Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Updated Dec. 30, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 12tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter
- ¼ cup/84 grams honey
- 2¼ cups/590 milliliters buttermilk, at room temperature
- 3large eggs
- 1½ cups/180 grams cornmeal, preferably coarse
- 1cup/125 grams all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 to 4tablespoons chopped fresh or pickled jalapeño, seeded if desired for less heat
- 1½ cups/6 ounces shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack, or a combination
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
370 calories; 21 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 444 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 2
In a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook until the foam subsides and butter is golden and smells nutty, 4 to 7 minutes.
- Step 3
Transfer butter to a large heatproof bowl (do not wipe out the skillet). Into the bowl, whisk in honey, buttermilk and eggs until smooth. Then whisk in cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in jalapeños.
- Step 4
Scrape about half the batter into the skillet and top with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining batter and top it with the remaining cheese.
- Step 5
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes (a 10-inch skillet will take longer than a 12-inch). Cool in skillet for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
I'm not going to opine on flour and honey in cornbread (though as a southerner I do have opinions). But I will recommend you save a little time and effort and put the butter in the skillet and, instead of melting on the stovetop, put it in the oven and let it melt while the oven is preheating. In the meantime, mix dry things in one bowl, wet things in another. Mix together. When the butter is melted, pour it into your cornbread mix, then pour back in the skillet as directed in the recipe.
If you're using coarse-grind cornmeal, you'll want to whisk the cornmeal and buttermilk together and let them rest together awhile -- several hours is best -- before combining with the other ingredients, or the finished cornbread may retain an unpleasantly gritty mouthfeel.
The recommended coarse cornmeal will benefit from soaking in the buttermilk for at least 20 or 30 minutes before the batter is made.
Did anyone else find that a tablespoon and a half of baking powder seems like a lot?
I made this last night and it was really good. I did increase the amount of jalapeños but followed everything being the first time. The only change I would make next time would be to reduce the butter. It was just a little much for me. I thought the cheese amount was fine. Oh, I did soak my cornmeal in the buttermilk while prepping all the ingredients. I normally do that with all my cornbreads. Otherwise it was great!!
I don’t have a cultural or family tradition to judge this recipe by so I made it as written and found it to be a tasty and rich variation to the other cornbreads I’ve made before. No need to spread butter on this one! The cheese and butter inside will be enough. For those who like sopping up their chili, this is not necessary a great choice since it is so moist. On its own, it makes a nice snack the next day as well. In a hurry, I accidentally mixed in the cheese as opposed to layering it. It didn’t affect the outcome and may have made it better.