This quick and easy Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe can be mixed up in minutes. My version is slightly sweetened and moist, and it makes the perfect side dish! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Better-Than-Box Mix Cornbread Recipe
Are you still making your cornbread from a box mix? If so, let me introduce you to homemade buttermilk cornbread. Incredibly moist, perfectly soft, and just as quick and easy to make, my cornbread recipe will make you swear off the boxed stuff forever.
My buttermilk cornbread is slightly sweetened (by now, this shouldn’t shock you), but it’s not too sweet or cakey. It pairs well with pulled pork or my faavorite chili recipe, but it’s a great standalone, too. However you serve it, make sure you have some butter nearby–you simply can’t beat a square of warm cornbread topped with butter!
What you’ll love:
- Takes just 10 minutes to prep
- Uses buttermilk for a super soft, tender crumb
- Can be made in a baking pan, muffin tin, or cast iron
- Use a combination of butter AND oil for flavor and moisture (like my vanilla cake!)
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need for this homemade cornbread recipe:
- Buttermilk. For the best cornbread, I highly recommend using real buttermilk. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use my buttermilk substitute. I don’t recommend using plain milk (see the FAQ below for details!).
- Sugar. I use a blend of brown sugar and granulated sugar for a slightly sweet–but not too sweet–cornbread recipe.
- Cornmeal. Traditionally, southern style cornbread uses white cornmeal and northern style uses yellow. Since my cornbread recipe leans more towards northern style (with the addition of sugar), I stick with yellow cornmeal. You can really use either type though!
SAM’S TIP: Slather your buttermilk cornbread in honey butter for a sweeter, more indulgent bite!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!b
How to Make Buttermilk Cornbread
- Combine the melted butter and and oil until incorporated.
- Stir in the sugars, then add in the eggs and buttermilk and stir well.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gently stir them into the wet ingredients.
- Pour the batter into a parchment-lined pan and bake for 25 minutes.
SAM’S TIP: Be gentle with your batter! Like any quick bread (or pancakes, muffins, or vanilla cake, etc.), this batter is susceptible to over-mixing and can turn out dense, dry or crumbly if it’s overworked.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using buttermilk in this cornbread recipe for the best texture; it helps keep it soft and moist. If you use just regular milk for this recipe, your cornbread will come out drier than I personally care for, but since cornbread is classically crumbly, you might be able to get away with it.
Obviously, the answer to this question depends on your personal preference, and if you live in the US, the geographical region you live in also has some influence. Northerners prefer their cornbread to be sweeter, while southerners leave out the sugar (which I find interesting, because sweet tea and deviled eggs are sweeter in the South!).
I prefer mine on the sweeter side, but if you like a more savory cornbread, you can leave out the granulated sugar and reduce the brown sugar to suit your taste. Try this cornbread recipe at least once as written, though, because it’s really so good (especially paired with my chicken tortilla soup — yum!)!
If you overmixed your batter or over-measured your flour, your buttermilk cornbread could turn out dense. Be gentle with your batter and make sure you know how to properly measure flour.
For a little bit of added heat, try my jalapeno cornbread recipe!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil use avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1 cups (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (120 g) cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line an 8×8 metal pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour. Set aside.
- Combine the melted butter and canola oil in a large bowl and stir well.¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil
- Add sugars and stir until combined.⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, 2 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Add eggs and buttermilk and stir well2 large eggs, ⅔ cup buttermilk
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.1 cups (125 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (120 g) cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined.
- Spread into prepared pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Notes
Storing
Buttermilk cornbread is best enjoyed warm and fresh, but will keep up to two days in an airtight container at room temperature.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Summer
I made this corn bread today for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. I made it exactly as the recipe directed. It was very moist; however, I would have liked it slightly sweeter. It tasted like it was missing something but couldn’t put my finger on it.
Sarah
I really like sweet cornbread, how much more sugar should I add to make it a bit sweeter?
Sam
It honestly depends on your taste, this makes for a sweeter cornbread so I might recommend trying it as written first and then adjusting from there.
