A perfectly moist, slightly sweet, sourdough discard cornbread recipe with a secret ingredient that takes it over the top!
Cornbread can be a fickle thing to recreate. It’s either too dry and crumbly, or ridiculously sweet and cake-like. Some recipes call for actual corn and others don’t at all. So, where do you even start?
With a few tweaks to my blueberry cornmeal muffins (a tried and true favorite), I’ve created a unique, moist, slightly sweet sourdough cornbread recipe that’s light and fluffy and won’t crumble all over the place. To get started, you’ll need some leftover sourdough discard (bubbly active starter is fine too) and an 8×8-inch pan for thick-cut squares.
So, What’s The Secret Ingredient?
There are two secret ingredients, actually:
- Pure Vanilla Extract. This adds depth of flavor and enhances the natural corn flavor without making it taste like birthday cake.
- Coconut oil (I get mine from Trader Joe’s). This also adds depth of flavor. The coconut oil brings out a nutty flavor and no, the cornbread doesn’t taste like tanning lotion. This addition was inspired by a fantastic curried coconut corn soup that I make.
Why This Sourdough Cornbread Recipe Works:
- A higher ratio of flour to cornmeal is used for best texture- this is key.
- Butter adds richness and flavor, while the oil keeps the cornbread moist.
- Baking powder is used to “lift” the cornbread and baking soda tames any dense cake-like qualities.
- You can easily make this 1 day in advance. The flavor and texture will only improve.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Unsalted butter
- Coconut oil
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sourdough discard
- All purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Half & half or buttermilk
What About The Cornmeal? What Type Is Best?
Medium-grind cornmeal (i.e. Bob’s Redmill brand) is what I used for this recipe. In my opinion, it adds more flavor and a heartier texture. Regular cornmeal (i.e. Quaker brand) will work too, but it’s finer in texture so the cornbread will be more smooth. Both will work.
A Few Tips…
- I’ve made this recipe many, many times and I can tell you an 8×8-inch square pan will create the best looking thick-cut squares. If using a 9×13-inch pan instead, the squares will be thinner and you’ll have to reduce the bake time.
- Also, pay attention to the batter when mixing. It should create “ribbons” when it drips off a spoon. If it seems too thick (due to the type of cornmeal used, the thickness of your sourdough starter, or from overpacking your measuring cups) it can easily be corrected with more liquid.
Watch The Sourdough Cornbread Video!
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Best Sourdough Pancakes
- Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Waffles
- Same-Day Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
- Overnight Sourdough Apple Cake
- Homemade Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
- Moist, Fluffy Sourdough Gingerbread Cake
- Puffed Sourdough Crackers with Gruyere & Thyme
Additional Resources
Secret Ingredient Sourdough Cornbread
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: One 8×8-inch cake
- Category: Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A perfectly moist, slightly sweet, fluffy sourdough cornbread recipe with a hint of vanilla and coconut oil for depth of flavor. Can be made 1 day in advance. Excellent for festive feasts, soups, stews and more! I love it with coffee :)
Notes
- For thick-cut squares, it’s best to use an 8×8-inch square pan.
- Half and Half is equal parts milk and light cream (here in the US it’s sold as “Half & Half in the stores). You can sub with whole milk, and blend of milk and cream, cream with a splash of water etc. Buttermilk will work too.
- To make this dairy free, use plant butter and reduce the salt to 1/4-1/2 tsp. Use an unsweetened plant milk of your choice.
- To make this gluten free, swap the flour for King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour.
Ingredients
- 115 g (8 tbsp. or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 70 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar (increase to 100 g or scant 1/2 cup if you like it sweeter)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 100 g (appx. 1/2 cup) sourdough discard
- 125 g (1 cup lightly spooned & leveled) all purpose flour
- 80 g (1/2 cup) medium grind cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) half & half (*see notes above)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and coconut oil over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter mixture; whisk well. Add the sourdough starter and mix again.
- Add the flour and cornmeal to a separate bowl. Sift the baking powder, baking soda and salt directly over the top. Mix to combine.
- Working in batches, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon to incorporate.
- Gradually pour in the half & half until the liquid is fully absorbed. Dip a spoon into the batter and let it pour down; if slow “ribbons’” form the texture is correct. If it seems too thick (this could be due to the texture of your sourdough starter or the addition of too much flour) add more liquid to thin it out.
- Bake on the center rack for 25-28 minutes; the top should be golden brown when ready.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cornbread bread (still on the parchment paper) to finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Note: this cornbread can be made 1 day in advance. Once completely cool, cover in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. Serve as is, or reheat wrapped in foil at 250 F until warm.
