Mexican Cornbread Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Studded with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and spicy bits of jalapeño peppers, this deliciously moist and decadent Mexican cornbread recipe is sure to be a favorite.
Most families I know make a version of this deliciously moist and decadent cornbread known to us as Mama’s Mexican cornbread recipe. Whenever I make this cornbread, I can happily eat two pieces of it, hot from the oven, and nothing else. Even my husband, who really doesn’t care for cornbread unless it’s sweet, comes running whenever I make this. My son’s only complaint is that I don’t cut the pieces bigger so he doesn’t have to keep coming back! Needless to say, when I make this Mexican cornbread recipe for supper, there usually isn’t any left.
Fortunately, it’s a quick and easy cornbread recipe so I don’t mind making it again and again. First, we gotta gather our ingredients: canned cream-style corn, vegetable oil, an egg, self-rising cornmeal flour, sugar, onion, shredded cheese, jalapenos, milk, and salt. The instructions are as easy as pre-heating a skillet in the oven, mixing all of the ingredients together, and then pouring the cornbread batter into the hot skillet. In about 30 minutes, it’s ready to serve.
Yep, this Mexican cornbread recipe is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious. It takes traditional cornbread to a whole new level as it’s packed full of flavor thanks to the sugar, cheese, corn, and jalapenos. A touch sweet, a touch spicy, and a whole lot of savory, I bet your family will come back for seconds just like mine.
And hey, if you like this recipe, check out my Mexican cornbread casserole and cheesy jalapeño cornbread muffins. Now let’s bake some cornbread, y’all.
Recipe Ingredients
- Canned cream-style corn
- Vegetable oil
- Egg
- Self-rising cornmeal mix
- Sugar
- Chopped onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Diced jalapeno
- Milk
- Salt
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make My Mexican Cornbread Recipe
Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet (or 8-inch round cake pan) in the oven and preheat to 350.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
Stir all of that up pretty good with a spoon or whisk.
Next, pour about a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil into the hot skillet and swirl it around a good bit.
But please use a potholder because this is going to be hot!
Pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until all golden brown on top.
Turn that cornbread over onto a large plate…
Then stand aside because when the family catches a whiff it might spark a stampede!
Storage
- Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can serve it cold or warm it up quickly in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- You can also freeze leftover cornbread for up to 3 months. I’d double-wrap it in plastic wrap then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before serving cold or reheating as above.
Recipe Notes
- You can use white or yellow cornmeal mix. And you want self-rising cornmeal mix, not just cornmeal. Cornmeal mix includes all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
- It’s traditionally made in cast iron but it will turn out just fine if you make it in a cake pan or even an 8×8 baking dish. Just go with whatever cranks yer tractor.
- Here are some variations to make this recipe work for you:
- Use chopped canned green chiles instead of jalapenos.
- Add some extra veggies (about half a cup or so), like chopped green bell pepper.
- Swap onion for diced green onion or red onion.
- Use pepper jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend instead.
- Swap the cream-style corn for Mexican corn or frozen corn kernels.
- Substitute the sugar for honey.
- Use buttermilk instead of milk.
- Use melted butter instead of oil.
Recipe FAQs
What is Mexican cornbread made of?
Homemade Mexican cornbread starts off with a cornmeal flour base and then usually includes cheddar cheese, cream corn, onion, and jalapenos.
Why do you add sugar to cornbread?
To everyone who wasn’t raised on sweet cornbread, I know putting sugar in there feels so wrong. Cornbread isn’t supposed to be sweet. T’ain’t fittin’ and I know that. But, this is my Mama’s Mexican cornbread recipe and the sugar is just a scant amount and it really works well with the heat of the jalapeños. Trust me, y’all. Sugar in cornbread is magic and just adds to the flavor.
How do I make my cornbread crust crispy?
Get your pan nice and hot (this is going to be key) and then pour the batter into the hot pan that’s been coated in oil. This will help to create that crispy crust you are looking for.
