Best Mexican Cornbread Recipe | Southern Plate (2024)

Studded with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and spicy bits of jalapeño peppers, this deliciously moist and decadent Mexican cornbread recipe is sure to be a favorite.

Best Mexican Cornbread Recipe | Southern Plate (1)

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Most families I know make a version of this deliciously moist and decadent cornbread known to us as Mama’s Mexican cornbread recipe. Whenever I make this cornbread, I can happily eat two pieces of it, hot from the oven, and nothing else. Even my husband, who really doesn’t care for cornbread unless it’s sweet, comes running whenever I make this. My son’s only complaint is that I don’t cut the pieces bigger so he doesn’t have to keep coming back! Needless to say, when I make this Mexican cornbread recipe for supper, there usually isn’t any left.

Fortunately, it’s a quick and easy cornbread recipe so I don’t mind making it again and again. First, we gotta gather our ingredients: canned cream-style corn, vegetable oil, an egg, self-rising cornmeal flour, sugar, onion, shredded cheese, jalapenos, milk, and salt. The instructions are as easy as pre-heating a skillet in the oven, mixing all of the ingredients together, and then pouring the cornbread batter into the hot skillet. In about 30 minutes, it’s ready to serve.

Yep, this Mexican cornbread recipe is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious. It takes traditional cornbread to a whole new level as it’s packed full of flavor thanks to the sugar, cheese, corn, and jalapenos. A touch sweet, a touch spicy, and a whole lot of savory, I bet your family will come back for seconds just like mine.

And hey, if you like this recipe, check out my Mexican cornbread casserole andcheesy jalapeño cornbread muffins. Now let’s bake some cornbread, y’all.

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Recipe Ingredients

  • Canned cream-style corn
  • Vegetable oil
  • Egg
  • Self-rising cornmeal mix
  • Sugar
  • Chopped onion
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Diced jalapeno
  • Milk
  • Salt

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make My Mexican Cornbread Recipe

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Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet (or 8-inch round cake pan) in the oven and preheat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

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Stir all of that up pretty good with a spoon or whisk.

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Next, pour about a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil into the hot skillet and swirl it around a good bit.

But please use a potholder because this is going to be hot!

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Pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until all golden brown on top.

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Here it is all baked up.

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Turn that cornbread over onto a large plate…

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Then stand aside because when the family catches a whiff it might spark a stampede!

Storage

  • Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can serve it cold or warm it up quickly in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
  • You can also freeze leftover cornbread for up to 3 months. I’d double-wrap it in plastic wrap then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before serving cold or reheating as above.

Recipe Notes

  • You can use white or yellow cornmeal mix. And you want self-rising cornmeal mix, not just cornmeal. Cornmeal mix includes all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
  • It’s traditionally made in cast iron but it will turn out just fine if you make it in a cake pan or even an 8×8 baking dish. Just go with whatever cranks yer tractor.
  • Here are some variations to make this recipe work for you:
    • Use chopped canned green chiles instead of jalapenos.
    • Add some extra veggies (about half a cup or so), like chopped green bell pepper.
    • Swap onion for diced green onion or red onion.
    • Use pepper jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend instead.
    • Swap the cream-style corn for Mexican corn or frozen corn kernels.
    • Substitute the sugar for honey.
    • Use buttermilk instead of milk.
    • Use melted butter instead of oil.

Recipe FAQs

What is Mexican cornbread made of?

Homemade Mexican cornbread starts off with a cornmeal flour base and then usually includes cheddar cheese, cream corn, onion, and jalapenos.

Why do you add sugar to cornbread?

To everyone who wasn’t raised on sweet cornbread, I know putting sugar in there feels so wrong. Cornbread isn’t supposed to be sweet. T’ain’t fittin’ and I know that. But, this is my Mama’s Mexican cornbread recipe and the sugar is just a scant amount and it really works well with the heat of the jalapeños. Trust me, y’all. Sugar in cornbread is magic and just adds to the flavor.

How do I make my cornbread crust crispy?

Get your pan nice and hot (this is going to be key) and then pour the batter into the hot pan that’s been coated in oil. This will help to create that crispy crust you are looking for.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do?

The extra yolk in the egg helps to make it moister. If you want to add another egg, I recommend doing yolk only for the second cornbread.

Why does my Jiffy cornbread fall apart?

Overcooking cornbread can cause it to fall apart. Every oven cooks differently, so keep an eye on it if you’ve made it before and it fell apart. To tell if it’s done, it should be crispy brown on top and when you insert a toothpick it should come out clean.

