Homemade Cornbread Recipe (with Creamed Corn)

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Dry, crumbly cornbread is the easiest way to ruin a good dinner. This homemade cornbread recipe bakes up moist every time and won’t fall apart when you cut a slice.

My husband taught me this cornbread. He found the recipe on the back of a bag of cornmeal years ago, then tweaked it until it turned out exactly the way he liked it. I have been making his version ever since.

After 20 years in the kitchen, this is the cornbread I reach for when I want something easy and reliable. It doesn’t require specialty cornmeal or a jug of buttermilk, and it bakes in under an hour into a moist, slightly sweet quick bread every time.

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread Recipe

• Comes together in one bowl with pantry staples, no mixer needed
• Moist and sweet, with little flecks of corn texture in every bite
• Stays together when you cut a piece, it won’t fall apart on you
• Dense without being heavy, and sweet without being overly sweet and the corners get crisped and browned as it bakes
• No buttermilk or milk to buy, one can of creamed corn does the job
• Ready in under an hour, perfect alongside a bowl of White Chicken Chili
• Easy to turn into corn muffins for a quick lunch sidekick

Ingredients for Homemade Cornbread

• Yellow cornmeal – I use regular yellow cornmeal, such as Quaker or Wilkins Rogers Mills stone-ground yellow cornmeal. Avoid coarse cornmeal or polenta. White cornmeal may be used, but the cornbread won’t have that distinct yellow color. Note that cornmeal is not the same as corn flour. Cornmeal has more texture and gives the cornbread that classic gritty bite.
• All-purpose flour – Balances the cornmeal so the bread holds together without turning dense.
• Sugar – Sweetens the batter and balances the corn flavor. This makes a sweeter, cake-like cornbread. Cut it back if you want something drier and more savory.
• Baking powder – Gives the cornbread its lift, since there’s no yeast in this recipe.
• Coarse Kosher Salt – Rounds out the sweetness and keeps the batter from tasting flat.
• Butter – I use salted butter here. It adds a savory touch that brings out the corn flavor even more.
• Large Eggs – Bind the batter together and help it rise evenly.
• Creamed corn aka “cream style corn” – This takes the place of the buttermilk you would normally find in cornbread. It keeps the bread moist and adds little flecks of corn texture and extra corn flavor in every bite.

How to Make Cornbread with Creamed Corn

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease an 8×8 baking pan. Getting the pan ready now means you can pour the batter in as soon as it’s mixed.

Step 2:

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, creamed corn, and melted butter until fully combined.

Step 3:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until no dry flour remains. Overmixing will make the cornbread tough, so stop as soon as it comes together.

Step 4:

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry and clean. The bread should have crispy brown edges, rise in the center, and a top with browned spots

Tips for the Best Cornbread with Creamed Corn

• Use a light colored 8×8 pan if you have one. Dark pans absorb more heat and can dry out the edges before the center finishes baking. If you only have dark pans, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F
• This is a very moist cornbread, so bake until the toothpick comes out dry and clean. If you pull it too early, you’ll end up with a gummy center.
• Let the cornbread cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. It needs time to set, or it will fall apart when you cut it.
• Measure the cornmeal and flour by spooning them into the measuring cup and leveling off, rather than scooping straight from the bag. Scooping packs in extra flour and can dry out the batter.

Cornbread Variations and Substitutions

• Jalapeño cornbread – Add finely diced jalapeños to the batter for a spicy kick. Expect a longer baking time to account for extra moisture from the peppers.
• Corn muffins – Divide the batter between 12 lined muffin cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sweeter Cornbread – Brush the top of the cornbread with honey when it comes out of the oven, or brush with whipped honey butter and let it melt into the bread.
• Savory cornbread – Cut the sugar in half for a drier, less sweet cornbread.

What to Serve with Cornbread

This cornbread is a natural side for spicy entrees like Chicken and White Bean Chili, Turkey and Bean Chili, Boston Baked Beans, or Slow Cooker Baked Beans.

It also holds its own next to a bowl of New England Fish Chowder or Corn Chowder, or alongside Chicken Tortilla Soup.

How to Store Cornbread

Store leftover cornbread covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Because the creamed corn adds so much moisture, the bread will start to break down after that. To keep it longer, refrigerate it for up to 3 more days.

Can You Freeze Cornbread?

Yes. Wrap individual pieces of cornbread tightly and freeze them. Pull out pieces as you need them and thaw at room temperature, or reheat the chunks of cornbread straight from frozen.

How to Reheat Cornbread

Reheat cornbread in a 350°F oven until heated through. This brings back the golden top and loosens up the melted butter in the batter, without drying out the inside.

Do I Need to Drain the Creamed Corn?

No. Use the entire can of creamed corn, liquid included. That liquid is what makes this cornbread so moist and corn-y flavored, so don’t pour any of it out.

Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Corn Instead of Creamed Corn?

Fresh or frozen corn kernels do not have the same moisture or texture as creamed corn, so they will not work as a straight swap.

More Breads To Serve With Dinner

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