This cornbread is an old tried and true recipe. Yes I’ve already shared it before but that was years ago so most all of you probably missed it, plus that was for a smaller pan. Here I made 1 1/2 times my original recipe so you could have enough for a 13 by 9 pan, or in other words enough for Thanksgiving.
The title of this bread may seem so braggy (let’s pretend that’s a word), but really it is my all time favorite cornbread! It not like some of the dry, lifeless cornbread you may find elsewhere. This cornbread is incredibly moist, and soft and basically just perfect. It’s everything you’d want your cornbread to be, and then some when you eat it warm with the whipped honey butter recipe included.
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this cornbread and every time people are always fighting for the last piece. Try it and you’ll see why! Oh and did I mention it’s unbelievable easy to make? No electric mixer required, just a few bowls and a whisk and some seriously easy prep.
I’m not the only one who loves this bread, you can head to my old post to read the feedback and reviews here.
The Best Cornbread
Yield: About 15 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp butter , melted (I just used salted)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal and buttermilk until well blended, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees during last 5 minutes of mixture resting. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. Add melted butter, applesauce, sugar, honey and eggs to cornmeal mixture and whisk until well combine. Stir in dry ingredients and whisk just until combine and no longer lumpy. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer and bake 25 - 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 - 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with honey or whipped honey butter (recipe in notes below). Store in an airtight container.
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Recipe source: Cooking Classy
Recipe Notes
For the whipped honey butter: In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together 1/2 cup softened salted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar: You couldn’t possibly know this, but I’ve been searching for ‘the perfect’ cornbread for years. YEARS!! And this looks freaking fabulous to me. Can’t wait to try! November 14, 2014 at 9:35am
Jaclyn: I hope you try it and love it Katrina! November 14, 2014 at 7:01pm
Kate @ Diethood: This looks SO GOOD!! “THE BEST”! :))) November 14, 2014 at 1:10pm
Averie @ Averie Cooks: This really does look so incredibly good! And cornbread + honey is a must for me….mmm! What a pretty picture with the honey just dripping off the big wooden ladle…mmm! :) November 14, 2014 at 1:58pm
Janet: I love, love, love cornbread and this looks delicious! I just made a gluten-free pumpkin cornbread the other day. it was delicious! Pinned :) November 14, 2014 at 2:45pm
Kathi @ laughingspatula: these look wonderful! Next time I need cornbread I’m going to nix the little box of Jiffy and throw these together!
Beautiful pics like usual!
Kathi November 14, 2014 at 9:24pm
Laura (Tutti Dolci): I love cornbread (in fact, I just made some today!). This certainly looks like the best! November 15, 2014 at 6:09pm
Tim: Applesauce in cornbread? You must be a yankee!
(second clue was not cooked in a cast iron skillet) November 16, 2014 at 11:33am
Dan: I had southern cornbread it suck an grits June 10, 2017 at 4:11pm
Michelle: This recipe looks super delicious! I was looking for an enticing cornbread recipe to make for Thanksgiving when this popped up in my inbox! One question – can this be made in advance and frozen? Just trying to prep for Thanksgiving November 17, 2014 at 5:38pm
Jaclyn: I think that would actually be fine because, this cornbread is really moist others may dry out if frozen but I think this recipe should be just fine. I hope you love it! November 17, 2014 at 5:41pm
Tricia: Yum! This looks like an amazing recipe. I’ve been looking for a cornbread recipe. I hope mine turns out as good as yours. November 26, 2014 at 7:48pm
Ella: I made and it came out great. The only thing is that my family prefer a saltier version (this one is rather sweet). How can I make it more so without damaging the end result? January 4, 2015 at 11:37am
Jaclyn: I’d try reducing the sugar to 1/4 cup or maybe even 3 Tbsp and that should do it. January 29, 2015 at 9:33pm
charlotte: Would this work with 1/2 recipe in an 8″x8″ pan? January 12, 2015 at 7:47am
Jaclyn: Here are the measurements for an 8×8: https://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/01/cornbread-lightened-up-and-whipped-honey-butter/ January 15, 2015 at 9:02pm
Bobbie: I’ve made this recipe twice (then stored leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge), and each time we’ve gone back for leftover cornbread there were little black spots on the tops of each piece. Any idea as to why this is happening? I’d like to enjoy the leftovers since it is so delicious! January 13, 2015 at 9:23am
Jaclyn: I have no idea what that would be cause by if it’s only a day or two old, especially if you are storing it in the fridge. Sorry wish I could say?? January 13, 2015 at 9:38pm
