Sweet Cornbread Recipe (2024)

Bread | Popular Posts | Recipes | Trending Now

ByEmilieJune 18, 2011October 22, 2023October 22, 2023

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myDisclosure and Privacy Policy.

Jump to Recipe

Sweet cornbread from scratch is the best! All you need are a few simple ingredients to make homemade cornbread in your oven! This recipe makes a large pan, perfect for feeding a crowd. Everyone will love this moist cornbread that pairs well with butter and honey. Serve it up at your next Thanksgiving dinner, potluck, brunch or offer as a side dish with your favorite chili or bbq and watch it disappear!

I loved when my mom made stew or chili growing up because then she was sure to make homemade biscuits or sweet cornbread to go along with it. And let me tell you, she had a moist cornbread recipe that was always a hit. She’d make a big 9″x 13″ pan of it and we were always happy to have some leftovers. My mom’s cornbread was special, especially with some butter and syrup on top. Yum, right? If you haven’t tried it that way you must. It sinfully good.

For dinner yesterday my husband begged me to make some chili (it was chilly here) and cornbread. Short on time, instead of calling my mother for her recipe I quickly looked at allrecipes to find one similar and I found her exact recipe! This sweet cornbread recipe tastes just like my childhood. Sweet and perfect right out of the oven, we were all in heaven.

Sweet Cornbread Ingredients

To make this homemade cornbread, you’ll need the following ingredients:

flour
cornmeal
butter
sugar
eggs
milk
baking powder
salt

It is a fairly basic recipe but when these flavors come together, some magic happens. This sweet cornbread recipe has a full cup of sugar in it. The more sugar you have, the sweeter it is. If sweet is not what you are looking for in a cornbread recipe, you can cut this amount down as much as a half cup. The milk in this recipe creates a very moist cornbread!

How to Make Sweet Cornbread from Scratch

This recipe can be made in a few simple steps. Start by creaming your room temperature butter (or softened) and sugar with your mixer. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Set aside. In another medium bowl, gently whisk your dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt) until blended. Add alternatively your milk mixture with your flour mixture into the creamed butter, mixing after each addition.

Spread evenly into a greased 9×13 inch pan and bake at 400 degrees until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 22 to 27 minutes. The top should be starting to turn a light golden brown. Serve warm with butter, honey or maple syrup, if desired.

This cornbread tastes amazing with butter, honey, maple syrup and even apple butter so give it a try! However you eat it, you are sure to love this sweet cornbread recipe.

What goes good with cornbread?

Maybe the question should really be, what doesn’t go good with cornbread? (Am I right?) Here are some delicious recipes to serve with your cornbread!

7 can taco soup: This easy soup recipe with ground beef includes 7 cans, making it a simple dump and go recipe for busy weeknights.
Chili is a classic. Try this turkey chili or this 3 bean chicken chili recipe for a spin on traditional ground beef.
Air fryer bbq chicken wings: Cornbread is always a great pairing with barbecue sauce. These crispy wings include an amazing dry rub .
Don’t eat meat? Give this slow cooker black bean soup a try!
Air fryer chicken legs: These chicken legs with dry rub are a good combination with cornbread.
Spicy mexican beans is also a flavorful side to serve with cornbread.

When is a good time to serve cornbread?

Any time is a good time for cornbread since it is such a versatile dish. But here are some popular times and occasions to consider serving a fresh pan of cornbread for everyone to enjoy:

Barbecue or Grilled Meals: The smoky flavors of barbecued or grilled foods go well with cornbread. It’s a classic side dish for BBQs and cookouts in the summer.
Thanksgiving Dinner: Cornbread is a beloved addition to the Thanksgiving table and very traditional. It’s can be used as an ingredient for stuffing or served as a side dish.
Soul Food Meals: Cornbread is a cornerstone of Southern soul food cuisine. It’s often paired with like fried chicken, collard greens, and black-eyed peas.
Potlucks and Family Gatherings: Cornbread is a popular choice for potluck dinners and family gatherings. It’s easy to make for a crowd and always a popular choice.
Breakfast and Brunch: Sweet cornbread variations like this one can be a delightful addition to brunch spreads or a breakfast charcuterie board and are commonly served in muffin form. It is often served with butter and honey.

4.6 from 70 votes

Sweet Cornbread

This sweet cornbread is so moist and sure to be a hit with any crowd. This cornbread from scratch includes basic ingredients and is made in a 13x9 inch pan! Pair it with your favorite soups, chili or barbecue recipe. Makes for a classic Thanksgiving side dish!

