Sweet Northern Cornbread
If you’ve never tried Northern Cornbread before, you’re going to love this sweet flavor and fluffy (yet moist) texture! This easy from-scratch recipe sure beats any boxed mix, hands down!
Northern-Style Cornbread
Cornbread is a southern classic and staple on just about any table here in Texas. These thick slices of buttery yellow cornbread will wow your taste buds and become your family’s favorite side dish guaranteed. The moist corn flavor and the crunchy crust combine to make a delicious bread recipe.
I’m not going to lie…I have occasionally made cornbread from a box mix. However, with this easy cornbread recipe, there’s no reason to use a box! All you need are a few simple staple ingredients (that you might already have on hand) and less than 30 minutes.
Trust me, baking your own cornbread from scratch is SO worth it! The results are light, fluffy, and flavorful…a taste and texture that you just can’t quite get from a box!
But even though I live in the south now, this cornbread recipe is actually an homage to my Yankee roots! It is a sweet northern-style cornbread recipe (did you know there was such a thing?) Once you’ve tried cornbread this way, you may never go back!
Related: For a sweet treat, try our Cornbread Cookies Recipe!
What is the Difference between Northern and Southern Cornbread?
Until recently, I didn’t even know there were different types of cornbread! Cornbread is cornbread…right? Not so fast…
Turns out, growing up in West Virginia, the type of cornbread I was raised on was a Northern-style cornbread. Beans and cornbread is a very traditional dish where I come from!
So what’s the difference?
Southern style cornbread (which is perhaps the more common of the two) is generally less sweet, made with buttermilk, and uses more eggs for a cake-like texture.
Northern style cornbread features a generous helping of sugar, making it sweeter in taste. It is made with regular milk instead of buttermilk, and is a mix of cornmeal AND flour. Finally, it is always prepared in a baking dish or cake pan, not a cast iron skillet.
I love the sweet, dense texture of this northern cornbread recipe, and I hope you will too!
Northern Cornbread Ingredients
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- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
Kitchen Tools Used
- Mixing Bowls
- 8-inch square baking dish (this one comes with a handy lid!)
How to Make Cornbread from Scratch
The great part about this recipe is that it only takes about 5 minutes of prep time — just mix and bake! As far as total time, you’ll want to allow 30 minutes, as there is 20-25 minutes of cooking time involved.
TIP: Preheat your oven to 400°F while you mix your batter. Generously grease an 8-inch square casserole dish or coat with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a well or a “bowl” shape in the center of your dry ingredients and place inside it the melted butter, milk, and egg. Stir well to incorporate the wet ingredients, starting from the middle of the bowl and working your way outwards.
- When everything is combined and no dry spots remain, pour the batter into your prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a light golden brown and the edges just start to pull away from sides of the casserole dish.
TIP: You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean, or with just a couple crumbs. If there is any wet batter stuck to the toothpick, you’ll need to bake a couple more minutes.
How Do You Keep Cornbread Moist?
After removing your pan of cornbread from the oven, spread a pat of softened butter on top. Allow the butter to melt into the bread, imparting it with extra flavor and moistness.
If you decide to reheat leftovers to warm them, adding a touch of butter again will help re-hydrate cornbread that may have dried out slightly.
How to Store Cornbread After Baking
Once cornbread is done baking, place on the counter to cool to room temperature.
If you plan to enjoy within a day or two, it is perfectly fine to keep the pan on the counter. Be sure to cover in foil, plastic wrap, or use a lid if your pan has one, to prevent it from drying out.
If you think that you’ll still have leftovers after a couple days, you may want to place the individual slices in a food storage container or freezer bag and keep in the fridge. This can extend the life of your bread a few additional days.
Perfect Pairings
Cornbread goes with everything! If you’re looking for a break from basic bread or dinner rolls, this is a must-try!
I especially love cornbread with chili, soup, or stew, like Carne Guisada (a Mexican beef stew that my husband makes).
Of course, it is perfect on its own with a drizzle of honey. Doesn’t get any better than that!
More Traditional West Virginia Recipes
Be sure to give these favorites from my home state a try too!
Grab a free printable copy of our Homemade Cornbread Recipe:
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Northern Cornbread Recipe (Sweet & Buttery)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8-inch square casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl of dry ingredients and add in the melted butter, milk, and egg. Stir well, starting from the middle of the bowl and working your way outwards.
- When everything is combined and no dry spots remain, pour the batter into your prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is slightly browned and the edges pull away from the casserole dish. You can also insert a toothpick and check that it comes out clean, with just a few crumbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this Homemade Cornbread Recipe on Pinterest:
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Outstanding recipe for Northern cornbread, more cake-like rather than gritty and just a touch of sweetness. Will be making again.
Love to hear that!