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Knock Your Socks Off Cornbread

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This Knock Your Socks Off Cornbread isn’t loaded with corn, bacon, jalapenos, or anything fancy…. but it still will knock your socks off!! Fluffy, flavorful, and perfectly sweetened!

fluffy, sweetened cornbread

A few years ago, I made cornbread for my family and used my go to box of Jiffy. I had never made homemade cornbread because the boxed mix was simple, inexpensive, and a favorite of mine. When my hubby casually mentioned his love for sweet cornbread, I decided to experiment with ingredients and set out to make his favorite version myself.

If you look through the blog, you will find lots of recipes, all equally delicious…. but this one is the ultimate winner in my family!! It is definitely sweet, so if you prefer a more classic cornbread, be sure to check out the links below for different variations!

This easy recipe for homemade cornbread is made entirely from scratch! The cornbread bakes up light, fluffy, moist, & sweet, with golden brown edges that are deliciously crispy.

Have you ever scrolled through Pinterest and checked out all the recipes claiming their cornbread to be the best? Well, over the years with all my trials and errors, I have learned that there are SO MANY variations, all great, but all based on the tastes of the person that made the recipe!

My hubby prefers a sweet cornbread; however, I love a loaded cornbread with my meals! Both are great options, just depending on the preferences of the person, the meal it is served with, etc.

Ingredients needed for this Knock Your Socks Off Cornbread

  • Eggs- you’ll want to separate the yolk and whites as you’ll need to beat the whites until stiff peaks form
  • Milk- any type works, I use what I have on hand, which is 2%
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Butter- melted and slightly cooled from being heated
  • Cornmeal
  • Flour- all purpose
  • Sugar- you are in control of the amount used. Feel free to decrease or increase depending on how sweet you want it. I use 1 cup; however, you can increase up to 1 1/2 cups, or decrease to 1/2 cup
  • Baking Powder- make sure its fresh otherwise the bread won’t rise as much
  • Salt

How to make cornbread from scratch

This super easy recipe is perfect for anyone, no matter the skill level you have in the kitchen!

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Stir until combined.
  3. Add in the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  5. Fold into cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.
  6. Pour batter into prepared 9 x 13 baking pan.
  7. Bake for 26-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes before slicing and serving!!

a piece of sweet cornbread

ADD-INS for this Knock Your Socks off Cornbread

Most of the time, I keep this plain and simple, no add in’s required. However, you can add some fun ingredients to this to really enhance the flavors!

Add in some canned (or fresh off the cob) corn kernels when mixing together!

Cook up some bacon and crumble it into the mix prior to baking!

Add in some diced jalapenos for an added kick!

Add a few handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese for a tasty, cheesy addition to this cornbread!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this cornbread last? Keep this bread covered or sliced and placed into a Ziploc bag. It will last about 5 days at room temperature, or 7 days refrigerated. If freezing, you can freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I reheat this bread? Simply place in the microwave for about 20 seconds to reheat. You can also wrap this in aluminum foil and place on the bottom rack of your oven. 250 degrees for about 5-10 minutes.

Can I make this into muffins? Absolutely! Simply prepare the batter as directed and place into prepared muffin tins versus a pan. The cook time will decrease, so be sure to keep an eye on it.

Check out these other great cornbread recipes

Loaded Cornbread

Simple Cornbread Casserole

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Green Chile Cornbread Muffins

Print Recipe
4.27 from 93 votes

Knock our Socks Off Cornbread

A tasty, sweet cornbread that is sure to please any crowd!!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time26 minutes
Total Time36 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: cornbread, sweet cornbread
Servings: 12
Calories: 306kcal
Author: The Cookin' Chicks

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the eggs yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Stir until combined.
  • Add in the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  • Fold into cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Pour batter into prepared 9 x 13 baking pan.
  • Bake for 26-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes before slicing and serving!!

Notes

Recipe adapted from: High Heels and Grills

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheCookinChicks or tag #TheCookinChicks!

 

moist, fluffy sweet cornbread that will knock your socks off

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Baltisraul

    This was very good but different than tradition Southern cornbread. I used 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal and 1 1/2 cups of flour to give a more traditional taste.