What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do?
The extra yolk in the egg helps to make it moister. If you want to add another egg, I recommend doing yolk only for the second cornbread.
Why does my Jiffy cornbread fall apart?
Overcooking cornbread can cause it to fall apart. Every oven cooks differently, so keep an eye on it if you’ve made it before and it fell apart. To tell if it’s done, it should be crispy brown on top and when you insert a toothpick it should come out clean.
What do you serve with Mexican cornbread?
Enjoy this side dish with any of these delicious main meals:
- Crockpot chili
- Chicken Stew
- Fresh Salads with Simply Dressed Dressing
- Pinto Beans and Ham
- Taco Soup
- Black Eyed Peas and Ham
- Crockpot Pulled Pork, Southern-Style
You may also enjoy these comforting cornbread recipes:
Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie Made From Scratch
Cornbread Casserole With Ham and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
- 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño, seeds removed
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup canned creamed corn
Instructions
- Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet (or 8-inch round cake pan) in the oven and preheat to 350.
- In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients.1.5 cups self-rising cornmeal mix, 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño, seeds removed, 3/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/2 cup canned creamed corn, 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into a skillet and swirl it a bit to cover the bottom (the skillet is hot so please hold it with a potholder).
- Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and bake it for 30-40 minutes or until it's golden brown on top.
- Turn it out onto a plate, cut, and serve.
Nutrition
How to become a positive person in three easy steps:
1. Think about the next thing you say before you say it.
2. Make it positive.
3. Repeat. 🙂
~Christy Jordan
This recipe is very very close to the one MY mama made. No sugar, and she added a tablespoon of minced garlic. Also, she made the most amazing regular cornbread in iron skillets, but she always made her Mexican corn bread in a cookie pan. She baked hers thin, like 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. It was always very tender and moist. Seriously, just try it. It is very good that way. Plus, you get a lot more of it than if you make only a skillet of thick bread.
Thanks for the suggestion Donna, sounds good!
Yum and my mom had those same pattern of dishes when we were small.
Hi Mary, thanks so much for the lovely comment and those dishes do bring back memories, don’t they?! Thank you also for your rating. Really appreciate you.
Girl! Don’t you know us Southerners do not add sugar to our cornbread
I haven’t used this recipe yet but it really caught my eye and I will try it. I just wanted to comment. Many years ago, and I won’t tell you how many, someone here in Texas came up with a recipe by the same name. The only difference is there is a layer of ground meat in the dish. The meat is sautéed just like you are going to make spaghetti sauce and I season it with some diced onion and garlic powder and maybe a little salt and black pepper. Whatever your taste buds want. I usually put a thin layer of the cornbread batter on the bottom then the beef and top with the rest of the batter. You can just put the meat on the bottom of the pan but some of it may be loose and we like ours to be wrapped in the cornbread. We also like ours spicy so I don’t remove all of the seeds and membranes from the jalapenos. Removing them gives you a good jalapeno flavor but no heat.
I always like to read the reviews to see what others do or add to the recipe and I enjoyed reading the comments here. I’m also interested in the hot water cornbread recipe. My mother had one that disappeared and we were sad. It was given to her by an elderly neighbor and it was really good. Unfortunately she had already passed away so we couldn’t get another copy.
I want to make the Mexican cornbread. I have a couple questions…Can I use a can of green chilies instead of jalapeños and can I use sharp shredded cheddar instead of mild?? I don’t have the others on hand. Thanks!
That would work!
This is the best cornbread I have ever had. It’s delicious. I’m not much of a cornbread fan, but I ate this all by itself.
I have found if I don’t mix and coat the hot pepper in the meal mix before adding any dairy it won’t hold any heat at all. Also I heat the skillet on top of the stove as the oven is preheating ’cause its quicker. just before adding mixture pour in the oil to heating skillet, swirl around then add most into the mixture. Skillet should be hot enough the batter sizzles for the best crust.