The Best Buttermilk Cornbread

Sweet, buttery, tender, and moist Buttermilk Cornbread slathered in butter and drizzled with golden honey. It’s the perfect side to chili or any Mexican meal. If you aren’t already obsessed with cornbread, you will be after trying this cornbread recipe!

The Best Homemade Cornbread

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Who doesn’t love a delicious fluffy piece of homemade Buttermilk Cornbread slathered in butter and drizzled with golden honey?! It’s basically like eating cake except the butter and honey aren’t creamed together to make frosting. (I do have a recipe for Cornbread Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream and they are to die for!) But we’ll stick with calling this bread so that it’s acceptable to eat as a side dish. K? Then we can still have dessert too! Ha!

How to Make Cornbread Moist?

Making the cornbread moist was my main goal when trying to nail the best cornbread recipe. I LOVE in baked goods, however creates a crumb that is more dry. Giving up all of the butter in my cornbread was out of the question so I settled for cutting down the butter by half and using canola oil in its place. As a result, I created the most delicious cornbread with the perfect moist and tender crumb. I know many hate the word moist but honestly, I love it because it means something is going to be dang good and this cornbread sure is! It stays moist for days and doesn’t become a ridiculously crumbly mess when you eat it.

Why use buttermilk in baked goods?

While buttermilk does add to the flavor of what you are baking with a pleasant tang, the main purpose it is used is to help things rise and produce a more tender product. The acid in the buttermilk helps to tenderize the gluten that is in flour which gives a softer texture to the baked good.

What is buttermilk?

Cultured buttermilk is fermented cow’s milk that has a sour taste created by the addition of lactic acid bacteria. This bacteria breaks down the milk sugar lactose which eliminates the need of the enzyme lactase during digestion. The buttermilk you buy in the store is pasteurized making it safe to drink. Salt and thickeners are often added as well.

Can I use a BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE?

The commercially made cultured buttermilk gives the best results but you can use a substitute if you are out. Here are a few ways to make your own buttermilk substitute. For every cup of buttermilk, replace with:

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar  + 1 cup milk (mix the cream of tartar in with the dry ingredients)
• 2/3 plain Greek yogurt + 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup milk

With all of these substitutes, the higher the fat content of your milk, the better.

How to Make Easy Cornbread:

No special equipment or technique is required to make this awesome moist cornbread. Here’s how to create the yummiest side dish ever:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. (If your pan is dark in color, set it to only 350 degrees F.) Grease a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugar, and honey.
3. Once well mixed, beat in the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
4. Pour all the remaining dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking soda, & salt) into the bowl and then whisk until just combined.
5. Spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the greased dish and then bake for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before cutting into.
7. Enjoy topped with butter and honey.

What can I make with the rest of my buttermilk? Here are a few awesome buttermilk recipes you need to try:

• Buttermilk Syrup
• Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes
• One Bowl Double Chocolate Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes
• Blueberry Buttermilk Snack Cake

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THE BEST CORNBREAD:

9×13 Inch Metal Baking Pan with Lid– I LOVE LOVE LOVE this baking pan. I use it for making cakes or any sort of bar treat because it allows me to store and transport with easy and it’s airtight.

Rubber Bottom Mixing Bowls– The rubber handle and bottom of these bowls makes them the perfect mixing bowls. I use them all the time from mixing pancake batter to pie dough to cake batter.

Balloon Whisk I love this wish for mixing batters. It’s great for pancakes, brownies, and quick breads. I prefer this narrow whisk when cooking sauces in a skillet.