Sour Cream Cornbread: The Ultimate Sweet & Moist Side Dish Recipe

Welcome to the ultimate guide for creating the most delightful Sour Cream Cornbread you’ll ever taste. Forget dry, crumbly versions of the past; this easy recipe delivers a perfectly moist and sweet cornbread that will become an instant family favorite. Requiring minimal preparation and just one bowl, this homemade cornbread is designed for convenience without compromising on flavor or texture. Serve it warm with a generous dollop of salted butter, or elevate it further with a luscious honey butter for an unforgettable side dish.

This versatile sweet cornbread is an ideal accompaniment to a wide array of meals, making it perfect for any season. Imagine it alongside robust main courses like Barbecue Beef Sandwiches, tender Slow Cooker Ribs, or a hearty bowl of your favorite Chili. Its comforting sweetness and moist texture complement savory dishes beautifully, ensuring it’s a welcome addition to your table all year round.

Why This Sour Cream Cornbread Stands Out

As avid bread lovers, our kitchen often buzzes with the aroma of freshly baked goods, but cornbread holds a truly special place in our hearts. It’s not just its effortless preparation; it’s the incredible adaptability that makes it a staple. While we cherish our Traditional Cornbread Recipe, and occasionally indulge in a nostalgic Boston Market Cornbread copycat, or even these delightful Corn Muffins, this Sour Cream Cornbread quickly claimed a permanent spot in our regular rotation.

The secret to its exceptional qualities lies in the star ingredient: sour cream. This creamy addition doesn’t merely impart a subtle tang; it’s the key to infusing the cornbread with unparalleled moisture and a tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth. This recipe is a celebration of convenience and flavor, resulting in a sweet, moist, and utterly delicious cornbread that you can prepare in a single pan. The batter literally takes mere minutes to whisk together, after which it goes straight into the oven, emerging as an easy, incredibly tasty side dish that’s guaranteed to impress.

Key Ingredients for the Best Sour Cream Cornbread

Crafting the perfect moist and sweet cornbread starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:

• Cornmeal: For this recipe, we typically opt for yellow cornmeal due to its classic color and slightly richer flavor. It’s crucial to use straight cornmeal, not self-rising. Self-rising cornmeal contains leavening agents and salt, which would throw off the balance of this specific recipe. The cornmeal provides the signature gritty texture and robust corn flavor that defines cornbread.
• All-Purpose Flour: Our recipe features a 50/50 ratio of cornmeal to all-purpose flour. This balanced blend is essential for achieving the ideal texture. The cornmeal gives you that authentic cornbread character, while the flour contributes to a softer, more tender crumb, preventing the cornbread from becoming too dense or crumbly.
• Granulated Sugar: This is unequivocally a sweet cornbread recipe. The sugar is pivotal for achieving that delightful sweetness that perfectly complements the corn flavor and enhances the overall moisture. If you prefer a less sweet cornbread, you *might* be able to slightly reduce the sugar, but we haven’t tested variations and recommend sticking to the listed amount for the intended result.
• Salt: A small amount of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cornbread. It prevents the cornbread from tasting flat and brings out the best in the cornmeal and sour cream.
• Baking Soda: This leavening agent is essential for giving the cornbread its rise, creating a light and airy texture. When combined with the acidic sour cream, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles that lift the batter as it bakes.
• Sour Cream: This is the hero ingredient that makes this cornbread truly special. We exclusively use full-fat sour cream in our tests because its higher fat content contributes significantly to the cornbread’s moistness and rich flavor. While low-fat sour cream *might* work, we strongly advise against using fat-free versions, as they often lack the necessary fat and texture to achieve the desired results.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds richness and contributes to the tender texture of the cornbread. We prefer unsalted butter to control the overall salt content of the recipe. A pro tip: melt your butter before you start gathering other ingredients, allowing it to cool slightly before it’s mixed into the batter. Adding hot butter can prematurely cook the eggs.
• Large Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs for this recipe. Eggs act as a binder, helping to hold the cornbread together, and contribute to its structure and richness. For easier and more even incorporation into the batter, ensure your eggs are at room temperature.

