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This sweet, moist cornbread is the ultimate comfort food! With just the right balance of sweetness and a fluffy, tender texture, it’s perfect alongside your favorite chili, barbecue, or just on its own with a bit of butter. Once you try it, you’ll want to make it again and again!

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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.

Why You’ll Love this Cornbread

You’re going to fall in love with this sweet cornbread! It’s incredibly moist, with just the right amount of sweetness that pairs perfectly with savory dishes like chili or barbecue, but it’s also amazing on its own with a little butter or honey.

This cornbread has a light, fluffy texture that’s never dry or crumbly, making it a hit with everyone at the table. Plus, it’s super easy to whip up—perfect for family dinners, holidays, or whenever you’re craving some cozy comfort food!

Disneyland used to have a delicious restaurant in Frontierland called Big Thunder BBQ and they had the most amazing sweet cornbread. I have been trying to recreate this sweet cornbread recipe at home because it was so delicious. And, I think I have done it with this recipe!

Sweet Moist Cornbread Ingredients

*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Cornmeal: Cornmeal is the star of the show and is necessary to make sweet moist cornbread. You can use yellow or white cornmeal, but Yellow produces the most visually appealing result.
• All-Purpose Flour: The next ingredient needed to make this cornbread is flour. You can use all-purpose or self-rising, but I prefer to use all-purpose because that is what most people have in their cabinets.
• Sugar: Sugar is what makes this cornbread recipe sweet!
• Baking Powder: Baking powder is one of the most important ingredients in this recipe because it is what helps the cornbread to rise and be fluffy. Baking soda is not needed.
• Salt: The following ingredient that makes this cornbread recipe is salt. Salt brings out all of the flavors in a dish, which makes it really important when baking.
• Oil: The oil helps keep the cornbread moist. Feel free to use any neutral tasting oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil.
• Butter: One of my favorite ingredients to use when baking sweet cornbread is butter! The butter in this recipe helps to enhance the buttery flavor and contributes to its moistness.
• Honey: The last ingredient that needs to go into this cornbread recipe is honey. This versatile sweetener helps give this cornbread sweetness and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients!
• Eggs: Eggs are what binds the cornbread ingredients together. I use 4 large eggs instead of three because it produces a more dense cornbread.
• Milk: Milk brings all of the ingredients together and creates a creamy batter that bakes into moist, sweet cornbread. Buttermilk can also be used instead of regular milk.

How to Make Sweet Moist Cornbread

[Step 1] First, grease a 9×13 dish and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

[Step 2] Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Sift or mix them together with a whisk.

[Step 3] In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, oil, butter, milk, sugar and honey.

[Step 4] Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together, just until moistened.

[Step 5] Pour the sweet cornbread batter into the 9×13 pan and place it in the oven for 45-50 minutes until it is golden brown.

[Step 6] Cover the cornbread loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking time so the top doesn’t brown too much. Use the “toothpick test” by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

[Step 7] Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

[Step 8] Don’t forget to add some butter and a drizzle of honey when you serve this yummy cornbread!

How to Make Cornbread Muffins

The great thing about this moist cornbread recipe is that it is so versatile and it tastes like sweet cornbread cake! You can use the cornbread batter to create cornbread muffins!

My kids love when I make cornbread muffins because they fit right in their little hands. I love making fluffy cornbread muffins because they bake faster and they are portion controlled!

1. After mixing the batter, line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to add the batter to each cup.
3. Bake the muffins at 350° for 20 minutes.

Tips for Moist Cornbread

• Add Extra Fat: Use butter, oil, or even a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt in the batter to add richness and moisture.
• Include Buttermilk: Buttermilk keeps cornbread tender and adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
• Don’t Overmix: Gently fold the ingredients together—overmixing can lead to a dry, crumbly texture.
• Use Honey or Sugar: A bit of sugar or honey in the batter not only adds sweetness but also keeps the cornbread moist.
• Add a Can of Creamed Corn: Stirring in a can of creamed corn gives extra moisture and a bit of texture to your cornbread.
• Bake at the Right Temperature: Bake at 350°F for a more even, moist bake, and check a few minutes before it’s fully done to avoid overbaking.
• Rest Before Cutting: Let the cornbread cool slightly in the pan before cutting—this keeps it from drying out too quickly.

Is Cornbread Supposed to be Sweet?

To me, classic cornbread is meant to be sweet. This is because of the sugar content in the recipe. Cornbread also tends to be really moist and cake-like with the right amount of sweetness which makes it even more flavorful! Southern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter than other recipes and I actually prefer it that way, especially topped with whipped honey butter!

What Goes With Sweet Cornbread Cornbread is amazing when paired with soup or chili. It is also great served as a side dish on Thanksgiving. Here are some dishes I serve this sweet cornbread with:

• Creamy Chicken Chili
• Southwest Corn Chowder
• Epcot’s Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
• Disney World Chili
• Buffalo Chicken Chili
• Disneyland’s Cheesy Enchilada Soup
• Sweet Pork Barbacoa

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• 9×13 Baking Dish or Cake Pan
• Muffin Pan
• Cast-Iron Skillet

How to Store Leftover Cornbread

Leftover cornbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cornbread can also be frozen for up to 2 months. I like to slice the cornbread into individual pieces and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.

To reheat cornbread, wrap it in foil and place it in a 350° oven until warmed through. You can also reheat cornbread in the microwave. Place the cornbread on a plate and heat it for 30-45 seconds.

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