Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread, mix the dough or batter gently, bake until golden, and let it settle before serving so the texture has time to finish itself. This version keeps the inside soft and the edges worth tearing into.

Jump to Recipe

Cheddar jalapeño cornbread has a simple assignment: stay tender in the middle while giving you enough sharp cheese and pepper in every piece that plain cornbread starts looking underdressed. Yellow cornmeal and flour form the base, buttermilk keeps the crumb tender, melted butter brings richness, and a full cup of sharp cheddar gets divided between the batter and the top. The jalapeño is divided too, so its flavor runs through the bread instead of forming one surprise green district in a corner.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry only until the flour disappears, then fold in most of the cheese and pepper. Overmixing develops gluten and makes cornbread tougher, which is a lot of damage to cause just because you were enjoying the spoon. The reserved cheddar and jalapeño scatter over the surface before baking at 400°F, giving the top extra color, cheese, and visible heat. Let the pan rest 10 minutes after baking so the crumb has time to set before slicing. Honey is optional, but it makes sense if your jalapeño came out of the produce bin with unresolved anger issues.

Prep25 minutes

Cook30 minutes

Total55 minutes

Serves12 servings

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter, slightly cooled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced, divided
2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Instructions

1Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square or round baking pan.
2Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and honey if using.
4Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined -- a few lumps are fine. Fold in most of the cheddar cheese and diced jalapeno, reserving a small handful of each to sprinkle on top.
5Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the reserved cheese and jalapeno over the surface.
6Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 12 servings.

220Calories

6 gProtein

26 gCarbohydrates

10 gTotal Fat

6 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

8 gTotal Sugars

300 mgSodium

60 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry streaks disappear -- overmixing activates gluten and makes cornbread tough instead of tender.
Taste your jalapeno before deciding how much to use. Heat level varies a lot pepper to pepper, so start with one and add more if you want it spicier.
Let the cornbread rest in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing so it holds together instead of crumbling.