, we need to bring all the ingredients together and help the cornbread rise.
  • Butter, well, I LOVE butter, and it makes everything taste better and gives us that rich, flaky, and moist flavor.

Easy Cornbread Recipe

This recipe is one of the best cornbread recipes I’ve found. Most of us go for a Jiffy Box in order to make cornbread. You don’t have to do that anymore. I know that I was intimidated for years by making cornbread.

After you master it, you’ll start making this cornbread recipe anytime you want, and particularly when you have just a few minutes. I think you’ll appreciate the soft texture of the cornbread, but also that familiar taste that only this kind of bread can give you.

How to Make Cornbread From Scratch

Are you interested in learning how to make this delicious recipe? I’m excited to teach you! Learning how to make this recipe is sure to change mealtime in your house. You can easily make this recipe whenever you get the “hankering” for a little cornbread.

Step One

The first step is to preheat your oven to 425°F = (218°C). I greased the 8-inch cast-iron pan and placed it in the hot oven to preheat. This is an 8-inch Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet Pan, but any brand will work.

Cast iron pan

Step Two

The next step is to gather all of the ingredients. What I love about this recipe is that I stock all of these ingredients in my pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. I keep my cornmeal in the freezer in an airtight container. The cornmeal I like to buy is Bob’s Red Mill Coarse Grind Cornmeal. You may prefer Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal. It’s just your personal preference.

Cornbread ingredients

Step Three

I combined all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl to distribute them evenly. Be sure the baking powder is fully distributed, or you may find a tiny chunk in your cornbread after baking. Yes, it’s happened to me!

Step Four

Then I added the melted butter, the egg, buttermilk, and the sour cream. Then stir thoroughly, but don’t overmix. 

Cornbread batter in bowl

Step Five

Remove the cast-iron pan from the oven. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Cornbread batter in hot cast iron pan

Step Six

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with butter or honey butter.

Baked Cornbread

Step Seven

Let cool for about ten minutes before cutting the wedges to serve.

Cornbread cut and on a white plate

The Best Cornbread Recipe

5 from 6 votes
Cut Cornbread in Cast Iron
Print
Cornbread Recipe
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Author: Linda Loosli
Ingredients
  • 1 cup white flour (I use bread flour)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2/3 cup of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to (425°F) = (218°C)

  2. Grease an 8-inch cast-iron pan or 9-inch round cake pan.

  3. I would place the cast-iron pan in the oven to heat while you mix all the ingredients.

  4. I combined all other dry ingredients in a medium bowl to evenly distribute them.

  5. Then I added the melted butter, the egg, buttermilk, and the sour cream.

  6. Then you mix thoroughly, but do not overmix.

  7. Remove the cast-iron pan from the oven.

  8. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

  9. Serve warm with butter or honey butter.

Honey Butter Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Homemade Whipped Honey Butter
Print
Honey Butter by Food Storage Moms
Prep Time
10 mins
 
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Linda Loosli
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/4 cup honey-I only use pure raw honey
Instructions
  1. Whip the softened butter with a hand mixer until fluffy and slowly add the honey to blend together. Chill until ready to use.

What can I serve with Cornbread?

What is Cornbread?

You may be the only person in the world who hasn’t tried or made cornbread, but that’s about to change. If you’re uncertain about what cornbread is made from, here is the list: cornmeal, flour, sugar, eggs, a leavening agent, and a few other ingredients.

All of the ingredients are mixed together to create cornbread. I bake mine in the cast-iron pan, and it comes out golden brown. I prefer sweet cornbread. When I was a kid, I’d pour syrup on the cornbread to make it even sweeter. Give that a try if you haven’t done it before.

When I go to Cracker Barrel, their cornbread is kind of dry, so you have to add tons of syrup to help it go down. That’s not the type of cornbread we’re making here. My recipe is soft and scrumptious.

How Do You Make Cornbread From Scratch?

Well, the reason you’re reading this post is to show you how to make cornbread from scratch. It’s a lot different than making cornbread from a box. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make.

Do You Need to Use Baking Powder for Homemade Cornbread?

While each recipe is different, most cornbread recipes require baking powder. If you don’t have baking powder, you can always use a substitute.