Comments
Charlotte says
This recipe is amazing! I usually just follow the back of the box recipe but decided to try out something different. I used buttermilk in this recipe and it turned out perfect. They are soft, slightly sweet, and much better than the box recipe. Great job!
girl pilot says
I know it’s been said in comments before, but this was the best cornbread I’ve ever had, made, been near, dreamed of, etc. Seriously, this cornbread is over-the-top excellent. I made mine with fine ground Quaker cornmeal but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The batter was so good, I licked the bowl and whisk clean without ever leaving the counter. (laughs) Once it was out of the oven and cooled, I wrapped it up in plastic wrap to give the ingredients a day to blend and settle–boy, did they ever! The crumb was like silk, very smooth to the tongue, and the flavor was so…deep…a subtle sweetness with something else vaguely vanillia-ie…I cannot describe it correctly. That has to be the coconut oil, but I am having a difficult time quantifying what I was tasting–I just get stuck on “this is phenomenal.” (laughs)
I am wickedly excited to spring this recipe on my best food buddy who fancies themself a connoisseur of cornbread. For that, and from the depths of my cornbread-loving mouth, thanks so much for this amazing recipe. Cheers!!!
Emilie Raffa says
This is the nicest comment, ever. Really, thank you for taking the time to leave feedback here. I truly appreciate it. I smiled. I laughed. And I love that you loved it! The coconut oil and vanilla blend together magically, is such a subtle way, truly making this cornbread recipe unique. I use this technique in some of my cake baking too! Cheers, friend! xx
Karin says
this looks yum and I can’t wait to try it. I wonder whether it would be possible to veganize this? any ideas?
Sarah says
I substituted with 8 tbsp plant butter, 1 flax egg, and 1/2 cup oat milk. It turned out great!
Karin says
oh that’s good to know! Thank you!
Laurel says
This is the most delicious cornbread I’ve ever made or had. The coconut oil really made a difference. And I’m glad to have a recipe that will use up some of my sourdough starter discard. I don’t like most of those recipes, but this one is excellent.
Emilie Raffa says
Laurel, thank you so much. Thrilled to hear you liked the cornbread!
Laurel says
I made it again, and sure enough, it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for the great recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome! :)
Phil says
Look forward to making this recipe. As coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, do you have the number of grams to add? Would it be possible to substitute MCT oil which is liquid at room temperature and related to coconut oil? I’m planning to add some blueberries so hope that it still comes out ok. Thanks
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Phil! Great question. Off the top of my head, I don’t have the amount in grams for coconut oil in solid form. However, I’ll update the recipe when I get a chance. Regarding MCT: I’ve never used it before in cooking or baking! I have no idea how it will effect the flavor or texture. If you experiment, please let me know :) PS: yes to blueberries!
Sadie says
This cornbread is phenomenal! It’s unbelievably light, tender and moist. It literally melts in your mouth. I added 1/2 tsp maple extract and subbed vegetable oil for the coconut oil. I also baked it in a 9-inch cast iron skillet that I preheated and greased with brown butter. The crust was buttery crisp and delicious. The bread was done in 20 minutes. It freezes and reheats beautifully. Excellent!
Emilie Raffa says
OMG maple extract… how yum! I can literally smell the aroma as I type this. Great tip. Thank you, Sadie.
Deborah says
Hello Emilie,
This cornbread rocks! I’ve made it a few times, even once in bread machine, as our oven was out of commission. What if one were to add frozen blackberries to this recipe…how should the liquid quantity be adjusted?
Thanks so much,
Deborah
Emilie Raffa says
Deborah, this is a great question! I haven’t tested it myself so I don’t have exact specifics to share. But because black berries are so juicy, I would definitely reduce the liquid slightly. You can always add more if the texture is way too thick.
Debbie says
I made this cornbread in my 10” cast iron skillet lightly greased with coconut oil. Oh man, oh man, it’s so wonderful!! Thanks for the recipe, Emilie!!!
Emilie Raffa says
Yum. I bet the underneath was all golden and delicious from the skillet!
A. Hamilton says
Fantastic!!! Tastes amazing and great instructions.
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you very much! Enjoy! xx
Robin says
This is the lightest and most delicious cornbread I’ve ever made. As a plus, even without the parchment paper, pieces came easily out of the pan (used a round glass cake pan lightly greased with coconut oil). It’ll be my go-to recipe from now on. Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome, Robin! xx
Tabitha Weber says
Are there any adjustments I’d need to make if I’m going to use buttermilk? Also, does the buttermilk make the cornbread extra sour? Would I need more sugar perhaps to balance that?
Lisa says
My husband loves cornbread…me…not so much. But this tecipe is the bomb! It’s so nice and moist with just a very little hint of twang. Soooooo….good! Thank you for sharing. This recipe goes in my permanent file.