What do you serve with Mexican cornbread?

Enjoy this side dish with any of these delicious main meals:

  • Crockpot chili
  • Chicken Stew
  • Fresh Salads with Simply Dressed Dressing
  • Pinto Beans and Ham
  • Taco Soup
  • Black Eyed Peas and Ham
  • Crockpot Pulled Pork, Southern-Style

You may also enjoy these comforting cornbread recipes:

Keto Cornbread

Hot Water Cornbread

Cornbread Salad Recipe

Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie Made From Scratch

Cornbread Casserole With Ham and Cheese

Best Mexican Cornbread Recipe | Southern Plate (10)

Mexican Cornbread

Studded with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and spicy bits of jalapeño peppers, this deliciously moist and decadent Mexican cornbread recipe is sure to be a favorite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cornbread, mexican

Servings: 4

Calories: 743kcal

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
  • 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño, seeds removed
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup canned creamed corn

Instructions

  • Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet (or 8-inch round cake pan) in the oven and preheat to 350.

  • In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients.

    1.5 cups self-rising cornmeal mix, 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño, seeds removed, 3/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/2 cup canned creamed corn, 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into a skillet and swirl it a bit to cover the bottom (the skillet is hot so please hold it with a potholder).

  • Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and bake it for 30-40 minutes or until it's golden brown on top.

  • Turn it out onto a plate, cut, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcal

Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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Best Mexican Cornbread Recipe | Southern Plate (2024)

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? ›

generally speaking, cornbread is crumbly if there is too high a proportion of cornmeal to flour. you need the gluten in the flour to hold it together and also enough moisture. if it is too high in fat it will also be too tender and crumbly.

What is the difference between New York cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

Southern cornbread has traditionally been made with little or no sugar and smaller amounts of flour (or no flour), with northern cornbread being sweeter and more cake-like. Southern cornbread traditionally used white cornmeal and buttermilk. Other ingredients such as pork rinds are sometimes used.

Why do southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

It originated with British colonists who adapted their baking to use meal ground from white corn. But it wasn't sweet.” No matter who it was, those that lived in the south found sugar to be too valuable to put in cornbread, so they simply poured syrup or sorghum molasses over it.

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

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.

Should you let cornbread batter rest before baking? ›

By letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature before baking, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb the flavor from the other ingredients, and the baking powder gets a head start. I love using my cast-iron skillet for cornbread and preheat it before adding my batter.

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.

What does adding an extra egg to Jiffy cornbread mix do? ›

If you want to make your Jiffy cornbread moist and fluffy, try adding in eggs, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and honey. Those add-ins are the perfect way to enhance your Jiffy mix!

Where did Mexican cornbread originate? ›

Mexican cornbread traces its roots back to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations where corn, or maize, was deemed sacred. Over centuries, as culinary skills refined and flavors evolved, this modest corn-based bread transformed into the culinary icon we know today.

Which makes better cornbread white or yellow cornmeal? ›

Southerners, on the other hand, tend to prefer white cornmeal. Many people believe that it is because, in the old South, families used white cornmeal as it more closely resembled “fancy” European wheat flour. In any case, today it remains a main component in traditional Southern buttermilk cornbread.

What did Native Americans call cornbread? ›

Among them was a version of Indian bread made of cornmeal, salt and water called pone or corn pone. The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake.

Why is cornbread not healthy? ›

However, cornbread generally contains high amounts of carbs, phosphorus, and sodium in each serving. One piece of cornbread prepared from a commercially prepared mix contains ( 2 ): Calories: 198. Protein: 4 grams.

What is a cornbread pone? ›

The term "pone" most likely entered English from Native American language terms like apan, oppone or supawn, meaning baked, possibly related to earlier ash cakes baked in hot coals. A "corn pone" is usually a small round loaf of cornbread, about the size of a biscuit, traditionally baked in a round cast iron skillet.

What is cornbread called in the South? ›

Most people in the South, from white farmers to slaves, made multiple forms of cornmeal breads. Baked corn pones, skillet-baked Johnny cakes, ash cakes and hoe cakes cooked on hoe blades or griddles – “hoe” was an 18th century word for a griddle.

What are the ingredients in Martha White cornmeal mix? ›

Enriched Bolted White Corn Meal and Enriched Flour and Enriched Degerminated White Corn Meal (Bolted White Corn Meal, Wheat Flour, Degerminated White Corn Meal, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Leavening (Baking Soda, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Salt.

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? ›

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Store in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

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.

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