Classic American Cornbread (Print version)

Golden crust cornbread boasting tender crumb and balanced sweet-savory notes, ideal with chili or barbecue.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk (or buttermilk for tangier flavor)
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 tablespoons honey (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, vegetable oil, and honey until fully blended.
04 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Pour batter into the prepared pan or skillet and smooth the surface with a spatula.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, meaning you can have warm cornbread on the table before anyone's even set down their napkin.
  • The balance of sweetness and salt is calibrated just right—not cloyingly sugary, but enough honey and a touch of butter to make it crave-worthy alongside chili or soup.
02 -
  • Do not overmix—I learned this the tragic way when my first batch turned out dense as a hockey puck, and the hard truth is that overworked batter is unforgiving.
  • Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, and a cooled-but-still-warm butter won't shock the eggs into weird texture territory.
03 -
  • Room-temperature or slightly cool wet ingredients mixed with room-temperature dry ingredients give you the most tender, even crumb.
  • A touch of honey in the batter adds subtle sweetness and helps the top brown like burnished gold without tasting overly sweet.
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