Until then, check out more Cookbook Showdowns from Book Riot: Cornbread changed significantly as the technology for processing cornmeal changed in the early 20th century. Traditional stone mills went out of favor when the more powerful steel mills took over the Southern U.S. While the new mills made for finer, more consistent, and more shelf-stable corn meal, it also meant much of the corn kernels were sorted out, eliminating much of the flavor, sweetness, and nutritional value. That change led bakers to begin adding leaveners like baking soda, additional wheat flour, and sugar or honey to imitate the flavor and texture of cornbread made from stone-ground cornmeal. This is important context to understand in today’s raging debates over whether or not sweetener should be added to cornbread. Cornbread is wonderfully versatile, and many different add-ins can be considered. Some recipes add fresh corn kernels or creamed corn. Others include onions, jalapeño, bacon, cheese, or other flavorful ingredients. For this cookbook showdown, I tested some classic recipes and some that experimented with additional ingredients. Traditional Southern cornbread is often baked in a cast iron skillet. This helps create an even, golden crust and soft interior. If you don’t have cast iron cookware at home, don’t be afraid of trying other oven-safe heavy bottomed pans or stoneware. Cornbread is forgiving! Now, let’s get to the good stuff.
Nicole A. Taylor’s Cornbread Scores
Appearance: 4/5 — Great browning, gentle rise, and definitely appetizing, although the pork crackling created some inconsistency on the top.Taste: 3/5 — Honestly, I had to grade hard for this, as all the recipes turned out really well. This one had the least corn flavor, but I would totally enjoy using it to sop up the sauce in a big Southern meal.Texture: 2.5/5 — This was definitely in the realm of normal for cornbread, but without the added flour, it was denser and crumblier than the other recipes. I didn’t love the chewiness of the pork crackling and don’t think it contributed much to the flavor.Difficulty: Easy — With a short list of ingredients and only a few steps, it doesn’t get much easier than this.
Cheryl Day’s Sweet Corn Cornbread
This is a classic recipe of the flourier and sweeter variety, with all the basics one would expect. It’s sweetened with sugar and honey, plus the natural sweetness in the fresh corn. The biggest surprise for me was that it’s baked in a baking pan instead of a cast iron skillet. I used a stoneware pan and got a great golden crust. Take a look at the results.
Cheryl Day’s Cornbread Scores
Appearance: 4.5/5 — It’s got a nice golden yellow color and cut out of the pan cleanly. What more can you ask for?Taste 5/5 — Absolutely delicious! If you’re on team no-added-sugar-in-cornbread, you might not love the sweetness of the sugar and honey, but I think it created a great blend of savory and sweet.Texture: 4/5 — It’s got the soft cakey texture I expect from cornbread, although it doesn’t have quite the crispy crust you would get from cast iron. The fresh corn kernels gave it a nice added chew.Difficulty: Easy — This recipe is laid out clearly and simply. It’s a great choice for beginners.
Vallery Lomas’s Cornbread Scores
Appearance: 4/5 — The extra melted butter in the pan created a bit of a strange lip on the top of the bread, but otherwise, this is mouth-wateringly perfect.Taste: 4/5 — This was absolutely delicious, but it didn’t have the strongest corn flavor and was a bit dense. The creamed corn was a nice touch and certainly easier than finding fresh corn.Texture: 3.5/5 — It was a smidge dense and crumbly, but still within a very normal range for good cornbread.Difficulty: Easy — Melting the butter in the cast iron skillet saves a step, and the creamed corn adds extra flavor and texture without having to prep fresh corn. The hot skillet can be a challenge for young bakers, but otherwise this is a great recipe for young, old, beginner, and experienced chefs.
Claire Saffitz’s Cornbread Scores
Appearance: 4/5 — Golden brown and brimming with fillings, it was love at first sight for me and this cornbread.Taste: 4/5 – The bacon, jalapeño, scallions, and fresh corn made for a well-rounded flavor. At first, it didn’t taste much like cornbread to me, but I found that the flavor was even better on the second day.Texture: 3.5/5 — This was a very cake-like cornbread. Soft and fluffy with added chew from all the mix-ins, it was great, but not exactly what I would expect from cornbread.Difficulty: Medium — Cooking all the additional ingredients makes this a little trickier than your average cornbread, but it’s certainly worth the trouble. I think the biggest thing I learned in this Cookbook Showdown is that you can measure a cookbook by the strength of its cornbread. It’s a simple and versatile dish, and seeing how a chef approaches it can tell you a lot about how much they stick to tradition or dare to experiment with their recipes. It can show you if that cookbook author has a bit of a sweet tooth, enjoys adding fresh ingredients, or likes to find creative shortcuts. And as cornbread recipes often get passed down through the generations, you can get a peek into that chef’s culinary family history. But I didn’t come here to make cornbread friends; I came here to pick a winner. So without further ado, I present to you… Yet again, Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking proves it’s a must-have cookbook. But will it come out on top on our next Cookbook Showdown? Stay tuned to find out! Cookbook Showdown: Best Waffle Recipes Cookbook Showdown: Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipes Cookbook Showdown: Best Grilled Cheese Recipes
