BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (2024)

by Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) · Updated

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This is the BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe on the web! So moist and delicious, filled with cornmeal, corn kernels, spice, a hint of sweet and so much flavor!

BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (1)

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The Perks and Highlights of the Best Mexican Cornbread

Cuisine Inspiration: Mexican
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian-friendly (but always check your specific ingredients!)
Key Flavor: Savory with a spicy kick
Skill Level: Pretty easy

Sweet Highlights:

  • Spice is Nice: The combination of jalapeños and cheddar brings a spicy and savory kick that’s just irresistible.
  • Corn Galore: We’re not skimping on the corn here. It’s in the name, and it’s in the game, bringing that sweet, earthy flavor to every bite.
  • Cheesy Bliss: The melted cheese in every slice is like a surprise hug for your taste buds.
  • Crispy Edges: Thanks to our trusty oven, every piece has those perfectly golden and crispy edges.
  • Versatile Vibes: Serve it up as a side or enjoy it as a snack.

What is Mexican Cornbread?

Traditional Mexican cornbread has a mixture of cheese, chiles for spice and actual corn. It adds texture, gooeyness and spice which adds a wealth of flavors galore. You can of course adapt this recipe the way you see fit but I personally love it as is.

BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (2)

Ingredients

I like to add an abundance of flavors. These are the most important elements:

  • Cornmeal
  • Cheese
  • Corn
  • Buttermilk
  • Chile peppers

Scratch cornbread always starts with cornmeal. I like to use a mix of yellow cornmeal and all purpose flour to balance the grit and flavor. For the cheeses, I use two types here: sharp cheddar for that more intense flavor and pepper jack for an additional kick.

Creamed canned corn is perfect or if you want to use some of my mama’s fried corn recipe.

Buttermilk is my major liquid. It adds a wonderful tang but so much moistness to this cornbread. We want to avoid making a dry cornbread recipe.

Finally the chile peppers are what truly makes this Mexican cornbread. If you can’t handle spice, the pepper jack cheese should be enough to give you a tiny kick. If you can do both, add them and it is delicious!

How to Make Mexican Cornbread

You can easily throw all of the ingredients into one bowl to make this recipe. It could not get easier. You don’t need to dirty up a ton of dishes that you will be washing all night. The ease of this recipe is what is so key.

Regarding the cheeses, I think the mix of cheddar AND pepper jack lends a unique blend of goodness. I love both cheeses equally and especially when paired together (try them in your quesadillas!).

BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (3)

The creamed corn really moves this past your wildest dreams. Each bite of this Mexican cornbread gives you a nice creamy bite of corn that really creates this perfect texture. And if you love a little bit more spice, definitely add in the peppers.

My husband can’t take things too spicy so I usually just rely on the pepper jack cheese for a mild kick. But if you are like me and love spicy foods, add the peppers.

How to Serve

This recipe is so fantastic to enjoy with soups and stews like this Chicken Pozole and Taco Soup.

A nice Mexican rice and also pinto beans are also great sides that would be fantastic for this recipe.

How to Store

To store, simply wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it fresh, and place it at room temperature for up to two days. If you’re looking to keep it around for a bit longer, you can pop it in the fridge, and it’ll stay good for about a week. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container to maintain its moisture and flavor. When you’re ready to dive back in, you can enjoy it cold, bring it back to room temperature, or give it a quick warm-up in the oven or microwave.

Other Cornbread Recipes to Try

If you love this cornbread, definitely try these as well:

  • Southern Cornbread
  • Hot Water Cornbread
  • Fried Cornbread (Hoe Cakes)
  • Sweet Potato Cornbread
  • Pumpkin Cornbread
  • Honey Butter Cornbread

BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (4)

Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (How to Make Mexican Cornbread)

This is the BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe on the web! So moist and delicious filled with cornmeal, corn kernels, spice, a hint of sweet and so much flavor!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Mexican, soul food, south, Southern

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 291kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup corn meal
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese plus more to sprinkle on top
  • 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese plus more to sprinkle on top
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8 ounces cream-style corn 1 can
  • 1/2 stick salted butter melted

Optional:

  • 4 ounces diced green chiles 1 can

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, corn meal, baking powder, sugar, cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese until well mixed.

  • In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, cream-style corn, diced green chiles if using, and melted butter.

  • Slowly add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix together until well combined.

  • Coat cast iron skillet or baking pan with shortening or spray with non-stick baking spray until fully covered. Add cornbread mixture to skillet. Optional: Sprinkle additional shredded cheeses on top of cornbread batter.

  • Place in oven for 23-26 minutes until cornbread is done. Remove from oven and serve.

Notes

If you can’t handle the spice, feel free to replace the pepper jack cheese with a milder cheese and omit the chilese.

Storing this Mexican cornbread is a breeze. Simply wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it fresh, and place it at room temperature for up to two days. If you’re looking to keep it around for a bit longer, you can pop it in the fridge, and it’ll stay good for about a week. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container to maintain its moisture and flavor. When you’re ready to dive back in, you can enjoy it cold, bring it back to room temperature, or give it a quick warm-up in the oven or microwave—whichever tickles your fancy!

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 2mg

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BEST Easy Mexican Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Mexican cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Texture: Mexican cornbread is denser and more moist than American cornbread, thanks to the addition of cheese and corn. It also has a crispy crust from the cheese and jalapeños. American cornbread is lighter and fluffier, with a more crumbly texture1 2 3 .

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 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.

Can I substitute masa harina for cornmeal in cornbread? ›

Masa harina and sugar give classic cornbread a more vivid corn flavor. This cornbread recipe is pretty classic, save for the use of masa harina instead of cornmeal, which gives the bread a more tender texture and corn-forward flavor.

What is cornbread called in the South? ›

It is commonly called "cornbread" in the Southern United States and is not known by a different name in this region. Cornbread is a simple bread that is made by mixing cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk to form a batter, which is then baked in the oven.

What happens if I put 2 eggs instead of 1? ›

Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. 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.

Can you put too many eggs in cornbread? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

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 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 difference between Yankee cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

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 can I add to cornbread to make it less crumbly? ›

While oven is heating, melt the shortening in a cast iron skillet. Mix dry ingredients. Add eggs and milk and mix well with electric mixer. Pour melted shortening into batter and blend until smooth.

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.

Is Mexican corn different from American corn? ›

U.S. corn production is almost exclusively of the yellow corn variety, with the majority used for purposes other than human consumption (e.g. feed, ethanol). In contrast, Mexico produces mainly white corn, and a greater share of Mexican corn than U.S. corn is used for food.

What is the difference between southern cornbread and sweet cornbread? ›

A quick Google search will tell you that Southern cornbread is oftentimes devoid of any sugar, while its Northern counterpart is light, sweet, buttery and cakelike.

What is the fundamental difference between northern and southern cornbread? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

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.

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