Been looking for a moist cornbread recipe? You’d almost swear there was pudding in this super moist easy homemade cornbread recipe. With creamed corn, cheese and jalapenos, this will soon become your family favorite.
Chili Vibes, The Connection
When I was growing up, my father’s signature dish was his Chili Soup. On cold dark windy evenings in the middle of Kansas he would combine fried hamburger meat and chopped onion, pinto beans, tomatoes and seasonings into a delicious bowl of soup. Simply topped with hand-crushed saltine crackers, that was how we rolled.
Over the years I branched out to eating chili with flour tortillas, corn tortilla chips, topped with cheese, sour cream or chopped green onions, even chocolate shavings. And thanks to a Texan I now love eating chili with cornbread, and using this moist cornbread recipe.
What’s Up With Flaky Sad dry Cornbread?
My love affair with corn bread got off to a very long, dry, grainy, stick in the throat start. Jiffy, Marie Calendar’s, and even homemade found me wondering what the big attraction was.
I’m very well aware that any of my friends that are from Texas, live in Texas, or even are married to a Texan wouldn’t hear of having a bowl of chili soup without it. So started the search for a moist cornbread recipe that I truly loved.
How To Make This Moist Cornbread Recipe, Moist
One day, out of the blue, my good friend Linda, unwittingly brought over a pan of the most delicious and moist homemade buttermilk cornbread that I have ever tasted. I was an instant fan and finally understood what all the fuss was about.
I have taken her recipe and with a couple of tweaks, made it even moister, creamier and more Southwestern.
Making this cornbread with creamed corn rather than kernels is one of my secrets. Make sure to drain a most of the liquid from the creamed corn, or it will be too moist.
And don’t miss my recipe for Corn Muffins with Jalapeno Jelly. They’re also made with creamed corn.
The type of cheese is another. I’m a big fan of Muenster for any Mexican, Southwestern recipe. Give it a try. If you don’t like the creamy results, you can always switch to cheddar or Monterey Jack for your next batch.
Move over crushed saltines. 🙂 This is what belongs next to every bowl of chili you serve up!
I don’t know what I’d do without my Le Creuset square baking dish for this recipe. It’s study enough for the oven and pretty enough for the table. I’ve included an affiliate link for your convenience.
And it’s fun to make in a cast iron skillet for a rustic presentation.
In leu of flour tortillas, this Cornbread recipe is also great served alongside my recipe for Hatch Green Chile with Pork. What a great combo.
Moist Cornbread Recipe
I hope you give this easy homemade cornbread recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite cornbread recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Serve this Moist Cornbread Recipe with
- Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Chili Recipe
- Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema
- Award Winning White Bean Chili Recipe
And wouldn’t it be fun to let this one dry out to make this Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo and Jalapeno?
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If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @cookingontheranch so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Looking for other Southwestern recipe ideas? You won’t want to miss:
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Stacked Enchiladas
- Hatch Green Chili, Colorado Style, with Pork
- Southwestern Fire Roasted Cream of Tomato Soup
- Red Chile Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Slow Cooker Tinga de Pollo Poblano Tacos
- New Mexico Blue Corn Posole with Shrimp
- Hatch Chile Dip
- Hatch Chile Macaroni and Cheese
- Chicken Enchiladas with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomatillo Cream Sauce
- Southwestern Beans and Chicos
You’d almost swear there was pudding in this recipe. Using creamed corn and Munster cheese is the secret to this super moist cornbread recipe.
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder (optional) or ancho chile powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1-14 1/2 ounce can creamed corn half drained
- 1 cup muenster cheese shredded
- 2 medium jalapenos deseeded, chopped
Preheat oven to 375. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Also add chile powder if using. (Use a pure chile powder, not chili seasoning as you would put in a pot of chili)
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil.
Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until a batter is formed. Fold in the corn, cheese, and jalapenos.
Pour batter into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is light-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes.
Remove seeds and most of veins from the jalapeno. This will control the heat level.
You can also use cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese instead of the Muenster.
If you don’t partially drain some of the liquid from the Creamed Corn, this will turn out too moist.
Speaking of Southwestern Inspired: This is my friend Linda and our little Z. Zia is our little Yorkie, whose name, soon after joining our family, was abbreviated to simply Z. Zia hails from New Mexico, and as her sun symbol name implies, is a ray of sunshine in our life. This photo is Linda holding puppy Zia the day LeRoy delivered all 2 pounds of her to Colorado. (update – My little Zia passed over the rainbow bridge 4/3/2019)
Russ says
February 8, 2011 at 8:10 amIt must be a Kansas thing, because I make my chili the same way as your dad — basic but hearty.
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 8:29 amIt’s so much fun to have a “middle of Kansas” connection. As always thanks for stopping by Russ.
