This is a super moist cornbread with creamed corn recipe that bakes up fluffy and sweet and will become your family favorite. You’d almost swear there was pudding in this easy cheesy cornbread.
Serve this cornbread with Giada’s Ground Chicken Chili. A perfect combo for a cozy meal.
How To Make Cornbread Moist
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. Most recipe I tried found me wondering what the big attraction was.
One day, out of the blue, my good friend Linda, unwittingly brought over a pan of the most delicious Texas style moist homemade buttermilk cornbread that I have ever tasted.
I was an instant fan and finally understood what all the fuss was about. If you’ve never had corn bread with creamed corn, you’re in for a real treat.
And now thanks to that, I’m a convert. There’s never a bowl of chili served without a slice of this cheesy cornbread alongside.
And it’s so easy, that instead of grabbing a box of Jiffy, I grab a container of corn meal and make this cornbread recipe from scratch. It only take a few minutes.
I have taken Linda’s Texas cornbread recipe and with a couple of tweaks, made it even moister, creamier and more Southwestern. I simply turned it into a cornbread with creamed corn.
- It’s easy
- No electric mixer required
- Simple ingredients
- Moist and cheesy
- Fluffy
- Just right spicy
Once you’ve made this easy recipe, you’ll wonder why you don’t make cornbread more often. You’re going to learn how to make homemade cornbread, and make super moist cornbread.
Move over crushed saltines or tortilla chips. This is what belongs next to every bowl of chili you serve up!
Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.
- Yellow Corn Meal: The back bone of this recipe. What is cornmeal? Corn meal is dried, ground corn. It’s found on the baking aisle of your grocery store and should not be confused with polenta, which is a medium grind cornmeal used to make a side dish. If you’re interested in learning more, I like this article which explains the differences of cornmeal, polenta, grits and more.
- Buttermilk: Adds a slightly tangy flavor and adds fluffiness and a better rise to baked goods.
- Creamed Corn: Making this cornbread recipe 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.
- Cheese: I’m a big fan of Muenster for any Mexican, Southwestern recipe. Give it a try.
- The Batter: Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder, Eggs and Salt
- Chile Powder: I prefer New Mexico Red Chile Powder. Its flavor is simply outstanding in an earthy and just right spicy way.
- Jalapeno Peppers: If you want less heat, be sure to remove veins and seeds from the peppers before chopping.
RECIPE SWAPS:
- Cheese: Substitute mild, medium or sharp Cheddar. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack would be a good choice here and any would turn regular cornbread into cheesy cornbread.
- Milk: If you want to substitute 1 cup of milk for the buttermilk, add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar. There’s science behind that, take a look at this great article I found about Buttermilk and substitutions.
- Chile Powder: If you don’t have New Mexico Red Chile Powder, Ancho chile powder is a good substitute. I wouldn’t substitute chili (with an i) powder, as it is a blend of spices that will change the entire flavor profile.
- Jalapeno Peppers: If you find jalapeno peppers just too hot, switch them out for fresh poblano peppers. You can also used canned Hatch chile peppers. Just make sure to drain the liquid and press them in a paper towel to dry, before adding to the batter.
How To Make Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Step 1: 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)
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil.
- Step 3: Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Step 4: Stir until a batter is formed and no dry ingredients remain dry. Don’t over mix.
- Step 5: Using a large spoon, fold in the drained creamed corn, cheese, and jalapenos.
- Step 6: Pour batter into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking pan. Use the back of the spoon to smooth batter into the pan. I like to use my 9″ square Le Creuset baking dish. It’s pretty enough to go from oven to table. I’ve included an affiliate link for your convenience. I am a member of the Amazon Affiliate program. If you purchase the dish, I make a small commission at no extra charge to you.
- Step 7: Bake at 375 degrees, for 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is light-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the heat and let cool for about an hour before slicing.
Can I Make This A Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread?
- Yes. I like to heat the skillet in the oven for about 10 minutes before pouring in the batter. It helps get that little bit of crisp on the bottom. Tip: Add a ½ Tablespoon pat of butter to the hot pan before adding the batter, you’ll get an even crispier bottom crust.
