ByLauren
Homemade cornbread with a cajun twist! This cornbread is a little sweet, a little spicy, and moist. It’s the perfect side for your chili or red beans and rice.
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Cast iron skillet cornbread is a side dish staple in a Cajun kitchen! This homemade cornbread is made with buttermilk and creamed corn to keep it moist, and Cajun seasoning and pickled jalapeños for a kick of spice. Serve it with your favorite dishes like Red Beans and Rice or Chili.
Recipe Quick Notes
TL:DR: Moist cornbread with mild spice and the perfect flavor.
Lauren’s Take: Unlike plain cornbread, this cajun cornbread is good enough to be a meal on its own! I love the flavor and texture addition from the creamed corn and jalapeño, plus the crispy browned edges from the hot skillet.
Taste: Slightly sweet and mildly spicy with balance from the pickled jalapeños.
Texture: Moist, but still has that perfect crumbly cornbread texture and is studded with corn kernels.
Time: This cajun cornbread is ready in about 50 minutes.
Testing Notes: I tested this recipe with my Homemade Cajun Seasoning Recipe and with Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Tony’s is saltier, so I used 1 tablespoon, but with homemade seasoning, you will need 2 tablespoons. I also tested this recipe with varying amounts of sugar. I like it best with 1/4 cup, but if you don’t like it as sweet, it will still come out just fine with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Expert Tips for the Best Cornbread
- Room temp ingredients. About 30 minutes before you plan to cook, take the egg and buttermilk out of the refrigerator to sit at room temperature.
- Measure flour correctly. When measuring flour for any baking recipe, don’t scoop the measuring cup into the flour. This will give you an inaccurate measurement. Instead, fluff the flour with a spoon, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Level the scoop with a knife. You can also weigh flour for the most accurate measurement. One cup of flour is 120 grams (150 grams for 1 ¼ cup for this recipe).
- No lumpy flour. If your flour is lumpy, sift it before adding to the dry ingredients. Lumpy flour will be harder to mix and lead to overmixing the batter.
- Use a hot skillet. Preheating the skillet before adding the batter helps the crust turn a crisp golden brown.
- A note about cajun seasoning. Store bought cajun seasoning mixes usually have a high level of salt. If using a purchased cajun seasoning blend, you will need about 1 tablespoon. If using my Homemade Cajun Seasoning recipe, use 2 tablespoons. To test if the cornbread is properly salted, add a spoonful of batter to the hot skillet to cook it, then give it a taste test.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- All purpose flour – See recipe notes for how to accurately measure flour.
- Yellow corn meal – I make this recipe with yellow cornmeal, but feel free to swap it out for white cornmeal.
- Double acting baking powder – If your baking powder is more than 6 months old, it might be bad. To check that your baking powder is still active, drop ½ teaspoon of baking powder into very hot water. If it bubbles, it is still good.
- Cajun seasoning – I find store bought Cajun seasoning to be too salty, so prefer making my own Homemade Cajun Seasoning. If using a store bought Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or Slap Ya Mama), use 1 tablespoon instead of 2.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk helps keep this cornbread recipe moist. If you don’t have buttermilk, pour just under ¾ cup of whole milk in a jar, then add just under 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix it up and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then use as normal. The final amount should equal ¾ cup.
- Creamed corn – Using cream-style corn also helps keep this cornbread moist, and I love having kernels of corn studded through the bread for texture.
- Pickled jalapeño – I tested this recipe with more and less amounts of jalapeño pepper. One tablespoon was the perfect amount to give it a hint of flavor, but still be mild. If you want a spicy cornbread, use 2 tablespoons. You can substitute for fresh jalapeño, but this will make it more spicy.
How to Make Homemade Cornbread
Step One: Dry
Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
Step Two: Wet
Add wet ingredients to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Step Three: Combine
Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold until just combined. Don’t over mix.
Step Four: Rest
Let cornbread batter rest for about 10 minutes before baking.
Step Five: Pour
Pour batter into the hot skillet on top of melted butter.Top with jalapeño slices.
Step Six: Bake
Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the edges are browning and the center is set.
