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Home » Bread Recipes

Moist and Fluffy Cornbread

Modified: Apr 15, 2025. Published: Aug 29, 2023 by Lindsay Moe.

3818 shares
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Moist and Fluffy Cornbread is everything you've ever wanted in a cornbread recipe! Simple and delicious, this cornbread is made with only a few pantry staple ingredients. Serve it with a smear of butter for an easy side dish!

A slice of cornbread on a plate with a platter of cornbread in the background.
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Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to make moist and fluffy cornbread
  • Top tips
  • FAQ
  • More side dish recipes
  • Recipe

I love all things bread.

Quick breads. Hearty wheat breads. Soft and crusty Italian bread warm from the oven.

Plain white bread aside, I'm not too picky on variety. Take cornbread for example. Cornbread is delightful with a crisp exterior, made in a cast iron skillet with lots of shortening. Its also delicious moist and fluffy made simply in a baking pan.

No lie, I lit my kitchen on fire once heating shortening for cornbread. I froze in fear, watching it burn for a while before remembering there was instructions for putting out such a fire on the shortening can (inconveniently located directly next to the flames).

I might stick with this moist and fluffy (no shortening needed) version. For everyone's safety.

This moist cornbread recipe bakes up tall and delicious, making it the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal or Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour
  • Yellow cornmeal
  • Sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Milk
  • Vegetable oil
  • Egg
  • Cheddar cheese, optional

How to make moist and fluffy cornbread

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add milk, oil, and egg and stir until just moistened.
  4. Fold in cheese, if using.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Three pieces of cornbread on a platter next to a plate with one piece of cornbread on it with a honey dipper next to it.

Top tips

What to to serve with moist and fluffy cornbread

I love my cornbread served warm with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey. I also love smearing on my favorite fruit jam.

This moist cornbread recipe makes a great accompaniment for barbecue tofu or a hearty vegetarian chili.

How to store moist cornbread

Store cornbread in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

Leftover cornbread can also be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. To reheat, simply place a slice in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

Tips for customizing fluffy cornbread:

  • Add half a 4 ounce can of mild diced green chiles to the batter for a spicy version
  • Double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan for the full 30 minutes
  • Use leftover cornbread to make cornbread stuffing or cornbread croutons
  • Add ½ cup of thawed frozen corn to the batter
  • Serve with cinnamon honey butter or apple butter for a sweet treat
  • Make cornbread muffins by pouring the batter into a greased muffin tin

FAQ

What is the best cornmeal to use for moist cornbread?

Cornmeal comes in both white and yellow. I like using medium-ground yellow cornmeal for a beautiful, traditional golden color and texture.

Can I make this gluten free?

Yes! Simply use a 1:1 gluten free flour swap to make this gluten free.

A slice of cornbread on a plate with a honey dipper in the background.

More side dish recipes

  • Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing
  • Vegetarian Stuffing
  • Lentil Meatloaf Muffins
  • Cheesy Cranberry Stuffed Rolls
  • Cheesy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
  • Mashed Potato Bake with Red Wine Balsamic Reduction
  • Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
  • Spaghetti Squash Casserole

If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

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Recipe

a slice of cornbread on a red and white plate.

Moist and Fluffy Cornbread

This Moist and Fluffy Cornbread is the best cornbread recipe you'll ever try!
3.85 from 85 votes
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 181kcal
Author: Lindsay Moe
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add milk, oil, and egg and stir until just moistened.
  • Fold in cheese.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

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Comments

    3.85 from 85 votes (73 ratings without comment)

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  1. Mary(MALIA)A. Bode says

    February 23, 2023 at 12:48 pm

    Could you please email the correct measurements for this recipe for a 9x13 pan
    I tried one time it was horrible🤦🏻‍♀️didn’t come out.., Thank you🌻

    Reply
  2. Rikki says

    November 13, 2023 at 5:09 pm

    3 stars
    Great flavor but mine came out more like biscuits than cornbread.

    Reply
  3. Steve says

    April 27, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    1 star
    Cornbread is flat and dense

    Reply
    • Lark G. says

      April 03, 2026 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great recipe. It was light and fluffy. Great flavor. I made it a few weeks ago and plan to make it again tomorrow. I used white cornmeal.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        April 15, 2026 at 11:12 am

        Thanks for sharing Lark, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
  4. MJ says

    November 21, 2025 at 9:03 pm

    1 star
    Don’t be fooled, there is nothing “fluffy” about this recipe. It’s truly shocking that a recipe with the word fluffy in the title could be so flat & dense. It’s only redeeming factor is that is smelled good. But the taste wasn’t anything to write home about and the texture was a total miss.

    Reply
    • Lindsay Moe says

      November 23, 2025 at 3:41 pm

      I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this recipe. I recommend stirring as little as possible once adding the wet ingredients to the dry to prevent it from becoming dense.

      Reply
  5. Tracey says

    February 22, 2026 at 8:32 pm

    This was a great recipe. Quick and easy. It was moist, even though others said it wasn’t. Mine rose nicely and was delicious. I used blue cornmeal because that’s what I had and it came out just fine. The whole family loved it. I even doubled it and baked it in a 9x 13 metal pan. Just added an extra 5 minutes. Perfect.

    Reply
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lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

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