  4. Kristin

    Surprisingly it stays moist for several days. My family had this over the course of about 3 days and it never dried out or began to get crumbly. I would say you could stretch to 4 days….but wouldn’t go longer due to it no longer being fresh 🙂

  6. Karen

    I just made this cornbread tonight to go with our chili. My husband and all my boys love it!!! It was nice a moist, the way we like it. We do not like it dry like a lot of cornbread is. It is a little sweet, but that was okay. Thumbs up for this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

  8. Renee

    Do I have to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form or can I just throw the whole egg in without all the fuss? Thanks in advance for a reply.

  9. Kristin

    You need to beat the egg whites unfortunately. I tried omitting that step once and it was flat and not nearly as fluffy/moist.

  10. Kris

    Going to try this today. Only change I’m going to make is more cornmeal and little less sugar. Everything else will stay the same.

  16. Kristin

    Here is the conversion: If you want to create the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of baking powder out of baking soda, mix together ¼ teaspoon baking soda with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch. If you want to use baking powder instead of baking soda, simply use three times as much baking powder as the amount of the soda called for in the recipe.

  17. Juju

    Sorry but, this is not cornbread. This is corncake! JMO. I am from the South but my mother never put sugar in her cornbread

  18. Kristin

    Very true! I have several versions on my blog! Just go to the search button on the homepage and type in cornbread. Several non-sweetened versions should appear! Enjoy!

  19. Carole

    Wow! this is hands down the best cornbread my family has tasted. It didn’t last long. It took just a little more time to fix but well worth it.

  21. Tonya

    How many Calories does it have and hope of it is Saturated and Fat???? Please Reply
    Thanks Tonya

  22. Kristin

    Hi! Here is the requested info per serving! 8 servings total in this recipe!

    Calories
    344.7
    Total Fat
    8.8 g
    Saturated Fat
    4.7 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
    0.8 g
    Monounsaturated Fat
    2.7 g
    Cholesterol
    109.0 mg
    Sodium
    659.1 mg
    Potassium
    141.7 mg
    Total Carbohydrate
    61.4 g
    Dietary Fiber
    2.1 g
    Sugars
    26.8 g
    Protein
    6.7 g

  26. Kristin

    I’d say a can would work great! Perhaps start with half a can and check out consistency before adding the remainder! Enjoy!

  27. Jeanine

    Ok smells amazing and I’m waiting to dig in but the time required is not cooking it enough. I’m adding my second round of 7 min- the center is still very doughy. Have I done something wrong or could it be my oven needs to be recalibrated.

  28. Kristin

    Hmmm, are you at a high altitude? Every oven is different, so it may not be your oven needing to be recalibrated. How long did it end up taking to be finished??

  31. Sara

    Made this cornbread to go with chili for my son’s bday party. Wow was it a hit!!!! Making it again tomorrow for a chili cook off at church! I did have to bake it longer than 28 mins but all ovens are different!

  33. LaVonna Blake

    Kristin here’s a funny story about your cornbread. I work in a dining room at a retirement community. Our kitchen decided to do a chili cook off. I volunteered to bring the cornbread (southern style). Some said we like sweet cornbread. I found your recipe and decided to try it. Our chef was to judge the chili’s and he declared “the cornbread wins”! So thank you. Tomorrow we are doing another chili cook off for the whole facility and I’m taking the cornbread. Hopefully I will win again!

  34. Kristin

    Awww, I absolutely LOVED that story and am so glad you won round one! Fingers crossed round two wins again! Be sure to keep me posted and again, thanks for the awesome story, I am so glad everyone enjoyed it!!

  35. Erica Colmenero

    How many people does your recipe serve? I’m needing to serve 4 families and 3/4 kids each?

  36. Kristin

    This makes quite a bit. Typically I say about 12, but honestly, based on how you cut the pieces, it could serve 20+ people! Enjoy!

  40. Kristin

    No problem at all! You can cut it by up to 3/4 cup sugar and still have it taste good!! It just wont be AS sweet, but still tasty!

  41. Kelley

    I made this recipe into muffins instaednof a 9×13 and they are super moist and delicious!! Will be making again…. I even used Splenda and they are divine ?

  43. Kathleen French

    I made this cornbread about two nights ago. It was the best cornbread I have ever had!! 🙂
    It was even better than my grandmothers, sorry grandma, I love you!
    I did change the amount of sugar used. I like sweet corn bread, but I like it like I like my tea., half and half.
    extremely moist.
    Definitely worth the effort!
    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

  44. Kristin

    Yea! So glad you enjoyed it! I’ve cut the sugar down before too and its still great, so glad you agree!!