Serve this cornbread warm topped with more butter, dash of hot sauce, or a drizzle of honey.It makes a great side dish for Dutch Oven Chili, Fried Chicken, or Red Beans and Rice. You can also use this Cajun cornbread recipe to make Cajun Cornbread Dressing!
How to Reheat Cornbread
The trick to reheating cornbread is making sure it doesn’t dry out. You can prevent this by wrapping it in foil to keep the moisture in!
Wrap cornbread in foil, then reheat in the oven or a toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for a few minutes until warmed. Option to add some butter to the top before wrapping to add additional moisture.
You can also reheat cornbread on the stovetop. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a teaspoon of butter. Heat the cornbread on both sides until warmed through.
Storage & Make Ahead
How to store leftovers: Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container. If using a plastic bag, remove as much air as possible. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days, and store in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
How to freeze: Wrap cornbread tightly and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: This recipe is best when made fresh.
Equipment Needed
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Buy Now →What to Serve With Cornbread
Cornbread is a southern staple side dish. Serve it with these dishes.
- Red Beans and Rice
- Dutch Oven Chili
- Smothered Green Beans
- Southern Braised Pot Roast
- Fried Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use a cast iron skillet to make cornbread?
While you don’t technically have to use a cast iron skillet to make cornbread, I highly recommend it! It creates a crispy browned crust that is my favorite part of the cornbread. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a 9×9 baking dish. It may not get the edges as browned as a cast iron skillet will. You can also use a muffin pan and make cornbread muffins instead. The baking time may be shorter.
Can I use aluminum free baking powder instead of double acting baking powder?
Yes, you can usually use aluminum free baking powder and double acting baking powder interchangeably in baked recipes.
More Cajun and New Orleans Recipes
New Orleans Cream Cheese King Cake
Blackened Chicken Breast
Creamy Cajun Andouille Sausage Pasta
Remoulade Sauce
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Cast Iron Skillet Cajun Cornbread
Author: Lauren LeBlanc
Homemade cornbread with a cajun twist! This cornbread is a little sweet, a little spicy, and moist. It’s the perfect side for your chili or red beans and rice.
4.91 from 41 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Rest time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Cajun
Servings 8 servings
Calories 307 kcal
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour spooned into measuring cup then leveled off (150 g or 5.3 ounces)
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 4 teaspoons baking powder double acting
- 1-2 tablespoons cajun seasoning* see note
Wet ingredients
- 1 egg room temperature, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups creamed corn one 14.5 ounce can
- 1 tablespoon diced pickled jalapeño
For the skillet
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pickled jalapeño slices for decoration optional
Instructions
PREP: If possible, take egg and buttermilk out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to starting so they can come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190°C). Place the empty cast iron skillet into the oven to heat.
DRY: Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
WET: Add wet ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
MIX: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
REST: Let batter rest for 10-15 minutes*.
BAKE: Remove skillet from the oven and add butter. Swirl around to melt and coat the pan. Gently pour the batter into the skillet and smooth out the top. Place jalapeño slices to decorate the top (optional). Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. The cornbread is done when the edges are pulling away from the pan and are turning golden brown.
SERVE: Serve warm topped with butter. Serve with chili or red beans and rice.
Notes
- To get an accurate measurement of flour, fluff it with a spoon, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Level the scoop with a knife. For the most accurate measurement, weigh it. One cup of flour is 120 grams (150 grams for 1 ¼ cup for this recipe).
- If your flour is lumpy, sift it before adding to the dry ingredients.
- A note about cajun seasoning. Store bought cajun seasoning is usually pretty salty. Use 1 tablespoon for store bought or 2 tablespoons If using my Homemade Cajun Seasoning recipe.
- To test if the cornbread is properly salted, add a spoonful of batter to the hot skillet to cook it, then give it a taste test.
- Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container. If using a plastic bag, remove as much air as possible. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days, and store in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Tightly wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat in the oven, wrap cornbread in foil, then reheat at 350°F (175°C) for a few minutes until warmed. To reheat on the stovetop, heat a skillet over medium heat and add a teaspoon of butter. Heat the cornbread on both sides until warmed through.
- To make cornbread muffins, pour batter into a muffin pan sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake for about 20 minutes.
Equipment
12 inch cast iron skillet
Flour sifter
medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Nutrition
Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 393mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 817IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 2mg
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Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
About Lauren
