Aunt Jemima Cornbread Recipe: a Southern Classic

The Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe is the best Southern dish ever. Owing that to the special Aunt Jemima yellow cornbread, this one’s soft, light, and tangy, with some pungent flavor and a bit of sweetness to balance it out.

It’s not only easy to follow but this Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe could also be made gluten-free and vegan, if you wish, with only a few changes in some ingredients. Tender and crumby, you could serve it as a side dish, pairing it with meals like barbecue or chili. It also makes a great snack for those untimely cravings. Let’s take a look.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Tips
• Aunt Jemima Cornbread Recipe

Ingredients

• Aunt Jemima yellow cornmeal — 1 cup.
• All-purpose flour — 1 cup.
• Baking powder — 4 tsp.
• Egg — 1 pc.
• Milk — 1 cup.
• Vegetable oil — ¼ cup.
• Sugar — 3 tbsp.
• Salt — 1 tsp.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Combine the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour in a mixing bowl.

3. Then add egg, sugar, vegetable oil, and milk. Beat until smooth.

4. Lightly grease a baking dish and pour the mixture into it, and bake for 25 minutes.

Substitutions

• All-purpose flour — All-purpose flour provides a proper texture to your cornbread, making it an even tender crumb. You could also use whole-wheat flour, as a healthier alternative. The texture will be slightly denser and the taste will be a tad sweeter with a nutty flavor. Self-rising flour is another alternative, which will eliminate the need for baking powder.

• Milk — But milk is easily replaceable, even though you likely have some in your fridge. Buttermilk, a slightly sour version, will provide a different, tangy flavor to your cornbread. Sour cream could be used, but we recommend you turn to it only as a last resort. Greek yogurt and even water would be better alternatives.

• Baking powder — Aunt Jemima cornbread is known for being light and fluffy, and baking powder plays a huge role in that. If you’re short on baking powder, however, you could go with self-rising flour, which omits baking powder. Yeast would work well enough as a leavening agent. Baking soda alone won’t work, but you could combine it with cream of tartar or an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar.

Variations

• Gluten-free Aunt Jemima cornbread — Most cornbread doesn’t contain gluten, but you should always check the label. You can swap all-purpose flour for a gluten-free alternative. Buckwheat flour or almond flour are great.

• Vegan Aunt Jemima cornbread — Cornbread is already gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free, so you shouldn’t have any problems with that. Any plant-based milk will do, such as almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. When it comes to the egg, which works as a binder in this Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe, two tablespoons of flaxseed will easily replace it.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons and cups.

• Mixing bowl.

• 9 x 13 baking dish.

• Oven.

Storage

• You could store your cornbread at room temperature, simply by transferring it to an airtight container. It will last for up to three days.

• If you wish to enjoy the leftover cornbread longer, store it in your fridge, where it will last for a week.

• You could also freeze the cornbread. It will last for up to four months in your freezer.

Tips

• Adjust the sugar — Though it might not seem like that, sugar is really important in this Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe. It helps to balance the savory flavor of cornmeal, by adding a touch of sweetness to your cornbread. You could even increase the amount if you’re one of those with a sweet tooth.

• Can you make it ahead? — Yes, you absolutely can! Make the batter overnight and transfer it to your fridge, where it can last for a day.