Our Favorite Cornbread Recipes and Fun Ways to Cook with Them

By Southern Living Editors
August 21, 2013
Iain Bagwell

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 Cornbread Madeleines, a Southern twist on the French sponge-cake classic. If savory is more to your taste, try Grannie’s Cracklin’ Cornbread or Skillet Cornbread. If you’d like to serve cornbread as finger food, our recipes for Cornbread Crostini and Cornbread Tartlets with Tomato-Lima Bean Relish will have guests piling their plates high. And of course one of our recipes is for good old-fashioned Buttermilk Cornbread. 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

Brian Woodcock

Recipe: Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread

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

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Cornbread Tartlets with Tomato-Lima Bean Relish

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Tartlets with Tomato-Lima Bean Relish

Inspired by summery succotash, these petite tarts are buttery and fresh all in one bite.

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Skillet Cornbread

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Skillet Cornbread

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 dark golden and crisp.

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Buttermilk Cornbread

Howard Lee Puckett

Recipe: Buttermilk Cornbread

Serve this Southern staple with soups, stews, or salads. Plan to make this just before guests arrive so they can enjoy it hot.

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Cornbread Biscuits

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Biscuits

Add your own signature spin with a few teaspoons of your favorite herb, such as thyme or rosemary.

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Sweet Potato Cornbread

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Sweet Potato Cornbread

Sandwich your favorite barbecue topped with Pickled Peppers & Onions between slices of Sweet Potato Cornbread for a change of pace, or serve alongside your favorite meal as you would regular cornbread. The sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness.

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Lace Cornbread

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lace Cornbread

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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Cornbread Croutons

Photo: Johnny Autry

Recipe: Cornbread Croutons

Our Cornbread Croutons pack a bite with two jalapeño peppers and fresh cilantro baked into them. Use them to top your favorite soup or salad.

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Savory Cornbread Recipes

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cheesy Cornbread

If you're looking for delicious, savory (and sometimes sweet) cornbread recipes, you've come to the right place. From traditional, crispy skillet cornbread to new and creative twists like tartlets and croutons—you'll love finding new ways to serve up this Southern classic.

In Cheesy Cornbread, sharp Cheddar cheese melts into a homemade buttermilk batter to create this simple and delicious cornbread.

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Cornbread Madeleines

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Madeleines

This delicate Southern twist on the traditional French sponge cake is one of our favorite food gifts. Light and airy, and not too sweet, they'd have Proust swooning "Lawdamercy."

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Sour Cream Cornbread

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Sour Cream Cornbread

Low-fat kitchen staples keep this Cheddar-topped cornbread moist and delicious. Enjoy it as a side to any meal, or use this recipe as an ingredient in our fabulous Farmhouse Eggs Benedict.

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Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

Crispy cornbread biscotti is the perfect accompaniment to hearty soups and stews.

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Cornbread Crostini

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Crostini

Small, thin rounds of cornbread baked in muffin pans replace baguette slices as a tasty base for Southern-style crostini.

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Cornbread Focaccia

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cornbread Focaccia

We love this fun, pizza-like flatbread, submitted by reader Angie Nelson of Ledbetter, Kentucky.

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Grannie's Cracklin' Cornbread

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Grannie's Cracklin' Cornbread

This classic cracklin' cornbread is a traditional Southern cornbread and calls for just six ingredients.

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Hot Water Cornbread

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Hot Water Cornbread

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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Gluten-Free Cornbread

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Gluten-Free Cornbread

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

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Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo

Add a bit of spice to your Thanksgiving table with this kicked dressing recipe.

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Southern Skillet Cornbread

Southern Living

Recipe: Southern Skillet Cornbread

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

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Classic Cornbread Dressing

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Classic Cornbread Dressing

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

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Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel

Photo: Brian Woodcock

Recipe: Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel

This is one way you haven’t thought to enjoy your cornbread yet. Trust us—this uber-Southern bread pudding recipe is worth every last calorie.

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Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing

This nutty, earthy cornbread dressing is a welcome autumn upgrade to the classic.

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Cornbread Ice Cream

Southern Living

Recipe: Cornbread Ice Cream

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.

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Cornbread Dressing with Sausage

Southern Living

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Sausage

Sausage adds a hearty element to this easy dressing recipe, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving brunch.

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Cornbread Omelets

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Omelets

Put cornbread on the Sunday brunch table in a unique way with this fun recipe that has a colorful filling.

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Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing

“Silky smooth and ultra-moist,” this favorite cornbread dressing recipe came from Travel Editor Valerie Luesse’s Aunt Grace, and every Southerner knows that an auntie recipe is a good one.

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Stacy and Joyce's Skillet Cornbread Dressing

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Stacy and Joyce's Skillet Cornbread Dressing

The Powell family’s Thanksgiving is full of stories, history, and incredible food. This Southern classic is a recipe that’s served year after year to the nearly 100 guests.

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Chicken-and-Cornbread Casserole

Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Chicken-and-Cornbread Casserole

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

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Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Fennel

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Fennel

Replace mild Italian sausage with spicy for an extra kick in this flavorful cornbread recipe.

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Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

If you’re looking for a new way to get some green on the Thanksgiving table, this quick, easy recipe has few ingredients but big flavor.

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Cornbread-Stuffed Zucchini

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cornbread-Stuffed Zucchini

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

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