This homemade skillet cornbread recipe has lots of sweet corn, spicy jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese, baked right in the skillet. It's the perfect side dish.
Skillet Cornbread Recipe
Who's ready for some cornbread? I am! I love cornbread anytime of the year. It's a wonderful side dish for all sorts of dishes, from steaming pots of chili to beef stew to soups and so much more.
There are different ways to make cornbread, but one of my favorite ways, and the easiest, is Skillet Cornbread. With cornbread in a cast iron skillet, you cook it up right in your cast iron skillet. Super easy! And super tasty.
Cornbread and chili peppers are best buds, especially jalapeno peppers. I don't think I can have cornbread anymore WITHOUT some delicious chili peppers baked in.
We made this for a party and it disappeared pretty quickly. The challenge with cornbread is to ensure it does not get too dry.
The Secret to Moist Cornbread
Cornbread can easily dry out if you're not careful, and nobody wants cornbread that just sort of clunks in your mouth. It needs to be moist, almost like a cake. The key to moist cornbread is creamed corn.
Melty cheddar cheese adds a bit to the moisture as well, along with outstanding flavor. Melted butter, too. You'll get plenty of moisture in the resulting cornbread. So good!
Let's talk about how to make skillet cornbread, shall we?
Skillet Cornbread Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients. Use 1 cup whole milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 large eggs and 14.5 ounces creamed corn (basically one can).
- Dry Ingredients. Use 1 cup cornmeal (stone ground is best), 1 cup all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Seasonings. I use 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Jalapeno Peppers. 1 heaping measuring cup of chopped jalapeno peppers. I use 4-5 jalapenos, though you can easily use more, or try it with other peppers. Skip the jalapenos for a milder version. I love jalapeno cornbread!
- Cheese. I use 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, though any melty cheese will work, like pepperjack or colby jack.
- Corn Kernels. 1 cup corn kernels or more, optional - use fresh, frozen or canned.
How to Make Skillet Cornbread - the Recipe Method
Prep the Oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Wet Ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and creamed corn.
Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt and pepper.
Make the Cornbread Batter. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to form your batter.
Stir in the jalapeno peppers, cheddar cheese and extra corn kernels, if using.
I like to use a lot of corn, but you can skip it for a smoother cornbread. I also like extra cheese and jalapeno peppers.
Bake the Cornbread Right in the Skillet. Pour the batter into a lightly oiled cast iron pan or skillet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center pulls out dry.
It could take up to 35 minutes.
Serve. Remove the skillet from the oven, allow to cool. Slice and serve.
Boom! Done! Your cast iron skillet cornbread is ready to serve! Easy enough, isn't it? So golden brown. I love cornbread. So good.
It's an excellent side dish, though we've also served it as an appetizer and it always goes fast, so you might want to make an extra batch.
You can use muffin tins for this cornbread recipe, but the hot skillet works out awesome for corn bread, and you can serve it right in the skillet at room temperature.
It's my favorite cornbread recipe. Yum!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Extra Ingredients. You can easily add in more corn kernels, jalapeno peppers and cheese to your own preference.
- Other Peppers. I deeply love a good jalapeno cornbread, but you can make this with hotter peppers if you'd like. Try it with serrano peppers or fiery habanero peppers. Care for an even hotter version? Try it with ghost peppers or even the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper. Oh baby! Superhot cornbread!
- Serve with Honey or Jam. It's a nice touch for when you're looking to make an impact with your guests. I like to serve this with some sort of jelly or jam, like our homemade habanero jam or a good jalapeno jelly. Honey is a nice addition as well. Or try it with my hot honey recipe. So good!
Storage & Leftovers
Cornbread can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days if wrapped in plastic wrap, though it can dry out quickly. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic.
You can also freeze it for 3 months in freezer containers.
Patty's Perspective
If you're worried about this being too spicy because of the jalapeno peppers, no need. This recipe isn't very spicy, so you can feel free to be generous with them. More jalapenos is better! And the sweetness from the corn is so tasty.