Kristina says
Do you know if this recipe freezes well? I’d like to make a couple batches a few days ahead of time to go with the chili at my daughter’s birthday party. Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Kristina, believe it or not I’ve never frozen this cornbread! It’s never lasted past 2 days in our house. I do believe it would freeze well; once completely cool wrap in several layers of plastic wrap. Defrost at room temp (maybe remove the wrap to prevent condensation?) and warm to serve.
Kristina says
Thank you! 😊
Robin G says
This was a great starter discard recipe! Excellent flavor balance. A lighter cornbread, not dense but so tasty!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Robin! xx
Deborah says
Thanks for the recipe, Emily. This is pretty much the perfect cornbread! Had mine with tea, it would be equally delicious with coffee. Very hard to stop eating :)
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Deborah! I have this with coffee all the time. So good. We love it for breakfast too.
Phyllis says
How would I adapt to make it in a muffin pan?
Hannah Kressel says
SO delicious!! Loved these. I didn’t have half & half on hand so I used some yogurt loosened with milk and it was great.
Such a tender crumb!
Lola says
It was a bit oily for my family. Not sure If I’ll reduce the butter or oil. Will reduce next time and try the finer corn flour. Still tastes good!! Following all her sourdough discard recipes 🙂
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks for your feedback! You are more than welcome to reduce the oil/butter to suit your family’s taste. Let us know how it turns out :)
Caz says
Thanks Emilie. I made this cornbread and loved it. It turned out wonderfully. I used spelt flour instead of all-purpose as I didn’t have any all-purpose and that worked well. Having some right now with a coffee. Thanks again for this wonderful blog. Caz.
Emilie Raffa says
Ooo, I love this! Spelt flour is so versatile. Glad it worked here. Enjoy x
Pam says
I made this tonight and it was excellent! But not at all what I would call “bread”. Mine was completely cake-like. Did not keep us from eating it though 👍. Will be awesome for breakfast with tea. Just found it too light and fluffy to be dippable in stew.
Craig O says
Great recipe! I tweaked it a bit to make mine more savory. I stuck with 70g sugar, omitted the vanilla, and added about 1/4 cup each: sundried tomato, chopped pickled onion, and grated Parmesan cheese.
It required a bit more liquid to get the proper consistency, but still had enough body to suspend the tomatoes and onions evenly throughout.
Emilie Raffa says
Craig, this sounds awesome. Really awesome. My son LOVES pickled red onions (he’s 2 and eats them straight out of the jar). Going to try this. Thank you!
Anne says
This was a last minute decision to go with our brisket and it fulfilled my cornbread craving perfectly! It was easy to make – I did have to borrow some coconut oil from a neighbor) – delicious, and most of all moist! I used about 80 g of sugar and it was lightly sweet; next time I may use a touch more as we aren’t ones to drizzle honey on top. Great recipe, thank you!!
Lisa Ward says
Just made these as muffins (cooked for 20 minutes) and subbed 3T honey and whole wheat pastry flour for the AP flour. Turn out great! Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Lisa, this is excellent. Thanks for commenting here- a few other bakers asked about substituting with honey and turning the recipe into muffins. Success!
Emma says
Love this recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Thrilled you like it :)
Katie says
Made this for our quarantined Christmas and it was so great! Made it again today with smoked chili, but this time we added a can creamed corn in the batter & only used half of the half & half. The cook time was a little longer but it was great! I love this recipe. Thank you for it!
Emilie Raffa says
Ooo! Great addition. One of the best cornbreads I’ve ever tasted had creamed corn in it. I’ll have to give it a go next time around. Thanks Katie :)
Jennifer P says
I was wondering if this would come out as good if cooked in a muffin pan instead. Would the cooking time need to be adjusted? Thank you.
Emilie Raffa says
You can definitely make muffins. I don’t have the exact bake time off the top of my head, probably anywhere from 18-25+ minutes (check at 15 minutes), but the baking temperature is the same. Oh, and line the muffin pan instead of greasing it, just in case. Enjoy!
Kathy says
Making this today but wondering if anyone has made it with honey instead of sugar? We are of the not so sweet persuasion so definitely would use 1/3 of sugar or less.
Emilie Raffa says
I haven’t tested it with honey, however you can try approximately 3 tbsp as a substitute. Keep an eye on the baking time; honey tends to brown faster than sugar (you can always cover the cornbread with foil).
Sofie says
Hi,
Would like to try this but with less butter/oil.. would you recommend and by how much would u say it’s right?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sofie! Great question. Unfortunately, while I understand the desire to decrease the butter/oil in this recipe, the texture won’t come out right; it will be very dry.
