5 Cornbread Recipes That Will Make Your Tastebuds Go Crazy

What is Corn Bread?

A type of bread made primarily from cornmeal, cornbread can be sweet or savory, and is typically eaten alongside soup, stew, or chili. Cornbread has all-purpose flour, eggs, oil and baking powder. Honey and sugar are a mainstay in the sweet variations. It differs from other types of bread because it doesn't contain yeast. This makes it quick and easy to bake and gives it its signature crust when baked in a pan or skillet.

Origins of Corn Bread

A staple of Southern American cuisine, cornbread can be traced back to Indigenous American groups such as the Iroquois, who created versions of this quick bread by combining cornmeal and water. Cornbread has a much older history in America than most Americans realize. It is commonly associated with Native Americans, who roasted and ground corn centuries before European settlers arrived.

Today's version is known for its rich flavor and color, which comes from yellow cornmeal. But, while many people are familiar with cornbread, some may wonder whether it fits into a well-rounded diet. The good news is, it does.

Southern Classic Cornbread

This South American classic recipe is perfectly paired with a southern dish like beef chili or slow cooked beans. Traditionally, southern cornbread is cooked in an iron skillet, giving it a brown, crispy crust. This simple, generations-old recipe uses three main ingredients- bacon drippings, buttermilk, and cornmeal. Southern homemade cornbread traditionally does not have added sugar, making it a healthy choice for dinner or as a Side Dish.

Ingredients-
For a serving of eight, you will need-

Two tablespoons (30 ml) bacon drippings, two cups (260 g) white cornmeal, one teaspoon (6 g) baking soda, one teaspoon (6 g) salt, one large egg, one and a quarter cup (300 ml) buttermilk, six tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter.

Instructions-

1. First, preheat the oven to 425 F.
   
2. Put the bacon dripping into a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven, heating for 12 to 15 minutes.
   
3. Mix cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl to make the batter. Beat the egg, butter and buttermilk briskly in a separate bowl and empty it into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter.
   
4. Pour the batter carefully into the skillet after removing it from the oven, as the bacon drippings may be sizzling.
   
5. Bake it for 20-22 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Test the doneness with a toothpick.
   
6. The cornbread needs to be removed from the oven and turned over in the skillet. Continue baking for an additional five minutes.
   
7. After 15 to 20 minutes, remove your classic Southern cornbread from the skillet. Cool it at room temperature before cutting it into wedges. It tastes the best with a bowl of chili or a plate of ribs.
   

Farmstand Cornbread

When plain cornbread is your only option, it's fine. But during summer, a bouquet of vegetables from the farmers' market can be stirred into a skillet of cornbread with great results. In this recipe, sweet corn and fresh peppers are joined by cherry tomatoes in a summery side dish that will have you rating this among the best cornbread variations you've ever eaten.

Ingredients-
For eight servings, you will need-
Two cups of plain yellow cornmeal, one cup of all-purpose flour, two and a half cups of buttermilk, two tablespoons of canola oil, two large eggs, one tablespoon of baking powder, one and a half teaspoons of kosher salt, six tablespoons of unsalted butter (melted), one cup fontina cheese (cubed, divided), a two-third cup of sweet corn kernels (divided), one cup of cherry tomatoes (cut in halves), one large fresh jalapeno pepper (chopped), one-fourth cup of red onion (sliced)

Instructions-
1. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in an oven preheated to 425 F.
2. Pour oil into the pan, and allow it to heat for 10 minutes.
3. Combine the cornmeal, baking powder, flour, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs in another bowl.
5. Make a crater in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the butter mixture; stir until combined. Fold in half cup cheese and one-third cup corn. Pour batter over hot oil in the skillet. Be careful while doing this.
6. Bake for ten minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with tomato, onion, jalapeno, the remaining half cup of cheese, and one-third corn.
7. Return to oven until golden brown (for about 25 minutes). Check doneness by inserting a wooden pick into the center of the loaf; when it comes out clean, the bread is done.

Note- Cooking Temperature can be best checked using a food thermometer. For example, the internal temperature of a loaf of bread is 200 F to 210 F when it is cooked to perfection.

Sweet & Moist Honey Cornbread

This recipe slightly varies from the classic one. Instead of milk, it uses either almond milk or buttermilk. Use either of them as per your taste. It is always better to use a cast-iron skillet to make Sweet and Moist Honey Cornbread if you want a crisp, golden crust. Butter and honey stand out well in this recipe, making the bread tender and adding flavor to it. You can add a pinch of freshly ground cinnamon to the batter while mixing everything and a hint of lemon zest for a distinctive taste and aroma.

Ingredients-
Two large eggs with yolk, one and a quarter cup (300 ml) almond or buttermilk, three-quarters cup (100 g) yellow cornmeal, two cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, half teaspoon (three g) rock salt, half teaspoon (three g) baking soda, one teaspoon (six g) baking powder, half cup (65 g) butter, one-fourth cup (60 ml) canola oil, one cup (130 g) granulated white sugar, one-third cup (80 ml) honey.

