This jalapeno cornbread recipe is incredibly moist with lots of spicy jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese. Great for the holidays or an anytime side dish!
Jalapeno Cornbread Recipe
Raise your hand if you love jalapeño cornbread! You can't see me, but my hand is nearly touching the ceiling right now.
For me, there is nothing better than a moist, almost juicy piece of cornbread that is jammed full of chopped jalapeno peppers and a bit of wonderful melty cheese.
The only person I know who loves cornbread more than I do is my wife, Patty. She is CRAZY for cornbread and wants it even more than I do. That's saying a lot!
What's so GREAT about cornbread is its versatility.
But first, let's talk about how to make jalapeno cornbread, shall we?
Jalapeno Cornbread Ingredients
- Whole Milk.
- Melted Butter.
- Eggs.
- Creamed Corn.
- Cornmeal.
- All Purpose Flour.
- Sugar.
- Salt.
- Baking Powder.
- Baking Soda.
- Black Pepper.
- Jalapeno Peppers.
- Cheddar Cheese. Or use a spicy pepperjack for extra heat.
How to Make Jalapeno Cornbread - the Recipe Steps
- Heat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and creamed corn together in a small bowl.
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and black pepper in a separate larger bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together.
- Stir in the chopped jalapenos and shredded cheese.
- Pour the batter mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cornbread sets and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool slightly, slice and serve.
Makes 9 pieces of cornbread.
There is a secret, though, to making cornbread that is moist and not dry. You'll find that secret in the recipe, and more on that below.
The Secret to Moist Cornbread
The secret ingredient to baking moist cornbread is creamed corn. Creamed corn is made from sweet corn and includes the milky residue from the corn cobs.
The added moisture transfers to the cornbread to a practically fail-proof recipe. If you don't want dry cornbread, get yourself a can of creamed corn. You'll thank me for it.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Make Double. This batch makes 9 good sized squares of moist and fluffy cornbread. You can easily double or even triple the batch and bake it in separate baking dishes.
- Spread it Out. If you use a wider pan, you can make the same batch of cornbread, but thinner, so the slices are only half the size of mine. This will yield you roughly 18 pieces of smaller cornbread. This is a good way to stretch the recipe for larger gatherings. Just don't bake it for quite as long.
- Extra Jalapenos. If you'e like it extra spicy, you can easily include more jalapeno peppers into your batch.
- Make it Cheesy. Cheese is another ingredients here that's easy to include. I've use a cup for my recipe, but you can pretty easily include another 1/2 or more. Give it a go!
- Jalapenos on Top. I like to add extra jalapeno slices to the tops of the batter before baking for an extra decorative touch. It looks great this way!
- Drizzle with Honey. One of my favorite ways to serve up jalapeno cornbread is with a nice drizzle of sweet honey. Such a wonderful flavor combination. Or, try it with cowboy butter. Yum!
- Extra Corn. If you like your cornbread with lots of corn, add in a cup or 2 of extra corn kernels. The recipe will love you for it!
What to Serve with Jalapeno Cornbread - It's so Versatile!
Cornbread fits perfectly as a simple side dish to so many different meals, from big bowls of gumbo to chili to anything and everything BBQ. I can't imagine BBQ pulled pork or BBQ ribs without my cornbread!
Try it with my favorite Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe!
You can also serve it as a meal starter, just a bit of jalapeno cornbread before the main course is served.
One of my favorite ways to serve it, though, is as dessert. Try drizzling a bit of honey over a slice of jalapeno cornbread, or tomato gravy. Guaranteed it will become one of your favorite desserts ever.
The only downside to cornbread I've ever seen is that it can be dry. Oh no! Nobody wants dry cornbread! I sure don't.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Jalapeno Cornbread in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
Patty's Perspective
I will take Mike's jalapeno cornbread any day of the week! I don't care if he cooks it up in a baking dish, in a cast iron skillet, in big or little muffin tins, if he's making cornbread, I'm eating cornbread!
Mike likes to joke about how much I love it, but the truth is - it isn't a joke. I love cornbread. Period.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Skillet Jalapeno Cornbread
- Cheese Jalapeno Popper Cornbread Muffins
- Mexican Cornbread
- Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)
- Cornbread Dressing
- Hot Honey (drizzle it over your cornbread!)
