Easy Cornbread
on Sep 27, 2023
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This simple cornbread takes all of 10 minutes to get into the oven, and it makes any meal just that much better.
Cornbread is one the most immediate gratification quick bread recipes in the world….and how much do we all love immediate gratification? If you have made cornbread from a mix, then you can make it from scratch.
This easy cornbread is a perfect accompaniment to pretty much anything: think flavorful Turkey Chili, Split Pea Soup, or Minestrone. You know you’d be thrilled if someone plunked down a piece next to whatever you were eating. It’s also great paired up with other vegetarian sides like Grilled Asparagus or Chili Crunch Brussels Sprouts.
Table of Contents
Easy Cornbread: This takes all of 10 minutes to get into the oven, and it makes any meal just that much better.
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Ingredients
- Butter – Butter is used to coat the pan and in the batter itself, making this cornbread moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Cornmeal – Adds the signature corn flavor and dense structure.
- Flour – Balances out the density of the cornmeal, making the cornbread lighter.
- Baking powder – Helps the cornbread rise in the oven and gives it a fluffy texture.
- Salt – Brings out the flavors.
- Sugar – A small amount of sugar is important for bringing out the sweetness of the corn.
- Egg – Binds the batter together.
- Milk – Buttermilk or plain yogurt in the same amount also works, and adds a slightly tangy flavor.
Substitutions
Buttermilk gives this cornbread a nice tenderness and a little more zing than plain milk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade version in a flash:
- Blend 1 ¼ cups room temperature milk (if you need to microwave it for a little bit to get it to room temp, that’s fine) together with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so. That’s it!
How to Make Easy Cornbread
- Melt the butter: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the butter in a medium-size ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) or a baking pan and place it in the oven to melt the butter.
- Combine dry ingredients: Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a smaller bowl, mix the egg and milk together.
- Add the butter: Pour the melted butter from the pan into the egg and milk mixture and whisk to combine. Don’t wipe out the butter from the pan, it will be helpful later!
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients until they are just barely combined.
- Fill the pan: Scrape the batter into the pan that you used to melt the butter, and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake the cornbread until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Place the skillet on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the cornbread hot, warm, or at room temperature.
FAQs
This quick cornbread recipe bakes for 25 minutes at 375 degrees, so you can make it start to finish in less than an hour!
You do not need any special equipment for this; you can bake it in any ovenproof skillet, or an 8-inch baking pan, square or round. But, if you need one single reason to buy a cast-iron pan or to take the one you have out of retirement, this would be it. What a beautiful crust you’ll get; you’ll see. An enameled cast iron pan is also great.
Mixing the cornbread batter until just barely combined prevents any accidental gluten development in the flour, so the cornbread comes out perfectly tender. Overmixing causes cornbread and other quickbreads to become tougher. Plus, the butter in this recipe makes sure the cornbread stays moist longer!
Storage
- The cornbread can be made ahead and kept, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Toasting one- or two-day-old cornbread will help perk it up, improve the texture, and bring out the corn flavor.
- After that, it will dry out a bit, but it will be perfect for Cornbread and Mushroom Stuffing or Dressing, so don’t even think about tossing it (even if it’s not Thanksgiving).
- You can also wrap it very well in plastic wrap, slide it into a freezer-proof zipper-top bag, press out any excess air, and freeze it. If you are planning to freeze it, do that as soon as it has cooled completely. Thaw on the counter, still well wrapped.
What to Serve With Easy Cornbread
More Cornbread Recipes
- Molasses Cornbread
- Cheddar Cornbread
- Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread
- Pepper Jack and Green Chili Corn Muffins
- Bacon, Fresh Corn, and Oregano Cornbread
- Cornbread Dressing
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Easy Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups milk, buttermilk (see recipe intro), or plain yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Put the butter in a medium-size ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) or an 8-inch-square or round baking pan and place it in the oven to heat until the pan is hot and the butter is melted, about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the egg and milk together. Pour the melted butter from the pan into the egg and milk mixture and whisk to combine (but don’t wipe out the excess melted butter in the pan).
- Stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring just until they are barely combined. Scrape the batter into the pan that you used to melt the butter, and spread it evenly.
- Bake the cornbread until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Place the skillet on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve the cornbread hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Notes
- You do not need any special equipment for this; you can bake it in any ovenproof skillet or an 8-inch baking pan, square or round. But, if you need one single reason to buy a cast-iron pan or to take the one you have out of retirement, this would be it. What a beautiful crust you’ll get; you’ll see. An enameled cast iron pan is also great.
- The cornbread can be made ahead and kept, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Toasting one- or two-day-old cornbread will help perk it up, improve the texture, and bring out the corn flavor.
- After that, it will dry out a bit, but it will be perfect for Cornbread and Mushroom Stuffing or Dressing, so don’t even think about tossing it (even if it’s not Thanksgiving).
- You can also wrap it very well in plastic wrap, slide it into a freezer-proof zipper-top bag, press out any excess air, and freeze it. If you are planning to freeze it, do that as soon as it has cooled completely. Thaw on the counter, still well wrapped.
