Jalapeno Cornbread

A skillet of sliced jalapeño cheddar cornbread topped with jalapeño.

We're taking a traditional cornbread up a notch with this jalapeño cheddar cornbread recipe. It has the perfect little kick and sharp cheesy goodness to enjoy with soups, stews, chili, and more!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 279kcal

Author Sherri Hagymas

Ingredients

For the Cornbread

1 cup self rising cornmeal see notes
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
¼ cup fresh jalapeno minced
For Garnish: one jalapeno sliced into thin rounds optional

For the Honey Butter

2 tablespoons butter softened
2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375° F and grease a 10” cast iron skillet or 9x13” baking dish with softened butter. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, flour and granulated sugar. Stir to combine.
1 cup self rising cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs to the flour mixture and whisk until barely combine.
1 ¼ cups buttermilk, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 large eggs
Gently stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and minced jalapeno.
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup fresh jalapeno
Pour the cornbread mixture into the greased skillet (or dish) and spread evenly.
If using, place the thinly sliced jalapenos evenly over top of the cornbread.
For Garnish: one jalapeno sliced into thin rounds
Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the honey butter: In a small bowl, mix the softened butter and honey until it is completely combined. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons honey
Remove the cornbread from the oven and Immediately brush it with the honey butter.

Notes

Butter helps brown the edges of the cornbread and gives it a nice crispy crust.

Self rising flour is also called hot rise cornmeal. If you can’t find self-rising cornmeal, you can make your own by combining 1 cup fine ground yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon of lemon juice into large glass measuring cup. Then add in the amount of any milk until it reaches the 1 ¼ cup line. (it will be slightly less than 1 ¼ cup of milk).

For milder spice, remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno before mincing

Leave the honey butter off if you'd like.

If cheddar cheese isn't your favorite swap it for a different kind of cheese. Swiss, gruyere, pepper jack, or fontina are great options. You could even do a smoked cheese for added flavor.

You can also make cornbread muffins with this recipe. Just divide the batter between the holes of a muffin tin and bake.

Nutrition