Name: Easy Cornbread Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly); 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/4 cup honey; 1 large egg (at room temperature); 1.25 cups buttermilk (at room temperature)

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Delicious, moist, and buttery Homemade Cornbread ready in just 30 minutes. With crispy golden edges and a perfect fluffy center, this cornbread is made from scratch with simple ingredients and no fancy mixer required!

Honey being drizzled over freshly baked cornbread.

The Best Cornbread Recipe

There are at least a million different versions of cornbread floating around the internet, in old recipe boxes, or in cookbooks. From southern cornbread to jalapeno, corn studded cornbread, or those made with creamed corn, I could easily devote an entire blog just to the million different varieties.

But I won’t. Maybe some other time.

Instead, I’m going to share this super easy recipe for what I like to call the very BEST cornbread recipe. It checks all the must-have boxes,

Buttery – but not greasy
Crispy edges, golden top
Moist and fluffy center
No fancy, heavy-duty mixer required
Sweet, but not so sweet that your kids mistake it for cake

What is the Best Cornmeal for Cornbread?

Before we talk about how to make delicious cornbread, let’s chat about the CORNMEAL. After all, you are going to need some cornmeal.

Cornmeal is made by grinding dried maize (corn). You will find cornmeal in fine, medium, and coarse consistencies, with very fine cornmeal referred to as cornflour here in the United States.

What is the best cornmeal to use in cornbread? The answer is a largely personal preference. Cornbread made with coarse cornmeal will be more rustic and less tender and fluffy when compared to cornbread made with fine cornmeal (but that’s kind of the point, right?)

I like to use medium-grind cornmeal—a happy middle-ground.

For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill medium-grind yellow cornmeal. For a more traditional southern cornbread, consider using white cornmeal.

Pan of freshly baked cornbread removed from the pan and sliced into cubes.

^{Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full list and amounts of ingredients.}

How to Make Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease (I like to use butter) and lightly flour an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.

2. Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Mix wet ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted (and slightly cooled) butter, brown sugar, and honey until thoroughly combined. Next, add the egg and whisk until incorporated. Finally, add the buttermilk, whisking thoroughly until smooth.

4. Combine – Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well to combine – try to avoid over-mixing.

5. Bake – Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top is golden with crispy edges. Allow your cornbread to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

How to Store Leftover Cornbread

I recommend keeping leftover cornbread wrapped in plastic wrap, stored at room temperature (out of direct sunlight). You may also keep it stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from drying out. Leftovers are good for up to 5-7 days.

To freeze, simply wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid (the container will prevent it from getting smushed). Transfer and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.