Cornbread Recipe: Easy American Skillet Bread Classic 2026

This American cornbread is wonderfully easy to make, and the process has more in common with baking a cake than with kneading a loaf of bread. You can make it sweeter or less sweet to suit your taste, and you can even bake it in individual portions. Yellow cornmeal is the best choice here because it has a richer flavor and is easier to work with.

You can find yellow cornmeal in almost any supermarket under names like precooked yellow cornmeal, polenta or stone-ground cornmeal. Sour cream is the other key ingredient: it brings a tangy note that balances the sweetness of the corn. Serve it warm alongside soups, stews, chili or barbecue.

Ingredients for Cornbread

These quantities make 8 servings.

• 125 g yellow cornmeal (stone-ground, polenta or precooked)
• 150 g all-purpose flour
• 50 g sugar
• 12 g baking powder
• 6 g salt
• 5 g baking soda
• 60 g butter
• 2 eggs
• 320 g sour cream

How to Make Cornbread Step by Step

1. Preheat the oven and sift the dry ingredients

Start by preheating the oven to 200 °C (400 °F) with top and bottom heat, and weigh out all the ingredients for the recipe. Combine and sift the dry ingredients: 125 g yellow cornmeal, 150 g all-purpose flour, 50 g sugar, 12 g baking powder, 6 g salt and 5 g baking soda. Place them in a strainer, sift them into a bowl and set aside.

2. Melt the butter and beat the eggs with the sour cream

Next, melt 60 g of butter for a few seconds in the microwave or in a small pan over very low heat, then let it cool slightly until needed. In a separate bowl, crack in 2 eggs and beat them lightly. Then add 320 g of sour cream and mix.

3. Add the dry ingredients and the butter

Keep stirring as you gradually add the reserved dry ingredient mixture, until you have a fully combined, thick batter. Finally, add the butter, which will have cooled by now, and stir it in. Optionally, at this point you could add about 50 g of sweet corn kernels, though this time we chose not to.

4. Pour the batter into the mold

Pour the mixture into a previously greased mold or into a cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper. In this case we used a 24 cm cast iron skillet, and since we had a little batter left over, we also made a couple of muffins, which is another way to present them.

5. Bake the cornbread

Bake the cornbread for 20-25 minutes at 200 °C (400 °F) with top and bottom heat. To check whether it is done, insert a toothpick and, when it comes out clean, remove the bread from the oven and let it rest in the mold for 5 minutes. Then unmold it and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Cool, slice and serve

Once the cornbread has cooled, slice it and serve. It is delicious on its own, but it also works as a base for extra flavors if you want to make a different, original version.

Tips for the Best Cornbread

Choose the right cornmeal

Yellow cornmeal is usually the best option for this recipe, since it has a richer flavor and is easier to work with. Look for it as precooked yellow cornmeal, polenta or stone-ground cornmeal.

Balance the sweetness with sour cream

The sour cream brings a tangy flavor that helps balance the sweetness of the corn. You can find it in almost any grocery store under that name, and if not, you can easily make it at home.

Customize the flavor

Cornbread is a great base for adding extra flavors. For example, grated cheese in the batter gives you a cheese bread, and chopped jalapeños make a spicy cornbread. Cooked chopped bacon or herbs like thyme or rosemary are also popular for a fresh flavor.

30 Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to lineup that covers cozy classics, well-known dishes from around the globe, and desserts that make everyone at the table happy.

Some nights I want something luxurious, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever a fruity, comforting sweet sounds right, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I make.

Mornings and lighter meals call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a filling Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple to keep in the pantry, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe is one I rely on.

For small plates and Mediterranean cooking, I bounce between this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crispy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This crisp Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also comes out when I want the meal to feel a bit more special.

Hearty midday meals and snug evening dinners? I'm always pointing people toward this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply savory Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I need something more substantial, out comes this oven-baked Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply soothing French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Whenever street food or party food is on my mind, I'll whip up this succulent Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, bold Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crunchy Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another one I serve as an easy starter or snack.

And when drinks plus a whole menu are needed for guests, I'll set dinner alongside this cooling Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this punchy Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like putting this zippy French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or closing things out with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes are built on straightforward methods, dependable technique, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely come back to time and time again—whether it's a fast solo meal or a spread I'm putting together for loved ones.

On the sweet side, the rich, velvety Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together easily. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps a lot, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll go with the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a spot-on Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For cozier, heartier fare, I'm quick to suggest the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the luscious Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also a big fan of sharing dishes with roots around the world, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it's quick and still delivers terrific texture. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for anyone steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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