Katy Russell
HAPPY ME! First may I say I have celiac and I don’t like most of the gluten free recipes because they are so dry. Who wants dry cornbread? No-one. I used Einkorn all purpose flour and substituted it for the regular flour. I used honey instead of white sugar because I am a beekeeper and we have lots of honey. This turned out wonderful baked in a cast iron skillet. We had a piece of fresh cornbread for dinner and it was perfect. Just the right amount of sweetness and so moist. I saved the rest to use in my homemade dressing for Thanksgiving. I use half cornbread and half einkorn bread. Thanks for this recipe.
Sam
So happy to hear it was such a hit for you!! Thank you for commenting, Katy!! 🙂
Ashlyn
Can I make this in a cast iron skillet?
Sam
Yes, it may need to cook for a little less time. Just keep an eye on it. 🙂
shaf
can i substitute butter for canola oil? how much butter should i use?
Sam
You can do an even substitution (so 1/4 cup of melted butter) just keep in mind that the cornbread will be more dry than it would be if you use the half butter and half oil that the recipe suggests. After a lot of testing I found that the suggested combination of half butter and half oil is a win-win, you get the moisture from the oil but the flavor from the butter.
Naomi
This looks great! I’m going to be making for Thanksgiving. Can the batter (or the whole thing) be made in advance? What would you recommend? (If not, it looks easy enough to do day-of). Thanks!
Sam
I wouldn’t recommend making the batter in advance. If it needs to be made in advance, bake it first, let it cool and then place in an air tight container on the counter. It should retain its moisture pretty well.
Kathy Peppin
I plan to make this and need 12 servings so was planning to double it. Would I use a 9×13 pan?
Sam
I would use a 9 x 13 pan if you double it. It will need to bake for longer, but I don’t know exactly how long.
Susan T Bibee
I just made this & ate a piece with my chili. Usually I make jalapeno cheese cornbread but the chili has all that so I wanted plain cornbread. This is not SO plain as it tastes so good, I had coarse ground yellow cornmeal so it had a bit of a texture. Thank you, for a great addition to any meal!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it Susan! ☺️
Mary Douglas
Can you make this recipe in a cast iron pan?
Sam
Hi Mary! Yes that will work fine. ☺️
Juanita Commo
I would love this homemade buttermilk cornbread recipe
Jessica Flores
My husband ate almost the entire batch! Haha. Your recipes are always so detailed in the directions and explanations that following your recipes go so smoothly! I’m so glad I found your site!💕
Sam
Thank you for the kind words Jessica! My husband does the same thing!! 😂But it keeps me from eating everything. 😃
Barb
This cornbread was delicious! Made it exactly as written and would not change a thing. It was slightly sweet and so soft and moist! Can’t wait to make it with chili in the fall! Thanks Sam for an amazing recipe!!
Julie A
Thank you for doing a review best exactly on the recipe! I never did understand why people change the recipe and then review their own recipe ……
Chris
Made this tonight. Turned out great!
Sam
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed, Chris!!
Linda
Made this today to go with clam chowder. Just tweaked it a wee bit though; I separated the eggs & beat the whites til fluffy, then folded them into the mixture at the end. Great recipe!
Sam
So glad you enjoyed! Thank you for commenting, Linda!
Susan
All I can say is OMG I wish I had this recipe all along. It was so good. I cut the sugar down some, I made a batch and a half of batter for a 9 x 11 pan, I used 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons white sugar in the batch and a half, also cut out the 1/8 cup of oil, (kept the 1/8 cup of butter) I would of used in the half of batch. My family couldn’t stop eating it, it was soft and fluffy and not gritty and coarse like some cornbread recipes. I also added a scant quarter teaspoon of baking soda along with the baking powder. I always heard and my grandma said to use baking soda with anything like buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt, etc. the cornbread turned out perfect. There was only a couple small pieces left. This will be the only recipe I use from now on.
Sam
I am so happy to hear this, Susan! Thank you so much for commenting!! <3
Joey
Do you use self rising cornmeal or regular?
Sam
Just regular. 😊