- Honey Sriracha Chicken
- Mango-Habanero BBQ Chicken
- Grilled Pork Chops with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
- Grilled Chicken Wings with Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- Red Eye Gravy
- Arepas (South American Corn bread)
- Jalapeno-Cheddar Dutch Oven Bread
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Jalapeno Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 14.5 ounces creamed corn 1 can
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup chopped jalapeno peppers + sliced jalapenos for topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or use a spicy pepperjack for extra heat
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and creamed corn together in a small bowl.
- In a larger bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and black pepper.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together.
- Stir in the chopped jalapenos and shredded cheese.
- Pour the batter mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cornbread sets and an inserted toothpick comes out dry in the center.
- Cool slightly, slice and serve.
Video
Notes
NOTE: I like to add extra jalapeno slices to the tops of the batter before baking for an extra decorative touch. I love to drizzle mine with honey!
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 10/18/19 to include new photo, video and information. It was originally published on 5/19/14.
Paulette Salisbury says
HI Mike
Love love love you and your recipes. I might have made an error, but with this amount of dry stuff and the liquid specified, it came out pretty wet and loose. Internal temp 200 F. Yummy nonetheless! Maybe next time I'll add another egg for glue and cut back on the milk or cream. Now for round 2, it will become pudding. So I'm making a custard with milk and eggs and some more jalapenos and cheese. Can't wait to try it with pork chops tonight! Thanks for taking my comment. Merry Christmas!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Paulette. I've never had an issue with the looseness, but glad you can adjust as you need. Merry Christmas!
anthony miskowiec says
I loved it. I topped it with a mesquite flower honey . Fabulous combo. No more box mixes for me.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Anthony! Perfect topping!
Cassie says
I can't find any creamed corn. would it be possible to substitute the can with corn kernels and Greek yogurt? Or is that outlandish.
Mike Hultquist says
Cassie, absolutely, though you may want to write down the exact amount of yogurt you use in case you need to adjust it later. Let me know how it turns out!
Sandy says
I would just blend up a can of corn in the blender
Pilar says
Hello from Mexico!
My name is Pilar and I am trying to make a cornbread that my parents will like since they lived in Texas for a while!
I was just wondering, what are the dimensions of your baking dish?
Thank you so much!
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Pilar! I used a deep 8x8 baking dish, but you can use a 9x13. If you do, check the corn bread at 20 minutes to see if it is cooked through to the center. Let me know how it goes! Enjoy!
Bernadine Ames says
I love your recipes. Save some, try some, and appreciate your ideas. Not all are me, but sure takes the “boring” out of the old standbys. Thank you so much.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Bernadine! Glad you are enjoying the site!
Kort says
So good - my favorite version of cornbread!
Mike Hultquist says
Oh yeah! Thanks, Kort!
Nancy says
Mike,
YOU and your recipes are awesome. I work with Mexican and Jamaican people in a kitchen. I did not grow up with spicy food, but I grow hot peppers. Your recipes always please my coworkers.
Mike Hultquist says
So great to hear, Nancy! I appreciate it! Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the recipes.
Debbie says
This recipe for Jalapeno Cornbread is awesome! I live in San Antonio, TX, which is well-known for its Mexican and spicy food. This cornbread has the perfect combination of sweet, savory and spicy elements. I prepared the recipe exactly as written, except for the amount of jalapenos. Although my husband and I could probably handle the heat, I felt it would be too hot for the rest of family (used less than 1/2-cup). I also baked it in an oblong pan (12.25" x 8.25"), and it came out to a perfect height of about one inch. I highly recommend this wonderful recipe. Thanks, Mike.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent, Debbie! Very happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your comments!
Elsie S. Stewart says
I tried this recipe and it's really good. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Elsie!
Stephanie says
Can I use this recipe to make muffins? If so, about how many muffins will this make?
Mike Hultquist says
Stephanie, yep, I have a recipe for that here: https://chilipeppermadnesscom.bigscoots-staging.com/chili-pepper-recipes/side-dishes/cheesy-jalapeno-popper-cornbread-muffins/
April says
I made the jalapeño cheddar cornbread for the big game yesterday everyone really liked it and we’re impressed how moist it was. Thank you for this recipe and all the others I have used a lot of your recipes and you NEVER disappoint
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Glad to hear it, April! Glad you enjoyed it. We LOVE this one. YUM.
Susan says
Can you chop up the jalapenos two days ahead so it is ready to be made?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Susan, yes, you can do that. I would freeze if you need to keep longer. But yep, should be fine. Enjoy!
Craig says
Mike,
This is a keeper and the only way I will make Corn Bread from now on!
Thank you from B.C. Canada
Craig
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Thanks, Craig!