The Best Cornbread Ever is moist and sweet, while being just dense enough not to fall apart in your hands.
There is no need to slather on butter and drizzle honey over this cornbread, the cornbread is lightly sweetened and delicious on its own. (Not that it won’t be even more delicious with any and all of your favorite toppings!)
Almost every time I make this, I hide a piece just for myself the next day. To say that I love this cornbread, just doesn’t even do it justice.
With bread recipes, it is often all about the texture for me. This cornbread is not too crumbly at all; it holds together beautifully. I’ve even baked it in a loaf pan and sliced it more like sandwich bread.
I made the traditional version of this recipe for over ten years and I’ve now made the gluten free version for over two years. This cornbread has never failed to get great reviews from everyone who tastes it.
The BEST Cornbread Ever
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- 1¼ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup light flavored olive oil
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- ⅔ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
- In the bottom of a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and cornmeal and set aside. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. While this is resting, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and sugar and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the dry ingredients to the milk and cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Add the egg and the oil and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 10 minutes. (This amount of time is required. The cornbread won't be nearly as fluffy and moist without the full beating time.)
- Grease an 8×8 or 7×10 pan with butter and pour the batter into it. I have used a small 8″ cast iron skillet as well and it works great. Doubling the recipe will perfectly fill a standard cast iron skillet or a 9×13 pan. (If doubling the recipe use a TOTAL of 3 teaspoons of baking powder.)
- Bake 25-30 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The bread should be lightly browned at the edges, dry on top, and just beginning to show some cracks in the crust. Slice and serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally posted 9/7/12 – recipe notes updated 10/8/2014}