  45. Misty

    Hi! The recipe is amazing! I just wanted to post for those wondering I made this gluten free & it turned out perfect! I used cup for cup gluten free flour & followed the recipe & measurements exactly. Also, I used muffin tins (for someone who asked above) & it made 24 muffins. I cooked them for 20 minutes. Hope this helps! Enjoy this amazing recipe & thank you for posting it.

  47. Sue Beukema

    I use the jiffy mix, but also mix up a box of jiffy yellow cake mix, then stir the two batters together, bake in a 9×9 pan following direction for baking the cake, comes out very similar.

  49. Emily

    4 stars
    I have been searching for the perfect cornbread recipe for years and with a couple changes this was it.

    I used buttermilk, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, no vanilla.

    4 stars because I didn’t follow the recipe exactly

  51. Carol H

    Today is my 2nd time making this cornbread. Oh.Mah.Gah! Love the moistness and how easy it is to make.

    Now will check out your other recipes while this bakes. 🙂

  53. joanna berretta

    don’t mean this in a negative way, but an easy way to do this is mix one box of Jiffy Mix cornbread with one box of of Jiffy Yellow Cake. : ) every one raves over it.

  54. Kristin

    Oh yes, I have tried that too and its AMAZING!! So many varieties of cornbread, I love it!

  55. Rae-lyn

    5 stars
    I made this recipe for a pot luck, it was a hit. Thank you for sharing good recipe.
    Yummy…..

  61. Marie

    Getting ready to make this and need to know is there anything different you have to do to the recipe for it to bake correctly in high altitude? I live in Colorado

  62. Marie

    5 stars
    My daughter and I truly enjoyed this cornbread. After reading the reviews about it being too sweet I decided to add only 1/3 c of sugar (I cut the recipe in half that’s why the sugar amount is much less). Will recommend this recipe to family members. Thank you for sharing.

    Also, I didn’t have to do anything special to the recipe being in a high elevation.

  63. Kristin

    I don’t believe there are any changes that need to be made in this due to elevation! Hope you enjoy!

  69. Favorite Baker

    5 stars
    Hi Kristin, This recipe is absolutely a winner! My husband’s response was also the best he’s had. I made the recipe as written except I substituted buttermilk for the milk. This was so moist and sweet. It made enough corn bread for three meals in our house. I plan to freeze the leftovers for later use. Thanks for sharing your recipe and preserving my rep as the best baker in the family!

  70. Kristin

    Yea!! Love hearing that! I am so glad it was a hit and you are still the best baker in the family, haha!!

  73. Lillian

    4 stars
    I made this and cut sugar to 1 cup. I have lived in several states in the USA and the further south you go the less sweet.

  75. Kristin

    Great idea on cutting the sugar down. I do that depending on what I am serving with it and its always just as tasty!

  82. Keith

    5 stars
    I made this recipe as given. It is now my go to cornbread recipe. My wife says that it is more moist and sweeter than other cornbread and she isn’t a fan of cornbread.

  84. Ronnie

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe once and it is truly amazing. Since making it, however, my daughter has become lactose intolerant. Have you ever tried making this with almond milk or would that really screw it up? Just curious before I try.

  85. Kristin

    As long as its the unsweetened almond milk, you can absolutely use that in place of regular milk!! Glad you enjoy the recipe!!

  90. Laura

    5 stars
    WOW!! Hands down the best cornbread I’ve ever made! This has been our go to for the last few years… nothing comes close! Thank you!!

  94. Robin

    5 stars
    I’ve been making this cornbread for several years. Husband calls it the “nasty” cornbread. It really is the best! Have you made this into hush puppies or how can I? I have yet to find a recipe for just sweet hush puppies without the corn.

  95. Kristin

    Haha, my family loves this cornbread too, but its funny because people that try it that aren’t “sweet cornbread” fans, always say its not good. Luckily, with so many versions of cornbread around, everyone is happy!!
    I haven’t tried making this into hush puppies personally, but here is my go to recipe for those, https://thecookinchicks.com/southern-hush-puppies/

  96. Cassandra Appleman

    5 stars
    I discovered this recipe a few years ago and have been making it since. Everyone loves it. Super moist and flavorful. I cut the sugar to ¾ cup – Perfect.

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