- A 9″ cast iron skillet works best. If using a 12 inch, double the recipe. And adjust cooking times. Just keep using the toothpick method to insert into batter. When the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done.
- A cast iron skillet will cook hotter than a baking dish, so check the cornbread and test with a toothpick after about 15 minutes of cooking. And it’s fun for a rustic presentation.
Cornbread FAQ’s
Tightly covered cornbread will last on the counter for 2-3 days. Or about a week in the refrigerator. Cover with a clean dish towel.
Yes, this homemade cornbread can be made gluten free by swapping out the all purpose flour for gluten free all purpose flour. You can also use oat flour.
Cornbread is best when it’s warm. Just put a slice or two in the microwave and heat it in 15 second increments, or until warm.
Because this cornbread has buttermilk, I personally would refrigerate it after a couple of days. Just cover the pan with a clean dish towel and refrigerate. Don’t use plastic wrap, it will create too much moisture which will compromise the texture of the bread.
Tips for Success:
- Canned creamed corns are not created equal. Some brands have more liquid and some are of a very thick consistency. If you’ve chosen a brand that has a lot of liquid, try to drain off a good portion of it from the creamed corn. Leaving too much will make the cornbread too moist, and could cause it to fall apart.
- Let the cornbread rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Serving it too hot will cause it to fall apart.
- To control the heat of the jalapeno pepper, remove the seeds and veins. This is where the spicy heat lies.
Moist Cheesy Cornbread With Creamed Corn
I hope you give this cornbread with creamed corn 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.
What To Serve With Cornbread
- Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Chili Recipe
- Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema
- Award Winning Beef and Bean Chili
This Cornbread recipe is also great served alongside my recipe for Hatch Green Chile with Pork. What a great combo.
More Quick Bread Recipes
And if you like making bread, don’t miss my bread category. You’ll find lots of fun ideas including the most popular bread recipe on my site for Herbed Tomato Bread. A stunning bread recipe using tomato paste.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.
Super Moist Cornbread with Creamed Corn
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder (optional) or ancho chile powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1-14 ½ ounce can creamed corn half drained
- 1 cup muenster cheese shredded
- 5-6 Tablespoons jalapenos deseeded, chopped. 1 – 2 jalapenos depending on size
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Using a whisk, 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.
- Using a large spoon, gently fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until a batter is formed. Don't over mix.
- Using a colander, or mesh strainer, drain the creamed corn. Let the corn sit in the colander for 2 minutes. Give it a couple of shakes to remove more of the liquid before adding to the batter. You don't want it completely drained.
- Using a large spoon, fold in the corn, cheese, and jalapenos to the batter.
- Pour batter into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking pan. Use the back of the spoon to smooth batter into the pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the crust is light-brown and starting to brown around the edges. And a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the heat and let cool for about an hour before slicing.
Video
Notes
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- Canned creamed corns are not created equal. Some brands have more liquid and some are of a very thick consistency. If you’ve chosen a brand that has a lot of liquid, try to drain off a good portion of it from the creamed corn. Leaving too much will make the cornbread too moist, and could cause it to fall apart.
- Let the cornbread rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Serving it too hot will cause it to fall apart.
- 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.
- To store simply cover with a clean dish towel. Refrigerate overnight if not using that day. Don’t cover with plastic wrap or too much moisture will accumulate and compromise the texture.
Nutrition
Super Moist Cheesy Cornbread With Creamed Corn … It’s what’s for dinner with a bowl of chili
This article was first published February of 2011. It was republished with step by step instructions March 2021.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Awesome recipe! I made this as an accompaniment to a homemade chilli and this recipe worked great. I did make alterations based on what I had on hand. No buttermilk and instead of souring my sweet milk, I did a half milk half sour cream, blended this together and let it sit and come to room temperature. I also didn’t drain my creamed corn. Not sure if what we get here is different – it’s too creamy / thick and I didn’t think it would sieve or drain. So knowing it was more ‘wet’ I added about a 1/4 cup more dry ingredients (cornmeal and flour ratio). The eggs I made sure were at room temperature too and I didn’t have white sugar only brown coarse sugar. I also used melted butter instead of oil and blended that with the egg and sugar. I only had those hot pickled jalapeño peppers you get pre sliced in a can used for nachos so I finely diced one. And no chili powder but I have a smokey Spanish paprika and added a little of that.
