• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
    • 📋About
    • ❓FAQs/Help
    • 🛒Shop
    • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Bread Recipes

    Old Fashioned Cornbread

    Mar 4, 2022 | Last Updated Mar 10, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.25 from 16 votes

    This easy cornbread recipe takes only 30 minutes. Based on a simple old fashioned Betty Crocker recipe, it has delicious corn flavor and slight crispiness. It will become a family for casual family dinner.

    Cornbread on plate

    Table of Contents
    • 🌽Types of Cornmeal
    • Types of Cornbread
    • 👨‍🍳How to Make Old Fashioned Cornbread
    • ❄️How to Serve and Store Cornbread.
    • 📖Quick Bread Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📖Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    Cornbread is an excellent change of pace from the usual bread for a down-home meal of fried chicken, soup, or chili. You can quickly whip it up in only 30 with only the ingredients in your pantry.

    Cornbread is a quick bread, meaning the dough's leavening comes from baking soda and/or baking powder, not from yeast.

    I went old school and used our much-loved 1972 Betty Crocker's Cookbook. A few changes were needed, but it is still full of that old-fashioned goodness and simple to make.

    Betty Crocker's Cookbook 1972

    My Rating

    My rating system of a 4 out of 5 so very nice.

    A very nice 4. Nothing more since it is just cornbread.

    🌽Types of Cornmeal

    Not all cornmeal is the same but does it matter? Well, not much, usually.

    Cornmeal comes in yellow and white colors. You can also find blue if you look hard enough. Yellow cornmeal is a bit sweeter and will provide a bit more taste. But all are used interchangeably.

    There is also a difference in the grind/texture of some cornmeal. This is generally not something you will worry about if you buy small home amounts at most supermarkets.

    Most cornmeal will be a medium grind. But a finer grind will provide more of a cake-like texture to your cornbread. Course grinds are used more for hot cereal but can add more texture to your cornbread.

    Types of Cornbread

    This recipe would be called northern/midwestern cornbread. It does have sugar and flour, so it is sweeter and more cake-like than southern cornbread. Also, usually made with yellow cornmeal. This modification of a 1972 version of a Betty Crocker cornbread is relatively light on sugar.

    The other major type of cornbread is southern cornbread which has traditionally been made with little or no sugar or flour. It is also frequently made with white cornmeal, buttermilk, and baked in a cast-iron skillet. It is not as sweet and will have more of a crust.

    👨‍🍳How to Make Old Fashioned Cornbread

    You can use standard baking pans. 8 to 9-inch square or round will do nicely. I prefer an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan. Or you can use an 8 or 9-inch cast-iron skillet.

    The smaller the pan, the thicker the cornbread. That is why we cook to an endpoint and not by time alone and never by time alone. Thicker cornbread will take a few more minutes to cook.

    👨‍🍳When is cornbread done?

    Cornbread will cook quickly, usually in about 20 minutes, but you have variables that will make time unreliable—the pan material and size along with the oven. All these things plot against you, so time alone will not do.

    There are several ways to tell if your cornbread is done. The color should be golden brown and darker brown on the edge. Next is an internal temperature of 195°+.

    The last method to test for done is very "old school" cooking.—the toothpick test. This is where you use a clean toothpick and insert it into the thickest part of a dish, and it should come out clean.

    close up of toothpick coming out of cornbread clean
    The toothpick should come out clean.

    ❄️How to Serve and Store Cornbread.

    What are the main dishes commonly served with cornbread on the side?

    Cornbread is a typical side dish with soup, stew, chili, fried chicken, and BBQ. So hometown cooking dishes.

    How to store cornbread at room temperature.

    Wrap your cornbread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It can be at room temperature for 1-2 days.

    Can cornbread be frozen?

    Yes, it will freeze well-sealed airtight for up to 2 months.

