Our 27 Favorite Cornbread Recipes

By

Patricia S York

Updated on June 14, 2024

Southern Living Skillet Cornbread cut into wedges to serve — Photo:
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Sweet or savory: That's the question for cornbread, and these recipes solve the problem with delicious ideas for both. If you prefer yours sweet, you will love our Buttermilk Cornbread, with a touch of brown sugar in the batter or our Sweet Potato Cornbread. If savory is more to your taste, try our Southern Skillet Cornbread made with bacon drippings. We couldn't have a cornbread recipes roundup without including our favorite ways to make Cornbread Dressing. There are plenty of variations of classic cornbread dressing, from our new Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo to a hands-off Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing for your easiest Thanksgiving ever. However you like to enjoy your cornbread, these recipes will have you devouring this mouthwatering Southern delight every day.

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Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread

Ben Mim's Perfect Cornbread Recipe — Brian Woodcock

Our Test Kitchen granted the "perfect" moniker to Ben's recipe, thanks to the extra flavor and superior texture his browned butter affords.

02 of 27

Cornbread Muffins

Southern Living Cornbread Muffins ready to serve with butter and honey — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

No matter what form it takes (loaf, skillet, etc), cornbread is a Southern staple dish that satisfies. That's why you need to try this muffin version. Each round gets a little crunchy on the outside from baking but is delightfully tender on the inside.

03 of 27

Southern Skillet Cornbread

Southern Living Skillet Cornbread sliced to serve with butter — Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

You know a cornbread recipe is going to be good when it starts in a cast-iron skillet filled with bacon drippings.

04 of 27

Cracklin' Cornbread

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter in the pan to serve with two glasses of beer beside — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Cracklin' cornbread is classic cornbread loaf studded with meaty, savory bits of pork. These cracklings are super savory and time-consuming to make, but you can buy cracklings at grocery stores and butcher shops to speed up the process of this special Southern dish.

05 of 27

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

Southern Living Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread after baking — Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

For soups and chili, jalapeño Cheddar cornbread is a great alternative to the classic cornbread round.

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Lace Cornbread

Lace Cornbread — Jennifer Davick

This old Southern take on cornbread is a crisp, lacy brown wafer best enjoyed a few seconds after it leaves the skillet.

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Brown Butter Cornbread

Brown Butter Cornbread — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

It's hard to improve on a classic, but brown butter in the batter adds a nutty richness to this cornbread that takes it to the next level.

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Hot Water Cornbread

Robby Melvin's Turnip Greens with Hot Water Cornbread — Hector Manuel Sanchez

This old-school recipe came from Test Kitchen Director Robby Melvin's grandmother, so it's vetted and tested by the best.

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Skillet Cornbread

Southern Skillet Cornbread — Southern Living

Quickly incorporate the hot bacon drippings into the batter with a fork. When you pour it back into the hot skillet, listen for the sizzle. That sound means your crust will be golden and crisp.

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Emeril's Maple-Butter Corn Muffins

Emerilâs Maple-Butter Corn Muffins — FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN

Savory corn muffins are sweetened up with brown sugar and maple syrup for a cornbread-style muffin that is a little sweeter than most Southern cornbread but still a delicious and special side for holiday meals.

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Buttermilk Cornbread

buttermilk cornbread — Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

We know that adding sugar to cornbread is a hot button issue, but the touch of brown sugar in this Buttermilk Cornbread adds just a hint of caramel-like sweetness that dare we say, is really delicious. Give it a try and you might also be convinced that sugar in cornbread isn't always a bad thing.

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Gluten-Free Cornbread

Gluten-Free Cornbread — Micah A. Leal

Be sure every family member can enjoy homemade cornbread on Thanksgiving with this simple seven-ingredient recipe.

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Ivy Odom's Lacy Cornbread

Ivy’s Lacy Cornbread — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

With just 4 ingredients, these little rounds of cornbread are designed to be hassle-free. Test Kitchen Professional Ivy Odom likes to eat them loaded up with whatever is on the table, dolloping rounds of this cornbread with dressing, cranberry sauce, turkey, and green been casserole for the perfect bite.

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Lacey's Cornbread Dressing

Lacey's Cornbread in a white oval dish — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell

Actress and Mississippi native Lacey Chabert shares her great-grandmother's time-tested dressing recipe.

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Southern Cornbread Salad

Southern Living Cornbread Salad in a trifle bowl ready to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Crumbled cornbread is layered with peas, vegetables, and creamy dressing for an unforgettable side dish that gets better as it sits.

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Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing

Southern Living Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing in the dish to serve with a serving spoon — Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Use boxed gluten-free cornbread or our recipe to make the cornbread for this Thanksgiving side. Even people who aren't avoiding gluten will love this rich, dense dressing that's just right for turkey and a drizzle of gravy.

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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern Living Southern Cornbread Dressing in casserole dish to serve — Brittany Conerly, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman

The recipe title says it all: This is our tried-and-true, no-fail cornbread dressing recipe for holidays and potlucks alike.

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Classic Cornbread Dressing

Classic Cornbread Dressing — Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Every Southern cook needs a cornbread dressing recipe in his or her back pocket, and this one is as simple as it gets.

19 of 27

Cornbread Ice Cream

Cornbread Ice Cream — Southern Living

Yep, you read that correctly. Our Test Kitchen's Ivy Odom visited Big Spoon Creamery in Birmingham, Alabama, to cook up this Southern-ized ice cream, and you can make it at home.

20 of 27

Chicken-and-Cornbread Casserole

Chicken and Cornbread Casserole Recipes — Ralph Anderson

For a weeknight shortcut, use store-bought rotisserie chicken in this comforting casserole recipe.

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Sausage-Stuffed Squash

Sausage-Stuffed Squash — Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Rethink your winter squash with this light but filling dinner recipe.

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Damaris Phillips' Cornbread & Sweet Milk

Damaris Phillips Cornbread & Sweet Milk Recipe — Damaris Phillips

Southerners know that a good cornbread recipe is made even more delicious when paired with milk and a drizzle of honey. This cozy recipe from chef and cookbook author Damaris Phillips will bring you back to Grandma's kitchen.

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Cornbread 'n' Squash Dressing

Cornbread 'n' Squash Dressing — Southern Living

Two timeless Southern casseroles—squash casserole and cornbread dressing—meet in this recipe that's every potluck-goers dream to find on the lineup.

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Chicken And Cornbread Dumplings

Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings — Iain Bagwell

How could we make old-school chicken and dumplings better? Make it with cornbread dumplings, of course.

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Blueberry Cornbread Casserole

Blueberry Cornbread Casserole — Southern Living

Fresh blueberries add a welcome hint of sweetness to this cornbread casserole that you can enjoy from brunch to dinnertime.

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Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing

Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing — Vianney Rodriguez/Southern Living

Free up some oven space for the turkey and green bean casserole this Thanksgiving and make your dressing with the hands-off ease of the slow cooker.

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Cornbread Croutons

Southern Cobb Salad with Cornbread Croutons — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Cornbread is so versatile, it can be turned into dressing, used in casseroles, or even served as dessert, but have you tried adding it to your salad? This recipe transforms cornbread into crisp golden croutons perfect for bulking up any salad.

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