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You are here: Home » Recipes » Breads

Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe

Updated: Sep 24, 2024 · Published: Feb 9, 2011 by Lacey Baier · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. · 51 Comments

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This easy cornbread recipe makes a healthy, moist, and fluffy sweet cornbread that is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Plus get my best tips for how to store cornbread, how to freeze cornbread, how to reheat cornbread, and what to do with leftover cornbread.

Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe | This Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe makes a moist, fluffy and healthy sweet cornbread that can be enjoyed for dinner with a homemade chili | A Sweet Pea Chef this RECIPE

Like many things in my life, I am quite particular about my cornbread. I absolutely hate dry, crumbly, bland, stale cornbread. Well — maybe I should be more clear… I’ll eat it, but I won’t enjoy it. You get the difference, right?  I knew you would.

So, when I make my cornbread, I want it to be sweet — but not too sweet — moist, delicate — but with texture — and it’s got to have little bits of corn in it.  Those are the rules.

Done!  This sweet cornbread recipe is so delicious… it’s the best cornbread recipe I’ve come across and, trust me, I’ve looked and cooked and eaten.  A lot.

The top crust is crunchy while the rest is moist, sweet cornbread-y goodness. Believe it or not, you don’t even need any butter to eat it. It’s THAT good.  Plus, it’s super easy to make and ready before you know it.

I make this recipe in either a 9-inch spring-form cake pan or a square baking dish, but it could also make tasty little cornbread muffins if you’d like. Pair this cornbread with my homemade chili and you have yourself a very nice thing going on.  Very nice, indeed!

Oh, I almost forgot – this easy cornbread recipe is also healthy. Healthy cornbread?  Yes, it is possible!  This is not my first healthy bread recipe, ya know... I posted other healthy bread recipes on the blog, including a pumpkin bread recipe, a chocolate zucchini bread recipe, an apple pumpkin bread recipe, and a cranberry orange bread recipe.

But let’s get back to the best homemade sweet cornbread since it is the star of the day.

A mixing bowl with fresh corn in it. The corn will be used in the Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe.

HOW TO MAKE CORNBREAD

Some people like sweet cornbread while others like their cornbread savory. It’s a matter of taste. I like mine mildly sweet so I use raw honey and fresh corn in the recipe. This is an easy cornbread recipe that involves only a few simple steps. To make sweet cornbread:

  1. combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl;
  2. in a separate mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients;
  3. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well but make sure you don’t overmix.
  4. transfer the sweet cornbread mixture to a greased pan;
  5. bake in the preheated oven until the cornbread is ready. Test it with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the sweet cornbread is ready.

How to make cornbread healthy:

  • replace all-purpose flour with spelt flour;
  • replace sugar with raw honey;
  • replace vegetable oil with coconut oil;
  • remove butter.

A large mixing bowl filled with the dry ingredients required by the Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe including spelt flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt.
Pouring the wet ingredients (egg, honey, almond milk, coconut oil and corn) for the Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe over the dry ingredients.

HOMEMADE CREAMED CORN

I like my cornbread recipe with corn and I essentially make a quick version of creamed corn by mashing the fresh or frozen corn kernels before adding them to the mixture. This makes it a lighter option and no refined sugar added alternative to using creamed corn in the recipe.  Plus: tasty corn in the cornbread = my kinda cornbread!

Mixing together the dry and wet ingredients for the Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe.
The cornbread mixture in a pan ready to be transferred to the oven to be baked.

HOW TO MAKE CORNBREAD MOIST

Here’s the thing, I never in my life found a person who likes dry cornbread. EVER. Learning how to make cornbread moist is definitely the key to a delicious sweet cornbread.

If you want your sweet cornbread to be moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, make sure you don’t over mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

And, if you want ultra moist cornbread, add in an egg and some freshly mashed corn kernels.  Works like a charm!

Freshly baked sweet cornbread in the pan being sliced.

FREEZING AND REHEATING CORNBREAD

Sweet cornbread can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer. If you want to bake sweet cornbread for later, you totally can since freezing cornbread is definitely possible.

How to freeze cornbread:

  1. Cool the sweet cornbread;
  2. Wrap it in aluminum foil or put it in a Ziploc bag; This will prevent the cornbread from losing its moisture and drying out.

How to reheat cornbread:

  1. Thaw the cornbread at room temperature before unwrapping it from the foil or removing it from the bag.
  2. Remove it from the Ziploc bag or from the aluminum foil and you can:
  • reheat the cornbread in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds or until heated through;
  • reheat the cornbread in the oven at 350 degrees F wrapped in aluminum foil for approximately 15 minutes.