CourseSide Dish

Keyword13x9 inch pan, bread, cornbread, cornbread recipe, side dish recipe, sweet cornbread, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving bread, Thanksgiving recipes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 331 kcal

Ingredients

2/3cupbuttersoftened
1cupsugar
3eggs
1 2/3cupsmilk
2 1/3cupsall-purpose flour
1cupcornmeal
4 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoonsalt

Instructions

Cream butter and and sugar with mixer.
See Also
Toad In The Hole Recipe | Rise Every Time | Hint Of Helen 35+ Delicious Drinkable Soup Recipes Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe Benihana Onion Soup (Hibachi Soup or Japanese Clear Onion Soup Recipe)
In a separate bowl whisk eggs and milk.
In another bowl blend flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Alternately add egg/milk mixture and flour mixture to creamed butter, mixing after each addition.
Spread batter into greased 13"x 9" pan and bake at 400 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 22 to 27 minutes.
Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Cornbread

Amount per Serving

Calories

331

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

0.4

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

FAQs

What is the difference between southern cornbread and sweet cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

Do Southerners put sugar in cornbread? ›

Cornbread came about as more ingredients were added to the basic corn pone recipe: buttermilk, eggs, and a leavener such as baking soda or baking powder (or both). However, modern cornbread recipes, even in the South, now include wheat flour and sugar.

Know More ›

What is sweet cornbread made of? ›

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the oil, melted butter, honey, eggs, and milk. Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan.

Discover More ›

Can you add sugar to cornbread mix? ›

I love to bake from scratch, but I have often used packaged cornbread mix, adding a little extra something to the ingredients and making the finished product taste more homemade. My favorite thing to add is sugar—a hot topic for another conversation!

Discover More Details ›

Is white or yellow cornmeal better for cornbread? ›

While either white or yellow cornmeal will technically work when making cornbread, yellow does make for a softer more tender bread.

Discover More ›

Is cornbread supposed to be sweet? ›

Southern cornbread has traditionally been made with little or no sugar and smaller amounts of flour (or no flour), with northern cornbread being sweeter and more cake-like. Southern cornbread traditionally used white cornmeal and buttermilk. Other ingredients such as pork rinds are sometimes used.

Discover More Details ›

What does a pone of cornbread mean? ›

The term "pone" most likely entered English from Native American language terms like apan, oppone or supawn, meaning baked, possibly related to earlier ash cakes baked in hot coals. A "corn pone" is usually a small round loaf of cornbread, about the size of a biscuit, traditionally baked in a round cast iron skillet.

Why is it called Hoecake? ›

The name hoe cakes seems to be more straightforward. The term hoe is an old term for a griddle, so substituting one word for another, you get griddle cakes, and a perfect description for just what they are.

Read The Full Story ›

Is sweet cornbread good for you? ›

Although it's relatively high in carbs and sodium, it contains several important nutrients, including phosphorus, selenium, and B vitamins. It's also versatile, easy to make, and can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.

Why is northern cornbread sweet? ›

In contrast to the dryer, less-sweet nature of Southern cornbread, Northern cornbread is much more cakey and sweet. Indeed, colonial Americans made their cornbread with molasses to sweeten it. Also, Northern cornbread sometimes uses milk rather than buttermilk.

What ethnicity made cornbread? ›

Cornbread is as American as apple pie, but its origins date back far beyond the inception of this country. With roots in Mesoamerican, Native American, and African cultures; history and people have shaped this iconic American bread into what it is today.

Get More Info Here ›

Why do some people put sugar in cornbread? ›

The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar. They eliminated the germ so it kept longer, but it had less corn flavor. And they ground it finer. You had to add a little flour to help it rise and sugar to add flavor.

Learn More Now ›

What's the difference between southern cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Northern cornbread isn't very sweet and is made with fewer eggs and yellow cornmeal to achieve a crumbly texture. Southern-style cornbread can be made with white or yellow cornmeal, has a buttery finish and calls for more eggs, which produces a cakelike texture.

Get More Info ›

Can I use milk instead of water in cornbread mix? ›

Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.

Find Out More ›

What does Southern cornbread taste like? ›

It had a dry, crumbly, bread-like texture, as is to be expected from traditional Southern cornbread. This cornbread was not sweet, and the flavor of the cornmeal was distinctive, but not overpowering.

Learn More Now ›

What's another name for Southern cornbread? ›

What is another word for cornbread?