I made this in a loaf pan and took the trick / tip of preheating the pan and added a pt of butter to it. It was sizzling hot when I poured the batter in.
This turned out perfect! It took about 15 min more to cook, partly because I thought of the height in the loaf pan but also the sour cream / milk combo and the creamed corn undrained. The flavour was amazing – not too sweet at all and the crumb was what I was hoping for. Moist and tender but not falling apart. Not cakey or mushy and not dry and crumbly. Left overs a few days later survived and I heated in a skillet with some butter and toasted it to brown and crisp it up and served it with some maple syrup. It was as good as it was on day one! I had rave reviews on this one!!
I will make this again later today to go with ribs. Thank you for the “bones” of this recipe.
Cornbread is such a perfect thing to serve with chili. I love that heated sizzling pan idea. Thanks for taking the time to write a review and comment.
This sounds amazing! Trying your recipe for a Fourth party this weekend! Will let you know what everyone thinks! Have a delicious day 🙂
Planning on making this recipe. However, the it mentions both 8″ and 9″ pans. Please clarify.
Hi Mary, thanks for your note. I’ve used both sizes. But 9″ is probably better. I’ll change the instructions. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Can I make this in a 9×13 glass dish. And of course I would double recipe
Thanks
Absolutely yes. Let me know if you have any other questions.
My family loved this recipe! I would definitely add more Chile powder next time tho.
Has anyone made this with a muffin tin? Just checking on time I should cook it
Good morning Dayna
You most certainly can make this recipe into muffins. Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full. I’m not sure about the cooking time, just keep checking them with a toothpick until the toothpick comes out clean.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
So glad to find this recipe, it’s the best. Made it several times. Just make sure to drain the creamed corn. I didn’t the first time I made it and it was a little lose. But still delicious.
I usually make a more traditional cornbread, which IS on the dry side. Should try this — looks so nice. Thanks!
Looks very good chef but us southern boys call cornbread with all that sugar – cake. 🙂
No sugar on this Georgia boy’s cornbread.
Hi John. I am absolutely no expert about Southern style corn bread. I’ll have to try it sometime.
I baked it longer. Maybe never drained enough liquid. However smell is amazing! Thanks!!
Have never liked cornbread. This recipe sounded good, & it was. Next time I will drain more liquid from creamed corn & double the chili powder to 1/4 teaspoon. Maybe be a tad more generous with grated Muenster cheese.
Hi Lea Ann, I only have rice milk. Try adding 1 TBsp vinegar into it but doesn’t curdle. Can I omit buttermilk or substitute with something else? Thanks.
Hi Lea Ann, I don’t have milk at home. Only rice milk. Try adding 1 Tbsp vinegar to it but won’t curdle. Can I omit buttermilk or substitute it with other liquid? Thanks.
Not use to adding sugar. Will your cornbread make a difference if I leave out the sugar?
Deleting the sugar will most certainly affect the flavor, and also you’re taking away some of the “dry” ingredients. I’d drain the creamed corn as much as you can to reduce a bit of the wet ingredients. Let me know how it turns out.
Forgot to mention, planning to make jumbo muffins, what would be the baking time? The pan is for 6. Thanks.
I am planning to make cupcakes, is the baking time the same?
that cornbread recipe is awesome! some recipes claim to be moist, but are not…..this was perfect! so yummy!
Hi 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.
Thanks so much Lee! I really appreciate you letting me know.
I made this and was not a fan. It was very heavy and dense. Will not make this again.
Hi Isabel. Absolutely, this is a dense and moist cornbread. A cake like texture rather.
I 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
I 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
Corn bread is good. Corn bread with peppers in it rocks!
I couldn’t agree more Chris. I’m a big fan of jalapenos and they do cornbread just right.