Close up of a slice of sweet cornbread that's being removed from the pan with a spatula.

HOW LONG DOES CORNBREAD LAST?

Properly stored cornbread can last:

  • for 2-3 days at room temperature;
  • up to a week in the fridge;
  • 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

How to properly store and how to keep cornbread moist:

  • Cover the sweet cornbread with aluminum foil or plastic wrap
  • Or place it in a Ziploc bag.

View from the top of 3 slices of sweet cornbread on a serving plate. The plate is decorated with fresh corn. Next to the plate can be seen the pan with the rest of the sliced cornbread and the spatula that was use to remove the slices from the pan and a slice of cornbread that sits on the table.

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER CORNBREAD

Leftover cornbread is a rare occurrence in my house. We all love it that much. However, if you somehow end up with cornbread leftovers, you can:

  • use it to make stuffing (Thanksgiving is around the corner so baking an extra batch of sweet cornbread is not at all a bad idea);
  • make sweet cornbread croutons – it’s super easy to make croutons at home. All you have to do is to cube the cornbread, place the cubes on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven (at 350 degrees F) until the crumbs are dry and crunchy;
  • make breadcrumbs – to make cornbread crumbs use a blender or a food processor to whirl the croutons until they transform into crumbles.

Pouring honey over 3 slices of sweet cornbread placed one on top of the other on a serving plate.

3 HEALTHY CHILI RECIPES TO PAIR WITH SWEET CORNBREAD

Cornbread is an American staple that goes well with so many different types of food. But nothing compares to the cornbread + chili pairing. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. This amazing combo is perfect for cold Fall or winter evenings when all you want to do is cuddle up on the couch with a warm and satisfying bowl of chili in one hand and sweet cornbread in the other one. Do you agree? That’s what I thought! So here are 3 healthy chili recipes that go amazingly well with the sweet cornbread.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHILI

If you don’t know How To Make Homemade Chili, I have all the tips for you. Plus a healthy and delicious recipe. And don’t worry, chili has complex flavors but it’s actually very easy to make.

An overhead image of a bowl of Homemade Chili made with ground beef, pinto beans, green and red bell peppers, canned diced tomatoes, black olives, yellow onion, garlic, olive oil and tomato sauce, garnished with grated cheddar cheese, green onions and greek yogurt.

This hearty homemade chili is full of meat, veggies, and beans deliciousness, it makes a great weeknight dinner, you can prep it ahead, and is only 235 calories. Plus it’s amazing with sweet cornbread. Get the recipe.

TEXAS CHILI RECIPE

Whether you’re a Texan or not, Texas Chili is a dish you should definitely try. Texas chili is not made with beans like other chilies. But it contains other yummy ingredients such as ground beef, onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, hot sauce, and chili powder.

Horizontal image of a singular bowl of a Texas chili recipe which is used to celebrate Texas Independence Day.

This spicy Texas chili will definitely warm up your days. It has enough heat to do it. But it will also make your taste buds super happy because it’s filled with chili goodness. Get the recipe.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH POT CHILI

Another hearty and totes delicious chili is this Butternut Squash Instant Pot Chili. Vegan, gluten-free, and paleo friendly, this chili is ready in only 20 minutes. Hooray for instant pots, right?

Bowl of butternut squash instant pot chili, where you can see the cooked, diced butternut squash, cooked black beans, tomatoes, and it is topped with fresh avocado, lime wedge, jalapeno, and cilantro.

However, if you don’t have an instant pot, the good news is you can convert this Instant Pot chili recipe into a slow cooker recipe. Tips for how to do it in the post. Get the recipe.

Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe | This Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe makes a moist, fluffy and healthy sweet cornbread that can be enjoyed for dinner with a homemade chili | A Sweet Pea Chef

Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe

Lacey Baier
This easy cornbread recipe makes a healthy, moist, and fluffy sweet cornbread that is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Plus get my best tips for how to store cornbread, how to freeze cornbread, how to reheat cornbread, and what to do with leftover cornbread.
4.67 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 16 minutes mins
Total Time 24 minutes mins
Course Bread, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 16 squares
Calories 109 kcal

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • Square Baking Dish 8x8

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup corn, thawed or fresh
  • 1 cup spelt flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓ raw honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus more to grease baking dish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Grease and square baking dish and set aside.
  • Mash corn using potato masher and set aside.
  • Combine dry ingredients (spelt flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt) in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients (egg, honey, almond milk, coconut oil and corn).
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Try not to over-mix.
  • Add to the prepared pan and smooth out evenly.
  • Bake 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or knife to the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 squareCalories: 109 kcalCarbohydrates: 14 gProtein: 2 gFat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 3 gCholesterol: 10 mgSodium: 170 mgPotassium: 125 mgFiber: 2 gVitamin A: 30 IUVitamin C: 0.2 mgCalcium: 54 mgIron: 0.8 mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @asweetpeachef on Instagram so we can check it out.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

« Healthy Homemade Chili
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    4.67 from 9 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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  1. Amy Adams

    January 12, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    Can you please post the old recipe that had the creamed corn or email it to me? I know I just made it over the summer. It's a family favorite, and I take it everywhere. I have tried others, but they don't compare.

