BEST Super Moist Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep cornbread moist? ›

For those who don't like their cornbread to be "crumbly," member Jeremy Joseph suggests adding one additional egg white and only two teaspoons of baking powder. Some members had success with substituting alternative flours for the white flour, such as Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

Cornbread is known for being dry, and that's because it's not properly hydrated. This can lead to unpleasant. hard bits that get stuck in your teeth, making the final product taste even drier. Start by soaking your cornmeal and buttermilk overnight. or up to 24 hours.

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

Can I substitute water for milk 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.

Need more ideas? Stir in diced jalapeño peppers, grated cheese, chopped country ham, or crumbled bacon. Bacon makes everything better. If jalapeños have too much of a kick for you, use a chopped poblano pepper.

By letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature before baking, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb the flavor from the other ingredients, and the baking powder gets a head start. I love using my cast-iron skillet for cornbread and preheat it before adding my batter.

MICROWAVE. When you're short on time, the microwave is a great option to warm up cornbread. Place the bread on a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a damp paper towel. This will help keep the cornbread moist.

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

Which makes better cornbread, white or yellow cornmeal? ›

Southerners, on the other hand, tend to prefer white cornmeal. Many people believe that it is because, in the old South, families used white cornmeal as it more closely resembled “fancy” European wheat flour. In any case, today it remains a main component in traditional Southern buttermilk cornbread.

Masterclass notes that corn pone is distinguished from cornbread by the omission of eggs and milk. Both sources confirm that corn pone is cooked in a cast iron skillet, which is also the traditional cooking vessel for Southern cornbread.

Cornbread can be stored at room temperature as long as it's kept in a dark and dry place, like a cupboard. Make sure the cornbread has fully cooled down before you store it. Wrap the loaf in aluminum foil or plastic wrap two times, and then place it in a zip-tight plastic bag.

Add shredded cheese.

Melty, gooey cheese will hold your cornbread together and give it a fantastic flavor. Shredded cheddar cheese is best for most cornbread recipes, but you can try experimenting with another variety.

Look for a temperature no lower than 200°F (93°C) but no higher than 209°F (98°C). If the cornbread is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool somewhat before either turning it out of the pan or slicing and serving from the skillet.