Carrie Jones: So I just made this cornbread recipe tonight. I used a glass baking dish….and after 26 minutes of baking its still runny in the middle. Its browning on the edges. Still in the oven. Probably a flop! I followed the recipe to the T. Ugh. January 13, 2015 at 6:35pm
Jaclyn: No sure what could have happened as long as you correctly measured everything. I’ve made these at least 15 times without any issues. Wish I could say what went wrong! I’d tent with foil if you haven’t already taken it out though so the center has time to cook without more browning. January 13, 2015 at 9:33pm
Sandie Maldonado: Mine also turned out not done in the middle after 30 minutes. I wonder if it was the glass dish? June 30, 2015 at 8:42am
Kari: If your recipes are consistently under-cooking (gummy in the middle or sinking) your oven temperature may be off. Some ovens can be quite temperamental. Even new ones. Purchase an oven thermometer to gauge how your oven is performing. October 3, 2015 at 5:00pm
Karly: I made this last night and it wasn’t horrible but wasn’t great either. I ran into the same problem as Carrie – the center was uncooked as the edges were browning. It was bland, too dense yet crumbly & it didn’t reheat well the next day – I’ve had way better. Won’t be making this again. Sorry :’-( January 18, 2015 at 1:33pm
Megan: This sounds yummy! Question: have you ever cooked this in cast iron? I have a cast iron pan in little mini corn cob shapes that I usually use for cornbread, and wondered if they still turned out fine. (I plan on cooking these and freezing for after labor and delivery for an easy meal plan!). Thanks!! January 24, 2015 at 9:23pm
Jaclyn: I haven’t tried it in a cast iron pan but they do work great as muffins. February 5, 2015 at 6:58pm
Debbie: I made this in a cast iron skillet and baked it at 450. It was delicious and a big hit with my guests!! February 1, 2015 at 10:08am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad it was enjoyed Debbie! Thanks for your comment! February 5, 2015 at 6:12pm
TARA: Thanks for the recipe! Instead of using a pan I made muffins and they turned out great! Super delicious and moist. They went great with my friends taco soup and my co-workers loved them. I will definitely make again! February 15, 2015 at 4:58pm
summer: Wonderful recipe! My family demands it every week now! Anyone that tastes it LOVES it! March 2, 2015 at 5:24pm
Ashley: Made this tonight to go alongside some chicken fajitas. DELISH! I’ve never been a fan of cornbread but since my husband is, I like to make it from time to time. Tonight we EACH polished off three pieces with our dinner! (and I have a feeling I’ll be sneaking back into the kitchen late night for more) Thanks for sharing! March 8, 2015 at 4:40pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you both enjoyed it Ashley! That’s always how it goes at my house too :)! March 8, 2015 at 10:30pm
Marti Chaney: Just made this tonight to go with my turkey chili soup..It was fabulous! So Moist! I have tried other scratch corn bread recipes with no success..This was a hit at our dinner table! Thanks for sharing! March 11, 2015 at 6:22pm
Faith Bowe: I just made this cornbread!! It is super moist & delicious!! So, so good!! I even halfed the recipe because it’s just my husband and me and it still came out perfect!! I baked it in a cast iron skillet! March 14, 2015 at 5:31pm
Jaclyn: I’m glad to hear you both liked it Faith! Thanks for your feedback! March 15, 2015 at 1:11pm
Paola: Hey! I’m not from the US so I really don’t know what you mean by cornflour or cornmeal be cause in Latin America there are a lot of brands and types, but here in my country (Venezuela) the gov is trying to set a socialist system and now nothin works and there’s only two types of cornflour and those are P.A.N precooked corn flour (I know Polar is selling them in the US and that’s why I’m asking) and other cornmeal but a sweet one to make “cachaca a”. So I wanted to know which one I could use March 21, 2015 at 8:14pm
Jaclyn: I would probably go with the sweet cornmeal then omit the sugar, or add a little to taste just depending on the sweetness of it. April 26, 2015 at 12:14am
Kelly: I made this yesterday to go along with beef stew. My Husband loves it!!! I have tried a few times to make cornbread and it never turned out. This recipe is great! Thank you! :) March 29, 2015 at 9:37am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you both liked the recipe! Thanks for your feedback Kelly! March 29, 2015 at 9:48pm
Anna: I’m living overseas, and I don’t have access to buttermilk . . . and chance you could suggest a substitute?
Thanks! March 31, 2015 at 5:24am
Jaclyn: Yes the best sub for buttermilk is to add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup then add enough milk to equal 1 cup (so you’ll be adding 3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp milk) then whisk and let rest 3 minutes. April 27, 2015 at 10:38pm
Heather McIntosh: Black specs in the cornmeal are resulting from the milling process and are bits and pieces of the kernal and are not harmful. April 1, 2015 at 3:29pm
Lindsay: This is the best cornbread I’ve ever had in my life. Perfect! Except, I used half the sugar. Still was amazing! Thank you!
