Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

This is the Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread recipe you have been searching for! It’s moist, it’s buttery, it’s cheesy and it has just the right amount of jalapeño pepper heat. Best of all, the combination of cornmeal and flour creates a tender, yet textured crumb while browned butter adds sweetness and moisture.

Everyone says cornbread is the best side for dish of meaty chili con carne and I wholeheartedly agree. However, I also love it with smoked meat. The combination of sweet, spicy, and smoky is the ultimate treat, whether it’s smoked chicken thighs, smoked meatballs, or saucy smoked beef ribs.

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

Hi friends! This jalapeno cornbread recipe is one I’ve made for years and it’s so much better than any cornbread mix. Over time, I’ve tweaked a few things here and there but there are many reasons it’s been my go-to recipe for so long. Most importantly, is incredibly moist, tender, and holds together. No one likes crumbly dry cornbread am I right?!

The second reason I love this recipe so much is BUTTER. Sure, butter adds moisture (see reason number 1), but it also adds flavour. Butter makes baked goods amazing but browned butter is even better. It adds nutty sweetness to cornbread, bringing it up to another level.

If you need yet another reason to love this jalapeno cornbread recipe, let’s talk about the texture. It’s perfectly light, fluffy, and tender. However, it also has a unique ‘bite’ courtesy of the cornmeal. Using medium grind cornmeal gives it an ‘al dente’ style texture.

Finally, jalapeno cheddar is a dynamite flavour combination, especially in baked goods. It’s not spicy at all but if you want to leave out the jalapenos, feel free to do so. Or, you can experiment with other flavour combinations like Monterey Jack Cheese and chopped candied jalapeno peppers (small batch cowboy candy).

What is Cornbread?

Cornbread is a quick bread, meaning it is a batter leavened with baking powder instead of yeast. Most quick breads are ready in less than an hour because they do not require proofing time.

The origin of cornbread can be traced back to early native Americans who cooked ground dried corn (maize) mixed with water over an open fire. Regional variations to the basic batter included apples, chestnuts, sunflower seeds, or berries, beans, or potatoes.

Buttermilk, eggs, lard, baking soda, and baking powder were added as Southern colonists adopted and adapted the original cornbread recipe. Later, sugar was added to regain the sweetness of the corn that was lost through advancements of cornmeal processing.

Currently, cornbread is popular throughout the US and beyond, though there are difference between Northern and Southern cornbread styles. My cornbread is northern style, with yellow cornmeal, flour, eggs, and sugar. However, southern style cornbread recipes generally contain white cornmeal and buttermilk and little to no wheat flour or sugar.

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Ingredients

The combination of sharp cheddar cheese and mild jalapeño peppers makes a tasty cornbread. Feel free to add sweet corn kernels the batter for even more corn flavour.

• Butter
• Flour
• Cornmeal
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Sugar
• Salt
• Sour Cream
• Buttermilk
• Eggs
• Cheddar Cheese
• Jalapeño Peppers

Feel free to use either salted or unsalted butter. However, if using salted butter, adjust the amount of added salt in the dry ingredients accordingly.

All purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda are all common pantry ingredients and easy to find in any grocery store. As with any quick bread, avoid over mixing the batter and bake cornbread as soon as possible after mixing to achieve maximum lift.

Dry cornbread often results from an imbalance of wet ingredients and dry ingredients. More specifically, if the medium ground cornmeal is replaced with fine cornmeal, the result will be dry cornbread. This is because one cup of fine ground cornmeal is actually MORE dry ingredient than one cup of medium ground cornmeal.

Use full fat sour cream and room temperature eggs in the batter. PRO TIP: Replace buttermilk with 2 tablespoons white vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (to equal 1/2 cup).

Finally, feel free to replace the sharp cheddar cheese with any grated cheese. I suggest Monterey Jack, Colby, Gouda, Smoked Gouda, Havarti, Muenster, or Pepper Jack Cheeses. Leave out the jalapeño peppers or increase the heat with chili, serrano, poblano, Fresno, or Hatch Chili Peppers. Pickled jalapeño peppers would be tasty too!

How to Make Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

This cornbread batter is so easy to whip up and it bakes in only 20 minutes! All you need is a whisk, two mixing bowls, measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board, a cheese grater and a sharp knife.

PRO TIP: Baking the cornbread in a 10 inch cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish results in beautiful golden brown caramelized cornbread edges. 

To begin, preheat oven to 425°F. Add 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter to a 10 inch cast iron skillet and place it on the middle rack in the oven. Allow the butter to melt, then separate into liquid and milk solids, (about 15 minutes).

While the butter is heating, measure the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to stir (not whisk) the all purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together. Make a well in the centre.

Next, core and finely chop one small jalapeño. Slice the top of the second jalapeño into 6 – 1/4 inch rounds. For added heat, finely dice the rest of the second jalapeño, otherwise set aside for another purpose.

Now for the wet ingredients. Crack the eggs into a second mixing bowl then add sour cream and the buttermilk. Whisk together well.

Once the butter has browned, remove hot skillet from the oven and carefully pour most of the brown butter in a heat proof measuring cup. Leave about 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet.

Slowly pour and whisk the hot butter into the egg mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently mix in the shredded cheddar cheese and finely diced jalapeños. Feel free to add 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels to the mix for extra corn flavour!

Move the skillet around to ensure it is thoroughly coated in melted butter and pour the batter into the skillet. Quickly smooth out the surface (if needed) and place 6 jalapeño slices on top.

How to Tell When Cornbread is Ready

Bake cornbread in 425°F oven for 15 minutes, then insert a wooden skewer in middle. If it is clean, the cornbread is done baking. If it has a few sticky crumbs, bake the cornbread another 5 minutes.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is best eaten warm or at room temperature, with more butter and honey.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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