Lisa says
Another stellar recipe! Not a dense heavy cornbread and not too sweet. I made it in cast iron skillet and I’m wondering if it will remain untouched until dinner! Luckily it comes together quickly if I have to make another! I will just double the recipe in the future.
Emilie Raffa says
Lisa, I’m thrilled you liked it! I bet the bottom edges were all nice and toasty from the cast iron pan- yum :)
Anne says
Lisa – what size skillet did you use?
Tania says
Made this last night, my daughter proclaims this as the best best corn bread she has ever had. So moist. so good.
Emilie Raffa says
Yay! Thanks so much, Tania! :)
Karen Sloan says
I left a comment 10 minutes ago requesting US equivalent measurements. When I started making the recipe, I saw that all ingredients except the first include this information. Please disregard or edit my earlier comment.
Emilie Raffa says
No worries- all good ;)
Seth says
This is the second recipe of yours that I’ve used, and both have been fire. Corn bread is tricky — just about every recipe will deliver tasty results, but there’s always some flaw, usually in texture. This one is amazing, can’t wait to make it for my neighbor who lover her southern food.
I didn’t have half and half so I used what I had – a dollop of mexican crema (kinda like creme fraiche) plus milk. Had to add a lot more milk than called for to achieve the ribbons, probably because I used some off-brand corn meal I found in my freezer. I’m sure a fresh bag of bob’s would make it even better.
Gonna make a second round today, doesn’t last long with a teen boy in the house.
Emilie Raffa says
AMAZING! Thanks so much, Seth! Cornbread is totally tricky. Either too sweet or too dry! It took me many, many tries to get te taste and texture right. PS: I think the Mexican crema substitute sounds fantastic. I happen to love creme fraiche anyway. :)
Lyn says
I was looking for a cornbread recipe that used sourdough discard and this one popped up. It’s fantastic! I used my usual cornbread technique: greased and heated in the oven a 9″ cast iron skillet, baked at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Worked perfectly! It’s amazing how you cannot taste the vanilla. Thanks for our new go-to cornbread recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Lyn, thanks so much for the feedback! Isn’t the vanilla a nice (not in your face) touch? Thrilled you liked it!
Magda says
OMG thank you for the recipe! I’ve made it the second time in the past 2 weeks. It’s the best cornbread recipe I’ve ever tried, apparently sourdough is key to everything delicious :) this will definitely be one of my weekly baked goods.
Emilie Raffa says
Ha! This is very true. Sourdough is magic :)
Sally Wade says
OMG delish. Yummy!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks for the feedback, Sally! xx
Sally Wade says
BTW, whenever I have leftover cornbread from this recipe, I use it as a crust for a quiche. It’s SO delicious.
Emilie Raffa says
OK. So this is quite possibly the most delicious thing I’ve heard of ALL DAY. You must send me your recipe- yum!
Jerry Lee Insco says
We are unable to get or order Bobs Red Mill medium grind cornmeal do you know of a substitute that would work?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jerry! Quaker brand will work too. It’s not medium grind, but it will do in a pinch.
Also: Bob’s Red Mill makes a polenta. If it’s medium grind you can substitute with that instead.
Meg says
Oh Emilie, thank you! This was freaking amazingly good. I didn’t have any half and half, I just used full cream milk, and added enough only to get it to the right consistency. It went down an absolute treat with my vege chilli. I didn’t tell my meat eating friends that there was no mincemeat in it…it was tofu (frozen, thawed and torn up, marinated). I might tell them one day….
Emilie Raffa says
Meg, I’m so glad you tried it! Full cream is totally fine, even a combo of cream and water would’ve worked too. Yay! Thanks for the feedback :)
Meg says
It’s a brilliant recipe. Your book is brilliant too, and will be hitting the pages again to pass the time in a new lockdown. Stay safe!
Emilie Raffa says
You are SO kind! Thanks so much Meg xx
Donna says
What can I sub for coconut oil? More butter?
Thank you
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I would just sub with a neutral oil like sunflower, vegetable or mild olive oil (not extra virgin). Oil is important to keep the bread moist.
Meg says
I think the coconut oil works so well I wouldn’t swap it out. It’s not much, and I think it adds a flavour dimension that balances the sourdough.
Aura says
Hi, you’ve mentioned “120 ml half&half” – what does this mean? What is the ingredient? Thank you
Emilie Raffa says
Aura, half & half is equal parts milk and light cream. Its most commonly used in coffee. It’s sold in the stores as “half & half” which can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with it! Hope this helps. PS: you can sub with whole milk or buttermilk too.
Victoria says
This looks so moist! Nothing worse than “crummy cornbread” :) I could go for some of this right now with a cup of coffee. Will make this for Thanksgiving!!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Victoria, enjoy!!!