Sweet Cornbread
This vegetarian builds fine yellow cornmeal and maple syrup into a proper meal you can have ready in about 70 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 8 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) and grease an 8-inch square baking pan or cast-iron skillet, then place it in the oven to warm while you mix the batter.
- Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly so it will not cook the eggs when combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar until evenly blended.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the milk, maple syrup and the melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; do not overmix or the cornbread will turn tough.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, pour in the batter and smooth the top, then return it to the oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let the cornbread rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm with extra butter or a drizzle of maple syrup.
You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Blender · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Sweet Cornbread take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 8 steps and 9 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of brown sugar?
Try white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Sweet Cornbread vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Sweet Cornbread is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Yams, Green Beans, Mac and Cheese and Cornbread.jpg by Arnold Gatilao, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.