I just love this easy basic cornbread recipe. And I love cornbread in general. This recipe is a little bit different than my sweet moist cornbread. There is always room for one more cornbread recipe!
Growing up we had cornbread quite a bit, probably because it is so hearty and incredibly easy to make. It is the perfect side dish for chili, barbecued meats, beans, chicken, or by itself with butter, honey, jelly and jam.
And I love how simple it is to make, it comes together in minutes and doesn’t take a super long time to bake. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In order to make this homemade easy basic cornbread you need just a handful of ingredients:
- Butter – Unsalted or salted butter
- Milk – I generally use whole milk, but other milk can be used including Almond milk if you are looking for a dairy-free option.
- Egg
- Sugar – The white granulated sugar can be adjusted for overall sweetness. If you like it less sweet divide it in half.
- Salt
- Flour – All purpose/plain flour
- Baking powder
- Cornmeal – Use store-bought cornmeal or this awesome homemade cornmeal which is made from everyday popcorn kernels.
Tools
- Hand Mixer
- 8×8 baking pan (greased with shortening) or cast iron pan
- Spatula
- Bowls
Step 2: How to make homemade easy basic cornbread
Preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C. Melt the butter either in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl. Add the milk and the egg and mix until combined. You can use a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon.
Now time to finish the cornbread batter. Add the rest of the ingredients, the sugar, salt, flour, baking powder, and of course the cornmeal. You can also mix those ingredients together separately in a different bowl first, but I don’t normally do that. I just dump them in, haha.
Mix all those ingredients together with the mixer, or wooden spoon. And just like that the batter is done. Easy right? I think so.
NOTE: Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and then mix a bit more, to ensure all the ingredients get mixed.
Step 3: Bake the homemade basic cornbread
Grease an 8×8 inch pan with shortening or spray it with cooking spray. You can also use a cast iron pan too if you like.
Add all the batter to the pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Bake it in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle.
The edges of the cornbread will be lightly golden brown as well when it is done. Remove it from the oven an allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then cut it into squares and serve.
There are so many ways to serve it. You can spread butter on it and honey, jelly, jam, etc. Enjoy!
How long does basic cornbread last?
If stored in an airtight container it will last a few days at room temperature or about a week in the fridge. You can also wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for a few months.
Here are some other recipes you may like:
Easy Basic Cornbread
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- 8×8 baking pan or cast iron pan
- Spatula
- Bowls
- Shortening
- whisk or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter 57g
- 1 cup of milk 240ml
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar 50g
- 1/2 tsp. of salt 2 g
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour 120g
- 1 Tbsp. of baking powder 12g
- 1 1/4 cup of cornmeal 150g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C. With main rack in the middle position. Melt the butter and place it in a large bowl. Then add the milk and egg and mix together.
- Next, add the rest of the ingredients, the sugar, salt, flour, baking powder, and cornmeal. If you want your cornbread to be sweeter add 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1/4 cup of sugar. For less sweet only do 2 tbsp of sugar. Mix until all combined, scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan or cast-iron skillet with shortening or with cooking spray.
- Spread the batter out evenly in the pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the sides are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle.
- Allow the cornbread to cool for about 15 minutes or so, and then slice it and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I love the low sugar content in this! So many cornbread recipes use 2 – 3 times as much sugar and then it just tastes like cake! I personally like add my own “sugar” when it’s served. I pour maple syrup on top and it’s SO good! But if the cornbread tastes like cake the maple syrup is overkill. Great recipe. Looking forward to having this with our next pot of chili or next time we have fried chicken & mashed potatoes! 😋
Thank you, Betsy! Yeah, I have a completely different “sweet cornbread recipe”. It depends on what I am eating it with whether I want it sweet or not, haha. I usually just like it with a bit of butter and honey. Let me know how you like it once you get to try it!
Yum – great recipe! So easy to make and delicious to eat!
Thank you, Melissa!
This really is an easy recipe! Cornbread is a must with soups & chili, this time of year!!
Thank you so much, Kristyn!
Looks so good! I know my family will love this.
Thank you, Katie!