Molasses Cornbread
on Oct 10, 2018, Updated Nov 17, 2023
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This earthy and slightly sweet cornbread goes perfectly with soups, chilis, and stews.
A little bit of molasses turns simple, basic cornbread into something with a bit more depth and interest. My jar of molasses sits idle for many months out of the year, and then in the fall, it gets called into service for treats like Chewy Molasses Cookies, Pumpkin Gingerbread with Crystallized Ginger, and here it gives personality (and some ruddy color) to a quick bread. This would be perfect next to a bowl of chili, like Slow Cooker Beef Chili or Hatch Chicken Chili, or a bowl of soup like Pumpkin Curry Soup.
We always serve cornbread at Thanksgiving. It takes about 10 minutes to get into the oven (the mixing up of the ingredients probably takes less time than your oven does to preheat), and a basket of warm cornbread makes a lot of meals more special. Add a side of Vegetarian Collard Greens, and you’re in business.
Table of Contents
Molasses Cornbread: A little bit of molasses turns simple, basic cornbread into something with a bit more depth and interest. It takes about 10 minutes to get into the oven.
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Molasses Cornbread Ingredients
- Finely ground cornmeal – Using finely ground cornmeal will ensure that your cornbread is fluffy rather than gritty.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the cornbread body and lightens it up.
- Sugar – Two tablespoons of sugar make this a very mildly sweet cornbread. If you want a sweeter cornbread (and many do, especially in the Southern part of the country), you can increase that amount to ¼ cup.
- Baking powder – Gives the batter its rise in the oven and results in a nice fluffy texture.
- Buttermilk – The acidity in the buttermilk gives the cornbread balance and helps activate the baking powder to make it rise.
- Molasses – The deeply sweet and slightly bitter notes of the molasses make this cornbread unique.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness.
- Eggs – Give the cornbread structure.
How to Make Molasses Cornbread
- Combine dry ingredients: Mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients: Mix together the buttermilk, molasses, melted butter, and eggs.
- Make the batter: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Bake: Pour into a pan and bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Test with a toothpick — when it comes out clean, the cornbread is done! Cool as long as you can bear to wait and then serve.
Storage
Molasses cornbread will last for 3 days at room temperature. It will dry out a bit, and you can bring up the flavor and improve the texture by toasting the bread in a toaster or oven for a few minutes.
Molasses Cornbread Tips
- Don’t overmix the dry ingredients and the wet; stir just until barely blended.
- If you want a sweeter cornbread, you can increase the amount of sugar to ¼ cup.
What to Serve With Molasses Cornbread
More Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Cornbread Dressing
- Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
- Roasted Fall Vegetables
- Corn Pudding
- Sweet Potato Casserole
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Molasses Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray an 8 x 8 square pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine the buttermilk, molasses, melted butter, and eggs.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture with a fork just until combined. Pour in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick or a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out just barely clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack until warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the dry ingredients and the wet; stir just until barely blended.
- If you want a sweeter cornbread, you can increase the amount of sugar to ¼ cup.
