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This moist cornbread recipe starts with Jiffy corn muffin mix, creamed corn, diced pimentos, and cheddar cheese for an easy side dish that pairs well with chili, stew, roast chicken, smoky greens, Southern ham and beans, and more!
Table of Contents
If you love cornbread as much as we do, be sure to try this classic Southern cast iron cornbread, a pan of cornbread with cake mix, our favorite sweet and fluffy cornbread with corn, this unique broccoli cornbread, this rich sour cream cornbread, and this jalapeno cheddar Mexican cornbread, too!
Why You’ll Love this Moist Cornbread Recipe
- Easy. Thanks to Jiffy cornbread mix, this recipe comes together with about 10 minutes of prep time.
- Flavorful. We’re always looking for ways to jazz up a cornbread mix! By adding diced pimentos, sharp cheddar cheese, honey, and a hint of garlic powder, you get a skillet of cornbread that’s packed with sweet and savory flavor!
- Moist. As the name suggests, this isn’t your average pan of dry, crumbly cornbread. Instead, adding cream-style corn, sour cream, and oil all contribute to a pan of moist Jiffy cornbread. While oil contributes the most moisture, you can substitute with an equal amount of melted butter if you prefer. The butter gives the sweet cornbread a richer taste.
How to Enhance Jiffy Mix
When it comes to jazzing up a box of cornbread mix, the options are truly endless. Here, a few simple additions to the boxed mix yields an even better batch of cornbread:
- Creamed corn (also called “cream style corn”) is a type of creamed vegetable dish made by combining pieces of whole sweetcorn with a soupy liquid of milky residue from pulped corn kernels scraped from the cob. Unlike other preparations of sweet corn, creamed corn is partially puréed, releasing the liquid contents of the kernels. A can of creamed corn adds moisture, sweetness, rich corn flavor, and little pieces of actual corn to the bread.
- Sour cream is another key ingredient in this Jiffy cornbread recipe. Similar to the role that buttermilk plays in other recipes, the sour cream keeps the cornbread extra moist (so that it doesn’t have a dry and crumbly texture), and the fat and acid in the sour cream also yields a more tender crumb.
- Diced pimentos and cheddar cheese give this special cornbread a uniquely Southern touch!
The Best Pan to Use
For the best homemade cornbread, you’ve got to use a cast iron pan! I recommend a deep 10-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe, but in a pinch you can substitute with a deep 9-inch baking dish or cake pan.
Baking cornbread in a preheated cast iron skillet creates extra-crispy edges, which you just can’t replicate with any other pan. The cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly, so that the cornbread cooks beautifully and comes out tender and moist on the inside, but crispy on the outside. That buttery, browned, sturdy crust is the best part of the cornbread — a total dream!
If you’re in the market for a new pan, be sure to check out our recommendations for the 7 best cast iron skillets — including many that I personally own and love. The skillet that you see here, the Milo 10-inch enameled cast iron skillet, earned recognition for the best value skillet. It’s a great one!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this easy moist cornbread. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step baking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Eggs: give the cornbread structure.
- Sour cream: use the full-fat variety for the best flavor and texture. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt would also work.
- Oil: keeps the cornbread really moist. Use a neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil or vegetable oil. An equal amount of melted butter would also work well.
- Honey: for just the right amount of sweetness.
- Jiffy corn muffin mix: you’ll need two boxes of this mix. It’s a nice shortcut that includes the cornmeal, flour, leavening agents, sugar, and other ingredients that you would typically find in a corn bread recipe.
- Creamed corn: there’s no need to drain the can before adding it to the batter.
- Salt: to balance the sweetness.
- Garlic powder: for savory flavor that pairs nicely with the cheese and pimentos.
- Cheddar cheese and diced pimentos: give the cornbread that great “pimento cheese” flavor.
- Butter: for greasing the skillet.
How to Make Moist Cornbread
Start with a couple of boxes of Jiffy mix for the easiest, most delicious moist cornbread recipe you’ll ever make! It’s ideal for a casual Sunday supper with a bowl of chili, and also decadent enough for your Thanksgiving table.
You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Preheat a cast iron skillet or baking dish in the oven.
- Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, oil, and honey in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the creamed corn and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon just until combined, but don’t over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the buttered, preheated pan.
- Bake for about 45 minutes.
- Slice and serve!