How to Make Effortlessly Delicious Sour Cream Cornbread

Creating this incredibly moist and flavorful cornbread is surprisingly straightforward, requiring just one bowl for the batter. Follow these simple steps for perfect results every time:

Prepare Your Dry Ingredients

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, take a 9×9-inch baking dish and lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray or grease it thoroughly with butter or oil. This crucial step ensures your cornbread won’t stick and will release easily after baking. In a large mixing bowl – yes, just one! – combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk these dry ingredients together until they are well combined. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and flavorings throughout the batter.

Combine Wet Ingredients

Once your dry ingredients are mixed, create a small well in the center of the mixture. Into this well, pour the sour cream, the slightly cooled melted butter, and the room-temperature eggs. Adding the wet ingredients to a well helps prevent lumps and allows for easier incorporation.

Mix and Bake

Gently mix all the ingredients together until everything is just fully combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter, as over-mixing can lead to a tough, dry cornbread. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. Transfer the thick batter to your prepared 9×9-inch baking dish. The batter will be quite substantial, so it may take a little effort to spread it out. Use a spatula to spread it as evenly as possible across the dish for uniform baking. Place the dish in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 23-27 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Once baked, remove from the oven, let it cool slightly, then cut into slices and serve warm.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Sour Cream Cornbread Every Time

To ensure your Sour Cream Cornbread is always a resounding success, here are some invaluable tips and tricks:

• Cast Iron Pan Perfection: If you’re a fan of the crispy crust a cast iron pan provides, this recipe adapts beautifully. For a standard height cornbread, use a 10-inch cast iron skillet. A 12-inch cast iron pan will also work, but keep in mind that the cornbread will be slightly thinner and less tall due to the larger surface area. For best results with cast iron, preheat the empty skillet in the oven before adding the batter – this creates an incredible golden crust.
• Amazing Leftovers: Unlike many cornbread recipes that can dry out quickly, this sour cream version remains wonderfully moist and tender even the next day. This makes it an excellent choice for meal prepping or simply enjoying delicious leftovers without compromise. Store any remaining cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, a quick zap in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm oven will bring back its fresh-baked appeal.
• Doubling the Recipe: Planning for a larger gathering or simply want more of this delicious treat? This recipe is incredibly easy to double! Simply double all the ingredients and bake it in a 9×13-inch baking pan. The baking time might need to be extended by a few minutes, so always use the toothpick test to confirm doneness.
• Serving Suggestions Beyond a Side: While this cornbread makes an outstanding side dish for savory meals, don’t limit its potential! It also serves as a delightful treat or a light dessert after dinner. We love it topped with a pat of salted butter, a generous drizzle of honey, or a dollop of homemade Honey Butter. For a touch of gourmet, consider adding fresh berries or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
• Flavor Variations: Feel free to customize your cornbread! For a savory twist, try adding shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeños, or even some crispy bacon bits to the batter. For extra corn flavor and texture, fold in a half cup of fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels.
• Don’t Overmix: As mentioned in the instructions, overmixing is the enemy of tender baked goods. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. A slightly lumpy batter is better than a smooth, overmixed one.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensuring your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature allows them to incorporate more smoothly and evenly into the batter, leading to a more consistent texture in your finished cornbread.

More Easy Bread Recipes to Explore

If you’re looking for more simple and delicious bread recipes to complement your meals, be sure to check out these favorites:

• Peppery Cheese Bread
• Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits
• Chipotle Cheddar Scones

Looking for even more free recipes to add to your collection? Subscribe to our free recipe newsletter to receive new family-friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find more culinary inspiration and family-friendly ideas by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sour Cream Cornbread

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 27 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Servings: 9 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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Perfectly moist and sweet, this Sour Cream Cornbread only takes minutes to prep and only one bowl! Serve it up with salted butter or with honey butter for a perfect side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C). Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter or oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
3. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add the sour cream, melted butter, and eggs.
4. Mix just until everything is fully combined. Do not overmix.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. The batter is thick, so spread it as evenly in the dish as possible.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs, about 23-27 minutes.
7. Cut into slices to serve.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 serving,
Calories: 302 kcal (15%),
Carbohydrates: 22g (7%),
Protein: 3g (6%),
Fat: 17g (26%),
Saturated Fat: 10g (63%),
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 4g,
Trans Fat: 0g,
Cholesterol: 89mg (30%),
Sodium: 303mg (13%),
Potassium: 51mg (1%),
Fiber: 0g,
Sugar: 12g (13%)

Keywords: bread recipe, corn bread, quick bread, moist cornbread, sweet cornbread