This post explains Baking Powder Substitutes.

What Does Cornbread Taste Like?

You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted cornbread. When done right, cornbread tastes like a dense cake, with a sweeter and lighter texture than cake.

Some recipes can fall apart because the cornmeal isn’t the best at holding everything together. Whether it falls apart or not, it still tastes delicious. This recipe has sour cream, and maybe that’s why it’s so soft and yummy!

Storing and Reheating Cornbread

  • Store at room temperature for short periods
  • Refrigerate for longer storage
  • Reheat gently to avoid drying it out

Proper storage helps maintain moisture and flavor.

Final Word

Learning how to make cornbread from scratch is a skill worth having in every home kitchen. It’s simple, affordable, and deeply rooted in tradition. Once you understand the process, you’ll never need a boxed mix again and can tailor your cornbread exactly to your taste.

Homemade cornbread isn’t just food, it’s comfort, heritage, and self-reliance baked into every slice. I believe Southern Cornbread is the best, but when it comes to cornbread, I’m not picky. I’m glad I could show you how to make the best cornbread out there. Add a little melted butter, and you’ll be in heaven! May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright images: Homemade Whipped Honey Butter Depositphotos_187217466_S

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34 Comments

  1. Good morning Linda,
    Looks like a great recipe. But, you are using the wrong pan. If you check with your sister in Austin, you will find out that here in Texas we say “Pie Are Round, Cornbread Are Square!” LOL!!! Have a great day!!

    Reply

  2. I love cornbread and have a difficult time eating stew, chili, soup without it! Love having an easy recipe for scratch cornbread as I have always used Jiffy!! Probably still will use Jiffy though! I do like to doctor up the Jiffy cornbread depending on what I am serving it with. I like mine more savory than sweet. I add a small can of drained corn to the batter and sometimes even add diced green chilies from a can. That is best with chili though. I learned to add the corn and chilies from a friend of mine a few years ago. I had made a big pot of chili and she brought the cornbread! Then I tried making a chili casserole where I put the chili in a baking dish (thick chili) and topped it with the cornbread and baked it until the cornbread was done – sort of like a shepard’s pie!

    Reply

    1. Hi Leanne, oh my gosh, I think my mom put some corn in our cornbread growing up. I bet try that next time. Of course, I need to add diced green chilies to a batch now!! What a great idea!! That thick chili with cornbread on top is a must-try!! Thank you, my friend! Linda

      Reply

  3. I learned to make cornbread in a cast iron skillet on the stove, and flip it halfway through cooking, like a pancake. I don’t live in Texas, tho’.

    Reply

  4. Cornbread is such a versatile food! And I love how easy your recipe is! Printing it out for the recipe binder for sure!

    Cornbread is a great way to use up diced ham or that last little bit of shredded cheese.

    When we go camping, I make up several things ahead of time, cornbread being one of our favorites. I’ve added crumbled bacon or cooked breakfast sausage & shredded cheese to cornbread for a quick meal or snack.

    Reply

  5. I have baked cornbread all my life. Love it. But it wasn’t until I tasted my mother’s-in-law that I truly fell in love with it. Now her recipe is my recipe. In case you are interested: 1 1/2 C. Of self rising flour, 1 1/2 C. Of cornmeal, 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons full of buttered flavor Crisco, 1 egg, and enough buttermilk to resemble a cake mix, or a tad more. I stir the dry ingredients to mix. Then with a fork work crisco into dry ingredients. Next I add and egg and buttermilk. Stir together really good and pour into a 9×13 baking pan. Put in preheated 400 degree oven. Let bake (15 to 20 minutes) until edges are brown. Turn oven to broil to darken top quickly. Take out and spread butter all over top. Cut and eat!! This recipe is always moist and rather cake like. Hope you will give it a try. Note: my mil used to add a couple of Tablespoons of sugar to it but we like it without.