    Thank you,

    Amy

    Reply
    • Amanda

      January 29, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      It’s on tasty kitchen website!!

      Reply
  2. Laura

    December 21, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    Oh my gosh, I just started getting out ingredients and the recipe is all different! I kind of want to cry! It was my go-to recipe!!!

    Reply
  3. Steve

    December 03, 2018 at 8:28 pm

    1/3 of honey. 1/3 of what? Cup? Teaspoon? Tablespoon?
    Please inform. Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Ginny

    November 25, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    Please, please post the old recipe! I am super picky about cornbread too and thought the old recipe was.the best I'd ever made. The new one is not practical for me to throw together on a weeknight as I don't keep all the ingredients on hand.

    Reply
  5. Emily Meagher

    November 18, 2018 at 10:21 am

    Could you please have the old cornbread recipe up as well? I used to make it all the time and am trying to make it for a Thanksgiving party, I don't have some of the ingredients in this new recipe...

    Reply
  6. Amy Adams

    November 12, 2018 at 9:51 pm

    I had this recipe saved to my homepage, but the recipe has completely changed. Can I please get the original recipe? I used it last in July.

    Reply
  7. Tracy P

    November 11, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    Where is the original recipe.before you substituted the flour, the sugar, and the vegetable oil? I enjoyed that recipe and it seems to now have disappeared.

    Reply
    • Amy Adams

      November 12, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      I had this recipe saved to my homepage, but the recipe has completely changed. Can I please get the original recipe? I used it last in July.

      Reply
  8. Patti

    October 20, 2018 at 12:32 am

    5 stars
    She’s right this is the best ever! I used butter instead of oil and added 1/2 an ear of fresh corn then baked as muffins. Heavenly.

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:52 pm

      Yum! Sounds amazing 🙂

      Reply
      • Tracy Piestrak

        December 30, 2018 at 12:30 pm

        Could you please repost the original recipe? The original was my go to. I do not want to replace it and had it bookmarked. When you changed the post, the original disappeared. Thank you in advance.

  9. Phil

    October 16, 2018 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    Out of this world 1!!

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:52 pm

      woooooooooooot!

      Reply
  10. Danielle

    February 04, 2018 at 2:19 am

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was a hit! I did tweak it a little to make it gluten and lactose free because of dietary restrictions my guests had! I ended up using 1.5 c of corn meal to .5 c gluten free flour (king arthur), mixed the milk and just used a whole can of creamed corn, and added a tablespoon or so of honey. It was so delicious and a big hit!

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Awesome, I'm so glad it was such a great hit!

      Reply
  11. Elizabeth

    June 12, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    5 stars
    I'm so glad I came across your recipe. Just like you, I am picky about my cornbread. And thankfully, I am picky about the exact same things as you! Your cornbread is my cornbread perfection and it makes me so happy. THANKS.

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Hooray for being picky and for tasty sweet cornbread recipes 😉

      Reply
  12. Anita Caincross

    January 06, 2017 at 2:29 pm

    5 stars
    Tried your recipe but tweaked it a little by adding 2 TBS of raw honey. Family hit with my ham and beans.

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Ain't nothing not delicious sounding about that! 😉

      Reply
  13. Candace

    September 28, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    4 stars
    I just made this and it was good. I used buttermilk instead of milk.

    Reply
    • Lacey Baier

      November 08, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      Awesome, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  14. Helene

    July 14, 2016 at 4:03 am

    4 stars
    I made your cornbread. Absolutely delicious!! Light, fluffy. I didn't add the brown sugar and used 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup greek yoghourt. Great find. Thank you!!

    Reply
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I’m a Cleanish Lifestyle Coach, YouTuber, and Blogger. I live in Austin, TX with my husband, 4 kids, and 2 mini Aussies. I'm here to help you transform your life through delicious clean eating recipes and science-backed knowledge!

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Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe | This Easy Sweet Cornbread Recipe makes a moist, fluffy and healthy sweet cornbread that can be enjoyed for dinner with a homemade chili | A Sweet Pea Chef
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