Mexican Cornbread Recipe (2024)

Kevin Is Cooking | Breads | Mexican Cornbread Recipe

By Kevin

published Jan 02, 2024

4.91 from 11 votes

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My Mexican cornbread recipe is more tender than Southern, and way better than Jiffy! Slathered with honey and dotted with fresh corn and hot jalapeños, it’s a really complex and undeniably delicious cake. Pair it with meaty chilis, beans and wholesome stews, or enjoy it as a snack on its own.

Mexican Cornbread Recipe (2)

Imagine a delicious side dish that takes less than 30 minutes to make, only dirties a few dishes, and goes with almost anything you have planned for dinner… Those are all of the reasons why this Mexican cornbread recipe is one of my favorites!

What is Mexican cornbread — and what makes it so different?

As you might guess from the peppers nestled in there, this cornbread recipe has a bit of a kick! A brush of honey on top and sweet corn stirred throughout makes it a touch sweeter than Southern cornbread, but it’s also much more moist, so it all works together well.

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Table of Contents

  • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
  • Cornmeal vs Masa
  • How to Make My Mexican Cornbread Recipe
  • Recommended Tools
  • Storing and Reheating
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Mexican Cornbread Recipe Recipe

Whether I’m making a quick chili or beefy tamale casserole, you can bet this sweet and spicy cornbread is on the menu!

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Butter – This Mexican cornbread recipe requires ¼ cup of melted butter – about half a stick.
  • Milk – You can substitute buttermilk for regular milk in any cornbread recipe for fluffier, tangier results. It’s a great option if you prefer a more savory cornbread.
  • Cornmeal – It’s traditional to use yellow cornmeal, but you can easily substitute it with white cornmeal with little to no change in the flavor.
  • Sugar – I use granulated white sugar. However, it’s not uncommon to see a cornbread recipe with brown sugar for a little more moisture and molasses-like sweetness.
  • Pickled Jalapeños These aren’t too spicy at all – they add just enough texture and heat for some really great cornbread!
  • Corn – I use canned corn, but you could use either fresh or frozen as long as it’s been cooked and drained.
  • Honey Use a clear, pourable honey that’s easier to brush and soak into the surface of the Mexican cornbread. This ingredient can easily be lessened or left out entirely if desired.

Tip From Kevin

Cornmeal vs Masa

Cornmeal and corn flour are made from ground, dried field corn, and masa harina is made from dehydrated nixtamalized ground corn. The process of nixtamalization gives masa harina a distinct flavor that you won’t find with cornmeal and is what masa is when water is added and made into tortillas and tamales.

How to Make My Mexican Cornbread Recipe

  1. Preheat & Prepare Pan. While preheating the oven to 400 degrees F, lightly grease your pan or skillet. (If making cornbread muffins, preheat to 350 degrees.)
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients. Add the butter, milk, and egg to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients. Spoon the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and whisk until just combined and the flour is fully moistened.
  4. Add Corn & Chiles. Now, fold the corn and jalapeños into the batter. It will have a lumpy texture – don’t try to stir until smooth!
  5. Prepare to Bake. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan (if making muffins, there will be a little batter left over). Lightly tap the pan on the counter so that the batter spreads evenly, then smooth the top with a spatula so no lumps are sticking out.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Once the edges turn golden brown, stick a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, remove from the oven.
  7. Brush & Serve. Immediately brush the surface with the honey and give it a moment to soak in. Serve while warm.
  • Cake Pan – Mexican cornbread is generally baked round, but if you’re a fan of browned edges on your cornbread, definitely go with the square pan. That’s also a great shape for easy slicing and serving.
  • Skillet – Cast iron is another option. A skillet will result in crisper, more browned edges and bottom, especially if it’s preheated.

Storing and Reheating

Wrap well in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. If kept at room temperature, leftovers will stay fresh for 2 or 3 days before drying out. Alternatively, they’ll last for a week in the fridge!

To reheat, simply microwave for 30 seconds or so. Brush a little more honey on top to get it nice and moist again.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to use buttermilk or milk in cornbread?

It’s really a matter of what flavors you enjoy the most.

For denser bread with plenty of sweetness, go with regular milk – sometimes called “sweet” or “fresh” milk for this reason.

Use buttermilk for a fluffier crumb and tangier taste. That bit of acidity goes well with the jalapeños and corn, so it wouldn’t be at all out of place.

Why is my Mexican cornbread crumbling?

Over-mixing and overcooking are the most common causes of crumbling breads. Mix just until the flour moistens, then very gently fold the peppers and corn into the batter.

Secondly, remove from the oven once it lightly browns and its edges start to pull away from the pan.

Finally, don’t skip the egg! It provides both texture and the necessary structure to hold it all together.

What is good in a Mexican cornbread recipe?

Add some great salty flavor and gooey texture with cheese! Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack melt well and complement the other flavors.

This cornbread is also good with additional vegetables: onions, bell peppers, green chiles, spinach — anything that isn’t too wet and might weigh down the cake.