Serving Suggestions for Skillet Cornbread
Serve this skillet cornbread with a big pot of chili, like Chili Colorado, Chili con Carne, Slow Cooker Southwest Beef Chili, White Bean Chicken Chili, or Chili Verde. It's great with Black Bean Soup, Black Eyed Peas or Hoppin' John. Great stuff! What's your favorite dish to serve it with?
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Mexican Brownies
- Chocolate Covered Jalapeno Peppers
- Spicy Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Candied Jalapenos
- Jalapeno Cornbread
- Mexican Cornbread
- Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
- Arepas (South American Corn bread)
- Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)
- Pupusas (Salvadoran Corn Cakes)
- Jalapeno-Cheddar Dutch Oven Bread
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy my homemade cornbread recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media.
Skillet Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 14.5 ounces creamed corn one can
- 1 cup cornmeal stone ground is best
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped jalapeno peppers I use 4-5 jalapenos
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup corn kernels or more, optional - use fresh, frozen or canned
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and creamed corn together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and pepper.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to form your batter.
- Stir in the jalapeno peppers, cheddar cheese and extra corn kernels, if using.
- Pour the batter into a lightly oiled 12-inch cast iron pan or skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it you can insert a toothpick into the center and it pulls out dry. It could take up to 35 minutes.
- Allow to cool. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/5/20 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 9/8/15.
Carol R says
Can I use buttermilk instead of whole milk? Is there a reason you prefer whole milk for cornbread?
Mike Hultquist says
You can use buttermilk, Carol. I use it in my biscuits. Just a bit more flavor with whole milk. Enjoy.
Carol says
Do you use fine, medium or coarse cornmeal for cornbread and muffins?
Mike Hultquist says
Carol, I used fine, but really any will work for you. Some people prefer the texture of coarse cornmeal. Enjoy!
JakeMacZ says
Made tis this morning without the jalapeños. My wife can't take the heat. Turned out very nice.
After it cooled, I took my pieces and chopped up some candied jalapeños and put them on top with some honey. Went well with back eyed peas and some cabbage for New Year's Day.
Mike H. says
Love hearing it, Jake. Thanks!
Jeanne says
This made a HUGE amount! The recipe didn’t specify a pan size to bake in so I tried to pour it into my 9 in cast iron skillet that I always use for cornbread. But when it got almost to the tip of the pan, I knew I had to get another one….I took a couple of cups out of the 9 in snd then had enough for a 7 in pan. If I had known it made this much, I definitely would have halved the recipe. It was delicious, just too much!
Mike Hultquist says
Jeanne, yes, it's for a 12-inch skillet. I updated the recipe to make that clear. Glad you enjoyed it overall.
Jim says
Can this be made without sugar?
Mike Hultquist says
Jim, yes, you can skip it or use a substitute. There isn't much added.
Bob Merlin says
Can I use Honey?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely! Enjoy!
stacy says
My husband can't do cheese, ok to leave out?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Stacy.
Kathryn Mary Luffman says
Best I ever made! Next time I'll try with candied jalapenos (cowboy candy) I think the sweetness will be delish in this recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Yes, this is PERFECT with Candied Jalapenos! Seriously awesome. Glad you enjoyed it!
Carla says
This is the best! Full of flavor, very moist! Made it in my cast iron skillet. Used medium stone ground cornmeal, and regular jalapeños. I baked it a little longer than what the recipe calls for. It turned out perfect!! My husband loved it!! So good!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Glad you enjoyed it, Carla. I love it.
Cheryl Gardner says
Great cornbread, used serrano peppers. Baked 26 minutes, could have gone a few minutes more. Thanks Mike
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad you enjoyed it, Cheryl!
Kevin says
This is AMAZING!!!
I'd give it a ten if I could! I used grilled corn, and cooked it in a cast iron pan on my Broil King Pellet grill, along with grilled chili...
Topped off the chili with Mike's curry hot sauce!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Thanks, Kevin! Super happy you enjoyed it. Nice touch with the curry hot sauce.
R5dogs says
Excellent. Very moist and good flavor.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Glad you enjoyed it!