Stephanie@Plain Chicken says
February 8, 2011 at 8:33 amLooks great! I love cornbread. This one looks nice and fluffy. I’ll try it!
My Kitchen in the Rockies says
February 8, 2011 at 8:37 amOh, Z is so cute.
Today would be the perfect day for a warming chili and your cornbread.
Your pictures look great!
Stay warm.
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 8:41 amActually David and Linda are my friends that live so very close to you. Zia is a little angel. I actually had a small bowl of chili for breakfast this morning. 🙂
Susan says
February 8, 2011 at 9:17 amToday is certainly a chili and cornbread day. This sounds yummy!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 9:20 amThanks Susan. Did you get my message about lunch?
Mamahollioni says
February 8, 2011 at 9:52 amI have been looking for a good cornbread recipe. I love the inclusion of corn. I’m going to give this a try. Thanks for the recipe!
larry says
February 8, 2011 at 10:12 amI’m not a big fan of cornbread for the reasons you stated, except when it’s hot out of the oven with a crusty exterior from the cast iron skillet, split open, and slathered with good butter. After that point I only eat it if I’m crumbling it into liquid or putting liquid on it. I grew up on soupy chili and Bev and I still make it that way. As a kid I often crumbled in so many saltines that they soaked up all of the liquid – still do it on occasion.
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:32 pmI’ve never made it in a cast iron skillet and want to do that next time. Yes, my chili is always soupy and you’ll always find lots of saltines in my bowl. 🙂
Year on the Grill says
February 8, 2011 at 10:23 amBeautiful bread!!!
It gets cold and windy in Kansas???
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:30 pmIt’s so much fun to have a “not in the middle of Kansas” connection. Last time I was in Kansas City the wind blew…and it was cold…
pam says
February 8, 2011 at 10:54 amI wondered about the z too!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:29 pmChili is my other Yorkie.
Vickie says
February 8, 2011 at 11:47 amI think chili is best served with cornbread and have been looking for a good recipe with corn in it forEVER! This recipe sounds super with cheese and chopped jalapeno peppers. Can’t wait to try this out on my guys. 🙂 LOVE that picture of little Z. As they say in Texas – she is prayshus!
Vickie says
February 8, 2011 at 11:52 am-and that picture is beautiful!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:25 pmThanks Vickie!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:28 pmWell, I hope you like this recipe. I’ve made it several times and once it seemed a little dry. Probably just forgot something. Ever since you moved to Texas and first mentioned “prayshus” everything that is precious has since officially been “prayshus”. 🙂
High Plains Drifters says
February 8, 2011 at 2:32 pmbuttermilk and/or sour cream make corn bread that everyone will remember. my mom used to add vanilla and a ton of sugar … musta been the yankee in her!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:23 pmHmmm, I thinkin I like that vanilla idea. I’d also like to try it with creamed corn.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
February 8, 2011 at 2:37 pmThat’s funny, I wondered about Z as well. Now we know. This looks like a delicious corn bread…not too sweet. This is a must have with chili.
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:22 pmThanks Cathy
rebecca says
February 8, 2011 at 4:18 pmoh wow Z is too cute and great cornbread recipe yum love fresh corn bread and your Dads soup sounds lovely 🙂 looking forward to seeing you crepes oh u could do a chili one!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 4:21 pmThanks Rebecca. For some reason chili crepes just don’t sound all that good! 😉
Chef Dennis says
February 8, 2011 at 5:12 pmhi Lea Ann
if you would like to join us on the next recipe swap (we will be doing one a month) drop Christianna at Burwell General Store a note (link on my page) and she can sign you up. The more the merrier!
Have a nice night
Dennis
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 6:14 pmI’d love to too Dennis. I’ll try.
Zia Liz says
February 8, 2011 at 6:10 pmDo you know, I’ve only had the dry kind of cornbread and was on the verge of trying out a yeast-based recipe. Linda’s recipe looks infinitely superior!
Lea Ann says
February 8, 2011 at 6:13 pmI hope you like it Liz. It’s in my recipe database and the only cornbread that I’ll eat. I wouldn’t mind trying a yeast-based recipe either.
Carol Grape says
February 8, 2011 at 9:02 pmI will definitely have to try this corn bread recipe. Ever since moving to the high altitude of CO all the cornbread recipes I have tried have been dry – I used to have great luck in KY. I’ll let you know how I do.
Carol Grape says
February 8, 2011 at 9:04 pmBy the way, Lea Ann, is there a way download and or print the recipes? Or do we just do the copy and paste?
thanks
Carol
Lea Ann says
February 9, 2011 at 6:00 amYou just have to copy and paste. Someday when I’m self hosted, I’m going to add that feature….unless you know how to do it?