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Mexican Cornbread Recipe (6)

Mexican Cornbread Recipe

4.91 from 11 votes

My Mexican cornbread recipe with corn, jalapeños, and honey is a homemade side that’s way more moist and flavorful than the boxed stuff!

Servings: 8

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8” square pan, 9” round cake pan with the cooking spray. OR use acast iron skillet.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk and egg until well mixed.

  • Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt , stirring until the flour is moistened.

  • Stir in the corn and chopped jalapeños (batter will be lumpy).

  • Pour batter into the pan spreading evenly and smooth top of batter.

  • Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and brush honey on top, allow to soak in.

  • Serve warm.

Video

Notes

For muffins: the recipe fills 12 muffin tins with a bit left over. Bake at 350°F for ~20 minutes and they are golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2.1mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Tex Mex, Western

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!

Mexican Cornbread Recipe (7)

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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Mexican Cornbread Recipe (9)

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FAQs

What are the ingredients for Martha White Mexican cornbread mix? ›

Enriched Degerminated Yellow Corn Meal And Enriched Bleached Flour (Degerminated Yellow Corn Meal, Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Canola Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Salt, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Dextrose, Dried Red And Green Pepper, Dried ...

Why is my Mexican cornbread crumbly? ›

Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do? ›

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture. Can I add flour to Jiffy cornbread to make more batter? When making jiffy mix cornbread, what if I don't have milk? Are there any rules to making the best cornbread?

What can I add to cornbread mix to make it better? ›

corn kernels (canned or frozen) chopped jalapeños and or canned mild green chilies, and cheddar cheese all make great additions to cornbread. You can use butter to give the cornbread a special kick to make it taste better. I have used butter to give the cornbread more flavor.

Can I use milk instead of water in Martha White cornbread mix? ›

Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread & Muffin Mix

Like the Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread, this bag of cornbread mix only requires water—or you could use milk.

What is the black stuff in cornbread mix? ›

The black specks are simply naturally dark pieces of the pericarp (skin) of the corn, where the tip of the kernel attaches to the cob. The color of the specks will vary by crop and year. They are the same as those commonly seen in hard taco shells, corn or tortilla chips, cornmeal, and natural whole corn products.

What is the best cornmeal for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

Should you soak cornmeal before making cornbread? ›

Soaking the cornmeal in buttermilk for a few hours, or even overnight, tenderizes the large grains of cornmeal, making the bread more moist and tender. This step is optional, however, and the bread is still delicious without the soaking step.

Can you leave Mexican cornbread out? ›

While not all Mexican cornbread recipes feature meat, mine does! So, this particular cornbread can only sit out at room temperature for about 2 hours before it needs to be refrigerated in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

What happens if I use 1 egg instead of 2? ›

Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein. As Fine Cooking explains, when the protein in eggs combines with the protein in flour, they produce the overall structure of the baked good.

How to jazz up cornbread? ›

Heat and spices

You can stir in 1 cup of roasted chopped jalapeños or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne into the batter. Or, you can mix in 3 tablespoons of your favorite chile paste. Fields also recommends trying a little NOLA flair by adding a rounded ¼ teaspoon Cajun spice blend to your cornbread mix.

Can I leave the egg out of cornbread? ›

Yes, but we recommend using an egg substitute, like applesauce. Eggs, or egg substitutes help add structure to the cornbread. Without an egg or substitute, the cornbread may crumble and fall apart easily.

Should you let cornbread mix sit before baking? ›

Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

What happens if you use water instead of milk in cornbread? ›

You can substitute water for milk on a one to one basis in your recipe. It won't be quite as rich, but it will be cornbread. There are plenty of recipes for hot water cornbread. The batter is made with cornmeal, salt, sugar, and boiling water.

Can you over mix cornbread? ›

Pour batter into prepared pan. The batter will be lumpy. Overcome the urge to mix until smooth. Overmixing can cause the corn bread to peak and have tunnels, resulting in a tough texture.

How to improve Martha White cornbread mix? ›

Here are ten of our favorite no-fail combinations; give them a shot—or feel free to experiment on your own!
  1. Bacon and scallion. ...
  2. Green chile and cheddar cheese. ...
  3. Crumbled sausage and poultry seasoning. ...
  4. Fresh corn and basil. ...
  5. Pepperoni, parmesan, and black pepper. ...
  6. Spicy shrimp and creole seasoning. ...
  7. Brown sugar and pecan.

What are the ingredients in white cornmeal? ›

INGREDIENTS: DEGERMINATED WHITE CORN MEAL, NIACIN*, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, FOLIC ACID*. Not a significant source of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, total sugars, added sugars, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.

What is cornbread mix made of? ›

The package lists out the following ingredients: yellow cornmeal, enriched wheat flour, cane sugar, corn flour, leavening agents, and sea salt. Noticeably, cornmeal is first, meaning it's the most prevalent ingredient. The instructions have you add 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil, blend, and bake.

What is the difference between white and yellow cornbread mix? ›

Types of cornmeal: Cornmeal can be categorized primarily by two factors: color and grind size. Yellow cornmeal has the most prominent corn flavor, while white cornmeal has a more subtle, delicate flavor (it's especially nice in a ricotta cornmeal cake).

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