    Reply

    1. HI PAM, oh my gosh, I have to try the butter-flavored Crisco and your recipe!! I’m all over this, I LOVE trying new recipes!! Thank you so much!!! Now my mouth is watering!!! Linda

      Reply

  6. I have a cornbread recipe that is so good and if you want to get your kids to eat their veggies this is the cornbread for you. You put broccoli in it. I use to work at a restaurant as the cook. I made a pan of this cornbread and brought it to work. My boss just finished a big meal but I gave him the pan and asked him to please try it. He came back in the kitchen after a while, he was so full. He ate a half of a 9X13
    pan of the cornbread. Guess it was good.

    Reply

    1. HI June, oh my gosh!! Now I need to dd some broccoli to my cornbread. Your boss obviously LOVED it! Thanks for sharing, you know I love good stories like this! Linda

      Reply

  7. Linda,
    I better give you my recipe for the cornbread. It calls for more than just broccoli.
    2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix
    1 small box of broccoli- cooked and drained
    1 12oz container of cottage cheese
    2 sticks butter, melted
    4 eggs

    Mix well, spread in greased pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes

    Reply

    1. Hi June, oh I love it, I need to add your recipe and Pam’s recipe to my post. I have to write myself a note, but I always have a million things going on all at once. LOL! Thank you!! Linda

      Reply

  10. I love home baked breads.There is nothing better than cornbread and chili on a cool or rainy day. I make sourdough bread at least once a week. I also have a gluten free sourdough starter going. I have made gluten free sourdough pancakes from the discarded starter for my nephew that has Celiac’s disease. I can’t wait until the starter is ready to make bread as the pancakes are quite good. I think everyone should bake from scratch. I have made many loaves of bread from your recipes. And I have passed those recipes on to my grand kids. Thank you for everything you do for us. Mat God continue His blessings on you and your family.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy, thank you for your kind words! I live in Southern Utah and I have families called Polygamists that used to come to my house for my sourdough starters. I don’t give them out anymore because my blog keeps me busy and I was going through too many quart mason jars. Life is good when you can share what you make! I love hearing you are making gluten-free starters. I bet your family loves your bread and pancakes! I LOVE your comment! Linda

      Reply

  11. Linda:

    No true southern person would use Sugar in their cornbread. I made that mistake as a young bride and I have not lived it down yet. Adding Sugar is Yankee cornbread.

    My cornbread recipe is:

    Yellow cornmeal
    White Cornmeal
    1 tbs. Baking powder for each 2 cups of cornmeal
    Eggs (one for each 2 cups of cornmeal used
    Buttermilk enough to make a batter.
    My husband loves this. He said it was better than his Mom’s. High compliments indeed.

    Reply

      1. 5 stars
        Amy you obviously aren’t from the south. No southern woman would dare put sugar in cornbread. I remember the one time I ate cornbread as a child it was taking some cooking classes with the Gas company when I was in girl scouts. I gagged when I tasted it and it turned me off cornbread forever. I use it is dressing and it is OK that way but I won’t eat it as cornbread itself. My cornbread used to use self rising flour but when my husband started having health problems I started using the white cornmeal because the self rising flour has sugar in it. But to have my husband say my cornbread was better than his mother’s and Grandmother’s is high praise indeed because no Southern Boy will admit that anyone’s cooking is better than his mother’s or Grandmothers

        Reply

  12. 5 stars
    I love this cornbread recipe! It is sooo good!❤️ I took a couple of loaves to our neighborhood chili cook off last night. It was hit! Thank you sooo much, Linda!❤️ I love all of your recipes!

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    Linda, this is my favorite cornbread recipe!!! I have tossed all others since this is the texture and flavor that is so very good. I think the sour cream and sugar go so well together. I really like it with a berry jam on it and was actually thinking about adding some fresh cranberries to it one time.
    In addition, I have learned new ways to have this cornbread with other ingredients. I love the idea of it being a topper over thick chili – must try that this week. Not only have I learned so much from you but also other readers of the daily postings. A win-win for sure.

    Reply

    1. Hi Carol, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I’m so glad you like it. Some people don’t put sour cream or sugar in theirs! You make me so happy, thank you! Linda

      Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Gotta love cornbread! It goes with anything and nothing! I love it!

    That being said, if you make Mexican cornbread, add a can of cream style corn, a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and a pound of cooked, crumbled sausage or hamburger, drained. Cook as per the cornbread, and enjoy! This reheats well. And is good cold as well.

    Reply

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