Lea Ann says
February 9, 2011 at 6:00 amThanks Carol. Hope you like the recipe.
Kristi Rimkus says
February 8, 2011 at 10:04 pmYou are so right. I can’t say I’ve had a cornbread that wasn’t dry. Buttermilk and cheese have to make this a deliciously moist corn bread. Time to give corn bread another try with Linda’s recipe.
Kristi
Lea Ann says
February 9, 2011 at 5:59 amKristie, I think I’m going to sneak some creamed corn in next time. I’ll let you know how that works.
My Carolina Kitchen says
February 9, 2011 at 4:06 amI grew up in the south and freshly baked cornbread was on our dinner table almost every night. My mother’s recipe is similar to Linda’s, at least Linda’s basic recipe but without the corn, cheese and peppers, always baked in a well seasoned black iron skillet. She always used buttermilk and my father saved a piece of cornbread to have crumbled with cold buttermilk before bed.
I was shocked when I married a Yankee to find out northern cornbread is sweet and eaten at breakfast with syrup. There are definitely sugar issues that divide the north from the south. Great post Lea Ann. You’ve certainly brought back memories for me.
Sam
Lea Ann says
February 9, 2011 at 5:57 amSam, I really know nothing about corn bread. It really wasn’t part of my family history at all. I think growing up on a wheat farm (as opposed to a corn farm) always found flour based bread on our table. When I finally started having some, here and there, someone did serve it with syrup, which I didn’t really like at all. I must be a Southerner at heart. 🙂 As always, thanks for the comment.
Karen Harris says
February 9, 2011 at 6:35 amCount me as one of those Texans that just doesn’t like cornbread much, but with your endorsement I might be tempted to try this. I must confess I love me some Jiffy spoonbread.
Lea Ann says
February 11, 2011 at 8:13 amJiffy Spoonbread????? What is that?
Mister Meatball says
February 9, 2011 at 7:25 amOnce I tried cornbread with peppers in it, I never went back to without. Even for breakfast. And even with peanut butter spread all over.
Karen says
February 9, 2011 at 10:40 amI never used to be a big fan of cornbread, but now I like it if it’s not too dense. Your recipe sounds real good. I always use a copy cat Marie Callender’s, which also has flour in it to lighten up the cornmeal. Z’s a baby doll!
Lea Ann says
February 10, 2011 at 6:22 amThanks so much Karen, she’s a very spoiled babydoll. :-). I think I’ve used a Marie Calendar recipe too and thought it was pretty good. As always thanks for stopping by.
Chris says
February 10, 2011 at 8:20 pmCorn bread is good. Corn bread with peppers in it rocks!
Lea Ann says
February 11, 2011 at 7:55 amI couldn’t agree more Chris. I’m a big fan of jalapenos and they do cornbread just right.
Kristie Messick says
February 25, 2011 at 1:11 pmI tell you what I put in my cornbread, I saute some diced onion in some butter until soft. I add that to my recipe and I also add cream corn or whole kernel
corn whatever mood I am in and I put sour cream in little dollops on top of the mixture after I have put it in the pan and I swirl it around so it’s not one big glop and then I put shredded Mexican Cheese on top. I put Jalapeno also. Fabulous!!!!
So good you might try and add to your recipe……….:)
Kristie
Lea Ann says
March 5, 2011 at 12:36 pmI love the addition of onion and the creamed corn. I was thinking about switched to creamed next time I make it. This time I swirled some honey into the the top of the raw biscuits. Love your idea of the dollops of sour cream. Thanks for the comment and the ideas. Sounds WONderful Kristie
Isabel Ramirez says
February 5, 2020 at 5:10 pmI made this and was not a fan. It was very heavy and dense. Will not make this again.
Lea Ann Brown says
February 6, 2020 at 6:19 amHi Isabel. Absolutely, this is a dense and moist cornbread. A cake like texture rather.
Lee Eng says
June 12, 2020 at 2:01 pmthat cornbread recipe is awesome! some recipes claim to be moist, but are not…..this was perfect! so yummy!
Lea Ann Brown says
June 15, 2020 at 6:35 amHi Lee
Thanks so much for taking the time to write a note and let me know that you liked my cornbread recipe.
And regarding those claims for moist cornbread, a popular chain restaurant, who is no longer in business, used to advertise their cornbread as sweet and moist. And named it “Honey Cornbread”. It was neither sweet or moist, and the honey flavor just didn’t come through. That was my inspiration to make a homemade cornbread that really was “moist”. 🙂
Make it a delicious day.
Lea Ann Brown says
June 29, 2020 at 6:10 amThanks so much Lee! I really appreciate you letting me know.