Serving Suggestions
The moist corn bread recipe pairs nicely with savory dishes like soups, stews, chili, and meat. It’s made with crowd-pleasing, simple ingredients, and is always a welcome addition to picnics, a church potluck, or a regular Sunday supper. Top each slice with butter and a drizzle of honey! Here are a few ideas to add to your table:
- Chili (like this Slow Cooker Chili, Texas Chili, Instant Pot Turkey Chili, White Bean Chicken Chili, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, or Pumpkin Chili)
- Soup (such as Chicken Vegetable Soup, Split Pea Soup, Hamburger Soup, or Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup)
- Stew (like this Virginia Brunswick Stew, Chicken Stew, or Dutch Oven Beef Stew)
- Beans (such as Southern Lima Beans with Ham, Hoppin’ John, Black-Eyed Peas, Ranch Style Beans, Southern Ham and Beans, or Cowboy Baked Beans)
- Barbecue (like these Crock Pot Ribs, Pulled BBQ Chicken, or Pulled Pork)
- Seafood ( such as Shrimp and Grits, Crab Cakes, and Shrimp Creole)
- Fried Favorites (such as Fried Chicken, Fried Catfish, Oven-Fried Fish, Fried Oysters, or Fried Shrimp)
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Corn bread with creamed corn is best when freshly baked and warm from the oven. That said, you can prepare it up to 8 hours in advance and leave it on your countertop until ready to serve. To extend the life of your cornbread, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store leftover cornbread at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- How to Freeze: Wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container, this moist cornbread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on your countertop or in the refrigerator before enjoying.
- How to Reheat: Warm individual slices of cornbread in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until heated through. To reheat a full pan of cornbread, cover with foil and heat in a 350°F oven until warmed through (about 5-10 minutes).
Recipe Variations
- Turn this batter into muffins! Bake standard-size muffins in a 400°F oven for about 17-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Jalapeño and Cheese: add 1-2 chopped jalapeno peppers to the batter in lieu of the diced pimentos.
- Green Chiles or Green Onion: stir 1 small can of diced green chilies in lieu of the pimentos, or add a couple tablespoons of sliced green onion into the batter.
- Blueberry: omit the garlic powder, pimentos, and cheese. Instead, fold 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter.
- Cranberry: omit the garlic powder, pimentos, and cheese. Instead, add 1 cup of dried sweetened cranberries or 1 ½ cups of chopped fresh cranberries into the batter. For a hint of orange, try adding the zest from 1 orange, too!
Tips for the best Moist Cornbread Recipe
- Room temperature ingredients (such as sour cream and eggs) blend more smoothly and easily than cold ingredients.
- Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes before baking if you have the time. This allows the baking powder or other leavening agents to activate and incorporate more air.
- Don’t over-mix the batter or it can become tough and dense.
- The total baking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, and on your individual oven. To check if the cornbread is done, insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean.
- If the top of the cornbread starts to get too dark before it’s done baking, cover loosely with foil.
- Use full-fat sour cream. It adds a subtle tangy flavor, it keeps the cornbread moist, and it yields a tender crumb.
More Cornbread Recipes to Try
Old-Fashioned Southern Corn Sticks
22 minutes mins
Honey Butter Cornbread
40 minutes mins
Cornbread Muffins
27 minutes mins
For even more inspiration, check out this collection of 15 of the best cornbread recipes!
Moist Jiffy Cornbread with Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 (8.5 ounce) boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn, not drained
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Place a deep 10-inch cast iron skillet (or a deep 9 x 9-inch or 11 x 7-inch baking dish) in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 375°F, leaving the skillet or pan in the oven while it heats.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and honey until smooth. Add the corn muffin mix, creamed corn, salt, and garlic powder. Stir just until combined; do not over-mix. Fold in the cheese and pimentos.
- When the oven has come to temperature, place the butter in the hot skillet or pan. Use a brush to evenly spread the butter as it melts, greasing the pan on the bottom and sides. Pour batter into the hot, greased skillet.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients (such as sour cream and eggs) blend more smoothly and easily than cold ingredients.
- Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes before baking if you have the time. This allows the baking powder or other leavening agents to activate and incorporate more air.
- Don’t over-mix the batter or it can become tough and dense.
- The total baking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, and on your individual oven. To check if the cornbread is done, insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean.
- If the top of the cornbread starts to get too dark before it’s done baking, cover loosely with foil.
- Use full-fat sour cream. It adds a subtle tangy flavor, it keeps the cornbread moist, and it yields a tender crumb.
Ooh, whee! You have my full attention. I’m staying away from my grocery for a couple days so the last-minute people can have at it but definitely next week!!
Hope you get to try it! Happy holidays!