Sweet Cornbread (Quick)
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This Sweet Cornbread (Quick) makes a tall, fluffy, moist cornbread with a soft, cake-like crumb, golden edges, and just the right amount of sweetness. Made with buttermilk, yellow cornmeal, butter, and eggs, this homemade cornbread is tender enough to serve warm with butter and honey while still sturdy enough to pair with chili, soup, or barbecue. Ready in about 40 minutes.
Serve this cornbread with Potato Kale Soup or Sweet Potato Chili!
Quick Look: Sweet Cornbread (Quick)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 12
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Oven baked
- Technique: Whisk the dry and wet ingredients separately, gently combine them without overmixing, then bake
- Flavor & Texture: Sweet, buttery, fluffy, moist, tender
A Family Favorite Sweet Cornbread
This sweet cornbread recipe comes from my mother-in-law, and it has become a favorite in our family. She always described it as being more like cake than traditional cornbread, and that is exactly what makes it special.
The combination of buttermilk, butter, eggs, sugar, and yellow cornmeal creates a moist, tender crumb with noticeable sweetness without making the cornbread feel like dessert. I love serving it warm with butter and honey or alongside a bowl of Beef and Bean Chili, soup, or a hearty dinner.
This warm cornbread is the perfect side for your favorite soups, just like this 15 Bean Soup and Navy Bean Soup with Ham.
Made With Amore,
“I often find cornbread to be too dry or crumbly, but this recipe is truly the best! It has the perfect hint of sweetness without being overly sweet, and the texture is moist and perfectly dense without crumbling or falling apart. This will be my go-to recipe from now on.”
– Leanne
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
The ingredient combination is what gives this homemade cornbread its tall, moist, fluffy texture and noticeable sweetness.
- All-Purpose Flour: You’ll need flour to lighten the texture of the cornbread.
- Yellow Cornmeal: Opt for medium-grind yellow cornmeal. It strikes the ideal balance between a coarse texture, which adds a pleasant crunch, and a finer texture, which imparts moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: To make a sweet cornbread, you’ll need to add some sugar. I like opting for white sugar in this recipe.
- Buttermilk: This adds a subtle tang to the batter and also helps the cornbread rise high and get fluffy. You can substitute buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Buttermilk: Make a quick substitute by combining whole milk with lemon juice or white vinegar and letting it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
- Jalapeño and Cheddar Cornbread: Add finely chopped jalapeño peppers and shredded cheddar cheese to the batter for a spicy and savory twist. You’ll also love my Jalapeño Corn Dip!
- Brown Butter Cornbread: Brown the butter before adding it to the batter for a nuttier and richer flavor. Serve with my Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce for a great flavor combo.
- Honey Butter Glaze: Make a honey butter glaze by melting butter and honey together and drizzling it over the cornbread when it comes out of the oven.
How to Make Sweet Cornbread
This homemade cornbread comes together with two bowls and a gentle mixing technique that keeps the baked crumb tender. Follow the step-by-step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet. Combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well mixed.
- Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter, until they are well combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; it will make your cornbread less tender. We want fluffy and moist cornbread! Pour the batter into the baking dish or skillet.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs. Cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. It’s best served warm with a drizzle of honey and a pat of butter.
Moist Sweet Cornbread FAQs
The combination of buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and a higher proportion of flour helps create a moist, tender crumb. Avoiding overmixing and overbaking is also important because both can make cornbread tougher or drier.
Cornbread contains enough sugar to give it a noticeable sweetness, but the ideal level varies by recipe and personal preference. This version is intentionally on the sweeter, more cake-like side rather than a savory Southern-style cornbread.
I prefer medium-grind yellow cornmeal because it gives the cornbread a noticeable corn flavor while keeping the texture tender. Fine-grind cornmeal will produce a softer, less textured crumb.
The top should be golden brown and the center should be set. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. Avoid baking longer than necessary because overbaking can dry out the cornbread.
Store cooled cornbread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 1 week or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cornbread in the refrigerator overnight and warm individual pieces gently in the oven or microwave before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Sweet cornbread is the perfect addition to any dinner! Enjoy it alongside cozy soups like Sausage White Bean Soup, Turkey Soup, or White Chicken Chili. Serve a fresh veggie on the side like Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprouts or Sicilian Eggplant Caponata. For a larger meal, serve it with Pollo Asado, Turkey Tacos, or other dishes with plenty of savory sauce or broth for dipping.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use medium-grind yellow cornmeal for noticeable corn flavor without an overly coarse texture.
- Measure the flour and cornmeal accurately because too much dry ingredient can make cornbread dry or dense.
- Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together. Stir just until no large streaks of dry ingredients remain.
- Watch the cornbread toward the end of baking because overbaking is one of the easiest ways to lose its moist texture.
- Let the cornbread cool briefly before slicing so the crumb has time to set while remaining warm and tender.
Other Bread Recipes You’ll Love
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Best Sweet Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2½ cups buttermilk
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or use a similar-sized (large) cast-iron skillet for a rustic touch.
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir them together until well mixed.
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter, until they are well combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; it can make your cornbread less tender. Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking dish or large skillet.
- Place the dish or skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. It's best served warm with a drizzle of honey and a pat of butter.
Notes
- Use medium-grind yellow cornmeal for noticeable corn flavor without an overly coarse texture.
- Measure the flour and cornmeal accurately because too much dry ingredient can make cornbread dry or dense.
- Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together. Stir just until no large streaks of dry ingredients remain.
- Watch the cornbread toward the end of baking because overbaking is one of the easiest ways to lose its moist texture.
- Let the cornbread cool briefly before slicing so the crumb has time to set while remaining warm and tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cornbread was fantastic!! I made some cinnamon honey butter to go with it and it was a crowd pleaser!! It was so easy to make too, definitely making this a staple in our house!
WOW! The cinnamon honey butter sounds amazing! Yay for a new staple recipe. It’s a good one.
This is by far the best cornbread I have ever tried. So moist, slightly sweet and unbelievably easy to put together!!! My family loved it. I made it for others who couldn’t stop raving. I used a different recipe for SO many years but can now call this my go to cornbread!! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Yay! This recipe converted me to loving cornbread- ha!
So soft and moist. Doesn’t get all crumbly and dry.
Yes! It’s the best. Happy you loved it!
I made this cornbread for the 15 bean soup and the combo together is delicious!!! We also love eating the cornbread with butter and drizzle hot honey, it’s like a dessert. This will be my go to recipe forever❤️
Awww! I love that this will be your forever recipe. 🥰
This was absolutely amazing. My family doesn’t like cornbread very well BUT they absolutley gobbled up the pan of this cornbread and said I could re-make this anytime!!! This is a HUGE compliment !!! I will be keeping this recipe on hand for sure! It was so moist, sweet and delicious. Used the dough hook and it make it so light and fluffy!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe. I put the Hot Honey on it and it was wonderful.
Yay! So happy to hear that! So good with the HOT HONEY. I need to try that.
You weren’t kidding, it was delicious!!! We won’t be using any other mix or recipe in the future! Thank you, Elena!
The best cornbread recipe!! Everyone loved it!! Only recipe I will use from now on!! Thanks so much for sharing!
You are welcome! It’s a tried and true family favorite!
Tried this recipe for the first time and we don’t ever have to try another cornbread recipe. It was fluffy and delicious!
Yay! So happy you loved it!
Perfection. Thank you for this quick, easy and delicious recipe!
Yay! Happy you loved it!
It truly is the BEST cornbread recipe. Super moist too!