Instructions-

1. The first step is preheating your oven to 375 F and placing a 10-inch cast iron skillet in it while the oven heats up.
   
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cornmeal nicely in a bowl.
   
3. Melt the butter and keep a little portion of it aside for greasing the skillet later.
   
4. Pour the melted butter, canola oil and honey into a big bowl and mix them with sugar until it dissolves into the wet ingredients.
   
5. Add finely beaten eggs and milk (butter/ almond) into the wet ingredients to form a smooth paste.
   
6. It's time to combine the wet paste and dry mixture in the big bowl with the help of a whisk. Whisk it till there are no visible lumps in the batter. Try not to overwork it or the air from the batter will disappear, and you'll end up with flat and stiff bread.
   
7. Take out the preheated skillet and grease it well before pouring the batter into it.
   
8. Bake the batter for around 30 minutes. Check the doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. It's done if your toothpick comes out free of bread residue.
   
9. Let the skillet cool to room temperature.
   
10. Cut it into slices and serve your sweet cornbread with whipped cream and blueberries.
    

Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

If it calls for bacon, there's little chance of the recipe going wrong. Throw in some cheese and jalapenos, and your bowl of beef stew has the best accompaniment. Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is a moist, tender side dish that goes well with soups, stews, chilis, and chowders. It has extra flavor from crispy bacon, spicy jalapeno peppers, and gooey cheese.

Ingredients-
For a serving of eight, you will need-

One cup of yellow cornmeal, half a cup of all-purpose flour, half a cup of cake flour, half a teaspoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of kosher salt, six tablespoons of unsalted butter (divided, melted and cooled), two to three jalapeno peppers (deseeded and diced), six slices of bacon (finely chopped), half diced sweet onion, two cloves of minced garlic, a cup and a half of buttermilk, two large eggs, two tablespoons of honey.

Instructions-
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Whisk the all-purpose flour, the cornmeal, cake flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cook the bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until crisp and browned (seven to eight minutes). Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate. Reserve the fat in the skillet to use a little later.
3. Saute the diced onion in the hot skillet until translucent for about four minutes. Add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute more. Transfer this mixture to a separate plate. Keep the skillet over low heat.
4. In another large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, honey and jalapenos. Whisk.
5. Add the onion and garlic to the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the mixture. Stir with a ladle until combined without overmixing.
7. Brush the bottom and the sides of the ovenproof skillet with the remaining fat. Add more butter if required. Add the batter and evenly sprinkle the bacon on the top.
8. Transfer to a preheated 450 F oven and bake until golden brown (about 20 to 25 minutes). Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
9. Cool it for 15 minutes before serving.

Honey Jalapeno Cornbread Biscuits

This easy cornbread drop biscuit recipe boasts the best of two classic Southern dishes- soft, buttery biscuits and sweet, moist cornbread. These cornbread biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to any barbecue or summertime meal. Plus, they require no cutting in butter or kneading; pulse the butter a few times with your food processor, combine with wet ingredients, drop dough, and bake.

Ingredients-
For four servings (approx 20 mid-sized biscuit-bread), you will need-

One cup of fine cornmeal, two cups of all-purpose flour, one or two jalapenos (chopped, seeds separated), one-fourth cup of honey, half a cup of sour cream, half a cup of buttermilk, one large egg, one tablespoon of sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, one and a half stick of cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes).

Instructions-

1. Set the oven to 350 F.
   
2. Whisk together cornmeal, sour cream, honey, buttermilk, egg, sugar and jalapeno peppers. Add a few seeds from the jalapeno peppers if you want more heat.
   
3. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour to a food processor and pulse three to four times to combine.
   
4. In the food processor, combine butter with the flour mixture. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 8-12 pulses). Pour flour mixture into honey/cornmeal mixture. Stir well, but don't overmix. Chill the dough for about 20 minutes (may chill up to two hours).
   
5. Shape the dough into one-fourth cup balls. Place them on a baking sheet, which is lined with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Bake for about nine to eleven minutes, or until the biscuits have lightly browned. Remove the biscuits immediately from the oven to a wire rack, and serve with butter.
   

What Does Corn Bread Go Best With?

Cornbread is the unsung hero of the bread world, best when served hot out of the oven with a pat of butter or drizzled with honey. It is a versatile bread that pairs well with various dishes, including soup, stew and chili. Here are a few of them-

1. Pair cornbread with baked beans, white bean chili sides, bean chili, and black-eyed peas for a healthy and delicious meal. Add summer vegetables to make it more flavorful.
2. Cornbread is often served alongside Beef Stew, providing a sweet-savory balance to the meal. It can be dipped into the stew, its roots giving the dish a distinctive south-of-the-border feel.
3. Cornbread salad is an old-fashioned Southern dish that uses garden-fresh vegetables, crispy crumbled bacon, and a dressing of your choice to toss up a meal that is delightful and easy.