Oh, and the applesauce made them super-moist and de-lish! I must be a Yankee. ;) April 10, 2015 at 6:38pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you liked it Lindsay! Thanks for leaving a comment! April 10, 2015 at 9:52pm
Madeline: Just made this. It came out perfect. Thank you. April 24, 2015 at 10:16am
Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for your feedback Madeline! April 24, 2015 at 4:51pm
Kristen: This looks amazing! I’m hoping to try it for a party this weekend. Any suggestions to 1 – use a 12 x 18 pan and 2 – how long do you think it would hold up if I make in advance? We are having a party Saturday but I wanted to make it Thursday afternoon. July 1, 2015 at 8:30am
Jaclyn: I would recommend making it friday for best results and I wish I could say on the baking time but I’m really not sure since I haven’t tested it. July 2, 2015 at 11:31pm
Darla: Have you ever tried this with gluten-free flours? I LOVE cornbread but not the wheat. July 1, 2015 at 6:45pm
Jaclyn: I haven’t but I imagine it should work. There may be directions on the bag on how to sub for regular flour. August 12, 2015 at 5:25pm
Kari: I made this with gluten free all purpose flour — it was a one-to-one substitution. Everyone loved it! October 4, 2015 at 8:45pm
Belkts: Hi..i want to know why this huge amount of baking soda? Thanks in advance! September 17, 2015 at 7:26am
Diana: Just made this for Thanksgiving 2015 and they were delicious! I love a sweeter cornbread and this was so moist and perfect. I didn’t make the icing/glaze but boy it didn’t need it. Thanks for the recipe! November 26, 2015 at 4:03pm
Janet: I bake cakes as a side business. I don’t use glass pans because the glass tends to get hotter and hold the heat longer. When I bake I only use aluminum pans. They bake more evenly. The glass cooks the sides faster and the middle less. Also as she said before, get an oven thermometer, check to see if it’s exact to the dial.
I even make sponge candy as it’s the same thing. Purex or glass pans hold the heat too long and over cook the candy. January 3, 2016 at 7:54pm
Laurie Lord: I absolutely love this recipe and I have used tens of times. Thank you. I was wanting to ask if you can use this recipe into cornbread muffins in tins instead of the 9 x 13?? Have you done that? If so, what would be the appropriate temp and time for that. Thanks again April 26, 2016 at 10:08pm
Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed this recipe Laurie! I’ve also made it into muffins because I love it so much here is the link: https://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/06/cornbread-muffins-lightened-up-but-the-best-ever/ April 27, 2016 at 12:17am
tom: For good old southern cornbread, all one needs is, corn meal, sm. dab of butter, buttermilk, and a number 9 or10 cast iron skillet, 2lg.eggs.put your skillet in the oven to get hot while you are mixing all the other stuff
together, pour in pan, and cook for 20-25min, September 13, 2016 at 8:35am
Suzie: I am from the south. My parents & grandparents were southern. This isn’t cornbread. . .at least not the “real southern cornbread”. This may be what a northerner calls cornbread (more like cake). We southerners don’t put flour in our cornbread and NO sugar or apple sauce. Who came up with the apple sauce, anyway? Just self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, bacon grease or butter and an egg (or eggs, depending on how much you are making). Pour into hot cast iron skillet or metal muffin tin that was sprinkled with cornmeal and cook in about 425 oven. Women in the south are hard workers. We don’t have much time to “fuss” with all this extra stuff. Mix and “get er done”! September 15, 2016 at 12:36am
Kelly: Why do people feel the need to be so negative and critical? If the recipe doesn’t appeal to you, don’t try it and move on. Personally, I don’t care what she calls it…my family and I love this recipe. It’s moist and not dry as cornbread often can be. I always get compliments when I make it. September 17, 2017 at 11:42am
Jaclyn: Glad you like it Suzie! Thanks for your review and comment! September 17, 2017 at 1:37pm
Tony Bell: That’s not cornbread, that’s cake. September 18, 2016 at 8:24am
r fernandez: Hello. Fine or coarse cornmeal? Many thanks – looks delicious. September 24, 2016 at 5:12pm
Jaclyn: Fine. Hope you enjoy it! September 24, 2016 at 10:14pm
r fernandez: Thank you so much – it was incredible!!! September 28, 2016 at 6:00pm
Susan: I had the same problem with undercooked at 25 minutes. I just left it in for a total of 45 minutes and it came out very good. The honey/sugar drizzle was outstanding delicious! November 23, 2016 at 12:00pm
Jaclyn: Sorry yours took so long to bake, I’ll have to update the oven times. All ovens bake a little different but that is quit a difference. November 24, 2016 at 6:55pm
Yvonne: You were spot on with my oven time – was perfectly done at 23 minutes:) November 24, 2016 at 7:33pm
Yvonne: I cannot even tell you how thankful I am that I came across this on Pinterest. I have spent YEARS (and gone through countless containers of corn meal!) trying to find that perfect cornbread recipe…and finally! I’m a northerner, so I appreciate a cornbread that’s moist and cake-like and slightly sweet. Bravo and thank you! November 24, 2016 at 5:07pm
Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear with this recipe you’ve found the perfect cornbread :). Thanks for your comment Yvonne! November 24, 2016 at 6:57pm
Elena: Hello!
If I use unsalted butter how much salt should I add?
Thanks! January 19, 2017 at 6:27pm
Kristen D.: This truly is the best cornbread! I found this over a year ago and it is my go to recipe now. Tried and true! Thank you for sharing this with us and making me look good at Thanksgiving every year :) January 22, 2017 at 10:49am
Jaclyn: Thanks for taking the time to comment Kristen – I’m glad you love it! January 25, 2017 at 10:15am