Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread is a classic, tender cornbread recipe with a cheesy, spicy twist! Homemade cornbread is so easy to make, and it’s the perfect side dish to chilis, soups, stews, and more.
Love cornbread? You might also like this Jiffy Cornbread Casserole.
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Easy Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread
IT’S CHILI TIME! Yay! It’s finally cold enough for me to make and enjoy some chili again, and I’m very excited. Usually I make a box of Jiffy Cornbread and it’s good and all…but now that I’ve made this Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread, I don’t think there’s any turning back. It’s tender, moist, totally cheesy, and it also brings a little heat to your tastebuds. Next time you make chili, I really suggest you give this cornbread a try!
Cornbread Ingredients
Time to end your cornbread cravings! You will need the following ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Yellow Cornmeal
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own buttermilk.
- Eggs
- Unsalted Butter: Melted, plus some extra to grease the pan.
- Extra-Sharp Cheddar
- Chopped Scallions: Plus extra for garnish (3-4 scallions).
- Fresh Jalapeño Peppers: They should be seeded and minced (2-3 peppers). You can leave the seeds in for extra heat, though, if you want.
How to Make Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread from Scratch
Sift: Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Mix: Combine the buttermilk, eggs, and butter.
Stir: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
Add: Mix in 2 cups of the cheddar, the scallions, and jalapeños and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix! Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Top with Cheese: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Spread the batter into the baking dish, and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar and scallions.
Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly and cut into squares to serve.
Variation Ideas
Cornbread can be made in many different ways. Try out some of these variations and make this recipe your own!
- Make Cornbread Muffins: Pour the batter into a muffin tin instead, top with cheese and jalapeño slices, and bake. Reduce the baking time by 12-15 minutes. The muffins will be done when golden and the tops bounce back when gently pressed.
- How to Make Skillet Cornbread: Warm a cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Then, pour the batter into the skillet, top with cheese and jalapeños, and bake.
- Mix in ideas: Diced sun-dried tomatoes, crispy crumbled bacon and other peppers could also be added to this recipe.
Tips for the Best Homemade Cornbread
Here are some tips on making the best homemade cornbread:
- Use Corn Meal: There isn’t really a substitute for corn meal, so I don’t recommend using any other kind of corn product.
- Adjust the Amount of Jalapeños: I don’t think this recipe is all that spicy, but if spice is not your thing, feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeños, or omit them.
- Preheat the Pan: If you preheat the pan you’re going to use in the oven, you can achieve a crispier cornbread.
What Goes with this Buttermilk Cornbread?
Now that you’ve got this golden cornbread, what should you serve it with? Here’s what I’m thinking:
- Chili: Cornbread and chili are a classic combination; they complement each other perfectly! Test out your cornbread on this Chunky Chili Recipe.
- A Hearty Soup: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup and this Black Bean Soup are some of my favorites.
- Other Kinds of Stew: Basically any warm, hearty meal with a sauce will go beautifully with cornbread.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When you want to reheat the cornbread, pop it in the oven or a toaster oven for a couple of minutes so it can get nice and crispy again. You could also microwave it for 25 seconds instead.
Can You Freeze Cornbread?
Definitely. Store any leftovers you have in an airtight container, or tightly-sealed freezer bags. The cornbread should stay good for a couple of months or so!
Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
- 8 oz extra-sharp cheddar, grated
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
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Instructions
- Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the buttermilk, eggs, and butter.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Mix in 2 cups of the cheddar, the scallions, and jalapenos and stir until just combined. Do not overmix! Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Spread the batter into the baking dish, and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar and scallions.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly and cut into squares to serve.
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We made this tonight with white bean chili and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing an amazing recipe!
Made this tonight to go with home made navy bean soup, and it was amazing!
Made this cornbread for office “chili cook off”,it was the best I’ve ever tasted. Should have known since ordinal recipe was Ina’s! Easy to cut in half for small family and makes great base for taco pie.
OMG. I feel my mouth watering looking at the picture of the chili and cornbread! I will definitely try the cornbread recipe! Thanks for sharing!