This sourdough cornbread is made with coarse yellow cornmeal for a mild sweet flavor and added crunch. And sourdough discard is an easy way to deepen the flavor without adding a ton of extra steps, so it's ready in under one hour.
We Bake this Sourdough Cornbread Every Fall
Autumn in my home state of Oregon is a time when our oven is filled with baked goods like pies, tarts and (perhaps best of all) cornbread. But sometimes cornbread can be difficult to get right. If it's dry and crumbly, it will fall apart before it ever reaches your mouth. But if it's too wet, it tastes raw and gooey. The perfect cornbread texture (in my humble opinion) is fluffy, slightly crumbly, and moist, which is exactly what you get with my sourdough cornbread, thanks to the sourdough discard, milk, and melted butter mixed into the batter.
While some folks load their cornbread with corn kernels, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos, I prefer mine with a classic flavor, based on my Dad's family-favorite recipe he bakes every Halloween. I keep the flavor mild with just a little vanilla extract to keep it leaning sweet, but you can sweeten it further topped with honey or my whipped blueberry butter.
What Kind of Cornmeal is Best for Cornbread?
I recommend using yellow coarse cornmeal for a stronger flavor and crunchier texture, since fine ground cornmeal dissolved into the batter and made it kind of mushy in testing. And white cornmeal added a milder, less sweet flavor.
Tips for Using Sourdough Discard
When I used to make sourdough discard recipes I found online, I would get so confused about how to actually add the sourdough. Do I add the bubbly, active starter? Or if it's a "sourdough discard" recipe, does that mean I add the tired, sticky sourdough that's been sitting in the fridge for a week, waiting for another feeding? In this sourdough cornbread recipe, I took all the guesswork out, so you can create the best cornbread on the first try!
This cornbread also gets its rise from baking powder, so you don't need to worry about getting your sourdough discard perfect in order to create delicious cornbread. That's why both active, bubbly sourdough starter and thicker sourdough discard work in this recipe. We're extracting the flavor from the sourdough here, not the rising properties.
Watch My Video - How to Make Cornbread
Let's Make the Best Sourdough Cornbread!
Baking Tips from My Kitchen
- More Flavor: For an even deeper flavor, store your cornbread batter in the fridge overnight before baking it.
- Cornbread Muffins: You can also make cornbread muffins with this recipe! Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin until each muffin is about ¾ full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Sourdough Cornbread
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sourdough discard (either bubbly and active or tired discard both work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in the microwave on 30 second intervals.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the melted butter, milk, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the sourdough starter to the wet ingredients and whisk the mixture again until the sourdough starter is dissolved.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix with a large spoon just until there is no visible dry flour. The mixture will be thick and lumpy, which is normal.
- Optional: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic cling wrap or a plate and allow it to rest and slowly ferment in the fridge overnight, between 8 to 12 hours.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool for at least 15 minutes, then slice up and serve. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Cornmeal: I recommend using coarse yellow cornmeal for a sweeter flavor and a little crunchy texture. However, you can use white cornmeal for a milder flavor, and fine ground cornmeal for a softer texture.
- Avoid Overmixing: Only mix the batter until there is no dry flour visible to avoid flat, overly dense cornbread.
- Sourdough: You could use either an active, bubbly sourdough starter, or a sourdough discard that isn't bubbly and active, since the rise comes from the baking powder . The sourdough is mainly added for flavor, so if you don't have any, just leave it out!
Azilde Elizabeth says
Yum yum. Cornbread is amazing!
Humbly Homemade says
Cornbread is my FAVORITE in the fall!
foodinbooks says
Love good cornbread and yours definitely looks yummy!
Humbly Homemade says
Thank you! I love cornbread! Just not when it has corn kernels in it... there's just something about the texture that throws me off 😂