Simple Sweet Cornbread Recipe

Do you love moist, sweet cornbread with a touch of vanilla? This easy recipe for sweet cornbread has been in my family for years. It’s perfect on its own, or as the base for cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving. Keep reading to learn more about this tasty recipe!

Cornbread brings back fond memories of family meals. My grandmother and mom made the yummiest cornbread growing up. Once I got married, it quickly became a go-to for Saturday morning breakfast and as the base for my husband’s cornbread dressing.

How to make this scrumptiously sweet cornbread

One of the keys to amazing cornbread is starting with the right ingredients. You’ll need cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Eggs, milk, butter and vegetable oil provide moisture and richness. After mixing up the dry ingredients, I blend the wet ones in a separate bowl before combining everything. This helps prevent overmixing, which can make cornbread tough.

Once the batter comes together, it gets poured into a hot, greased cast iron skillet and baked until golden brown. The cast iron pan helps create a nice crispy exterior while keeping the interior moist and tender. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when it’s done.

This simple recipe makes cornbread worth baking all year long.

Fresh from the oven, this cornbread is irresistible on its own. The texture is perfectly dense yet soft, with just a hint of natural sweetness from the cornmeal. A pat of butter melting over the top takes it over the top! However, this versatile cornbread also serves as an excellent accompaniment for heartier dishes.

In my family, cornbread goes hand-in-hand with gumbo or chili. Crumbling a piece over stew soaks up the savory broth beautifully. I also love cornbread with barbecued pulled pork or chicken. The sweetness provides balance to smoky, spice-rubbed meats. Leftover cornbread makes wonderful croutons for salads or soups too.

At Thanksgiving, this cornbread forms the base of our famous cornbread dressing. My husband handles that recipe, but it starts with my sweet cornbread baked a day or two before. He mashes up the cornbread, mixes it with the meats, veggies, seasonings and broth, then bakes the dish to perfection. The hints of vanilla and sugar in the cornbread make the dressing unique. His recipe was passed down from his mother, so I love it’s become a blending of our two families.

Now that you know more about it, give this sweet cornbread recipe a try! Have it on hand for dunking in chili or stew this fall. And if you try it in cornbread dressing, let me know how it turns out. This reliable recipe makes cornbread worth baking all year long.

Tips when baking your sweet cornbread

• For best results, use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. You can also use an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan.
• Don’t overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together to avoid tough cornbread.
• For a more rustic texture, replace 1/4 cup of the flour with yellow cornmeal.

I hope you’ll try this time-tested sweet cornbread recipe soon. It’s been a favorite in my family for good reason. The moist texture, subtle vanilla flavor and hint of sweetness make it perfect for enjoying on its own or pairing with heartier dishes. Bake up a batch and let me know what you think!

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