    📖Quick Bread Recipes

    Cornbread Drop Biscuits

    Beer Bread

    Cheddar Bay Biscuits a la Red Lobster

    Old Fashioned Banana Nut Bread

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Bread Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    flour with butter and cornbread ingredients

    Preheat oven to 425°. Prep an 8-inch square baking pan with a heavy spray of PAM.

    mixing dry ingredients together in white bowl

    In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoon sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until flour and cornmeal are mixed well.

    butter in a small glass bowl in a microwave

    Microwave ¼ cup (½ stick) butter until just melted—about 20 seconds.

    adding wet ingredients into dry ingredients

    In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and 1 cup of milk, mix and then stir in 1 egg and mix thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until flour and cornmeal are moist. Do not over mix.

    pouring batter into baking pan

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to level the top.

    using a toothpick to check for done

    Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 18-20 minutes usually.

    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    📖Recipe

    Cornbread on a white plate

    Old Fashioned Corn Bread

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    This easy cornbread recipe takes only 30 minutes. Based on a simple old fashioned Betty Crocker recipe, it has delicious corn flavor and slight crispiness. It will become a family for casual family dinner.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.25 from 16 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 9

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • ¼ cup butter - ½ stick
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 cup Corn Meal
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 4 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425°. Prep an 8-inch square baking pan with a heavy spray of PAM. An 8 or 9 inch cast-iron skillet works well also.
      flour with butter and cornbread ingredients
    • In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoon sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until flour and cornmeal are mixed well.
      mixing dry ingredients together in white bowl
    • Microwave ¼ cup (½ stick) butter until just melted—about 20 seconds.
      butter in a small glass bowl in a microwave
    • In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and 1 cup of milk, mix and then stir in 1 egg and mix thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until flour and cornmeal are moist. Do not over mix.
      adding wet ingredients into dry ingredients
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to level the top.
      pouring batter into baking pan
    • Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 18-20 minutes usually. You can also check for an internal temperature of 195°+.
      using a toothpick to check for done
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    My Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. Use yellow or white cornmeal.
    2. The baking powder should be aluminum-free.
    3. I suggest an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan but other sizes can be used. See discussion in post.
    4. Bake until toothpick comes out clean or internal temperature of 195°+.
    5. To store, wrap with plastic wrap or foil. Good at room temperature for 1-2 days, refrigerated for up to 7 days, and frozen for 2-3 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories : 192 kcal (10%) | Carbohydrates : 28 g (9%) | Protein : 5 g (10%) | Fat : 7 g (11%) | Saturated Fat : 4 g (20%) | Cholesterol : 32 mg (11%) | Sodium : 195 mg (8%) | Potassium : 301 mg (9%) | Fiber : 2 g (8%) | Sugar : 4 g (4%) | Vitamin A : 240 IU (5%) | Calcium : 117 mg (12%) | Iron : 1 mg (6%)
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Bread
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Originally Published December 20, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    Molly and Lilly at play
    Molly and Lilly at play

    « How to Cook a Whole Chicken the Easy Way
    How to Grill Chicken Breast on a Gas Grill »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joyce Schauer

      March 05, 2022 at 10:35 am

      I always think cornbread is too dry, would another egg help this, or more butter?? Thanks for any suggestions!!!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        March 05, 2022 at 11:55 am

        Hi Joyce,

        Welcome to the blog.

        I can give a couple of educated guesses. Increasing the butter by 50% would probably help some. Another egg probably won't do much.

        Changing the milk to buttermilk or using some lemon juice or vinegar in the milk to make it a buttermilk substitute will give a bit more rise and a little fluffier.

        I have seen recipes where the cornmeal is soaked but have no reference for you.

        Hope that helps a bit.

        Dan

    Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Popular Recipes

    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Oven Baked Chicken Legs - The Art of Drummies
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • How To Cook Sausage in the Oven
    • How to Cook Bacon in the Oven - Step by Step
    • Oven Pulled Pork - Low & Slow Pork Butt
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak

    kitchen reference sheet graphic wide blue
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan
    • Sign up for Emails
    • Contact
    • The Shop
    • Blog Business and Guest Posts
    • Helpful Links

    Top Content

    • Saved Recipes Collections
    • 101's Best Recipes
    • Recipe Index

    Policies

    • Comment Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Copyright Policy

    Educational

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Guide To Cooking for Two

    dogs by the pond

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2022 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME