Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Lightly sweet cornbread is loaded with spicy jalapenos, onion and cheese in this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread recipe. It’s exactly the side dish you need on your dinner table tonight!

Make a pot of Smoky Sweet Potato Chili to serve with this jalapeno cornbread for the perfect southwestern themed meal. This White Chicken Chili is delicious with cornbread too.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread: easy, delicious, comfort food!


The Best Cornbread

Most cornbread falls into one of two categories: sweet and cakey or savory and crumbly.

This jalapeno cheddar cornbread is the best of all worlds.

  • Perfect balance of sweet, savory and spicy flavors.
  • Doesn’t fall apart when you slice it!
  • Easy to make with one bowl and one cake pan.
  • Serve it with all kinds of southwestern, southern or Mexican dishes!

If you haven’t yet found a cornbread you love, this cornbread with cheddar cheese and  jalapeños is here to change your mind.

Ingredient Notes

  • Cornmeal. Ground yellow cornmeal gives the cornbread its recognizable golden color and corn taste.
  • All-purpose flour. We use just slightly more flour than cornmeal for softer cornbread that doesn’t immediately turn to crumbs when sliced.
  • Vanilla extract. Surprised? The vanilla heightens the sweet corn flavor beautifully. Use our homemade vanilla extract for best results.
  • Cinnamon. Like the vanilla, this spice complements the sweetness of the cornbread.
  • Milk. I recommend buttermilk or buttermilk substitute for a moister bread. Or use any milk you have in the fridge!
  • Jalapenos. Seeded peppers give the bread the perfect kick of heat!
  • Cheddar cheese. Feel free to swap it for your favorite Mexican shredded cheese blend instead.

Easy Instructions

Here’s the great thing about making cornbread: you just toss all the ingredients in one big bowl and mix.

It doesn’t matter what order you add the ingredients as long as everything gets blended together. After mixing, let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.

Now it’s time to pour batter into a greased cake pan and bake your cornbread for 20 – 22 minutes. It’s ready to eat right out of the oven!

Tips & Tricks

  • Serve warm or room temperature. Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread tastes delicious both ways so feel free to cut up a big slice while it’s still fresh from the oven!
  • Don’t make it too far ahead of time. Cornbread tastes best eaten the same days it’s made, or up to a day later. After a couple of days it starts to taste stale.
  • Butter generously. I use a full 2 tablespoons of melted butter to coat the bottom of my cake pan. It doesn’t just keep cornbread from sticking—it helps brown the bottom of the bread with rich buttery flavor.

Recipe FAQs

Why do you have to let cornbread batter rest?

Letting the batter rest for a few minutes before baking gives the cornmeal time to absorb the moisture from the buttermilk and eggs. This step is important for making moist cornbread with a tender crumb.

Is this cornbread spice?

Our Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread recipe definitely has a kick but isn’t overwhelmingly spicy. The sweetness of the bread helps offset the heat.
If you want it less spicy, you could use less jalapeno in the recipe.

Can I make this in a different size pan? What about a skillet?

Yes, this recipe makes enough batter for a 9-inch round pan (that’s what I used), a standard 8-cup loaf pan or an 8×8 square baking dish.
I have not tested this as a skillet cornbread recipe, but if you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!

What can I serve with cornbread?

Chili is the classic accompaniment for cornbread. Here’s a vegetarian chili my family loves and a slow cooker chicken enchilada chili recipe for the meat lovers!

Cornbread isn’t just for chili. If you love southwestern flavors, make these Santa Fe Stuffed Peppers to serve with your homemade cornbread. This Southwest Chicken Salad is another great option!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread: easy, delicious, comfort food!

More Side Dish Recipes

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

4.80 from 5 votes
By: Aimee
Lightly sweet cornbread is loaded with spicy jalapenos, onion and cheese in this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread recipe. It's exactly the side dish you need on your dinner table tonight!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter for pan
  • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup milk buttermilk is best, but any milk works too
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 jalapenos seeded and diced
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 teaspoons minced onion
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Instructions 

  • In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Stir until blended. Allow to sit about 5 minutes in bowl.
  • Butter 9-inch round cake pan with 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Pour batter into pan.
  • Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-22 minutes. Serve immediately or cooled to room temperature.

Notes

  • Serve warm or room temperature. Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread tastes delicious both ways so feel free to cut up a big slice while it’s still fresh from the oven!
  • Don’t make it too far ahead of time. Cornbread tastes best eaten the same days it’s made, or up to a day later. After a couple of days it starts to taste stale.
  • Butter generously. I use a full 2 tablespoons of melted butter to coat the bottom of my cake pan. It doesn’t just keep cornbread from sticking—it helps brown the bottom of the bread with rich buttery flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 386mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g
Course: Breads
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!


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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

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Posted on February 13, 2014

Comments & Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    SO good! I was a little skeptical about the dash of cinnamon but it was a tasty addition that contrasted nicely with the jalapeno!

  2. My recipe collection looks amazingly similar. This cornbread is the way to my heart, especially will all the jalapenos!

  3. We love cornbread and yours sounds amazing spiced up with jalapenos! It would go perfectly with a bowl of chili to warm up with from this cold weather!

  4. I love jalapeno-cheddar cornbreads, and yours looks so delicious, Aimee! It’s just begging for a big bowl of chili to be dunked in to!

  5. I feel you! What I can never understand about myself is I find a million and one recipes I love all over the web (ahem, bloglovin feed and pinterest) and then when I have a chance to bake, my mind goes absolutely blank. I can’t help it. This cornbread leaves no questions in my mind though! Cornbread is a treat around here and the jalapeno addition sounds delicious!

  6. I get too much inspiration every day for recipes following blogs, cookbooks, and magazines! Thank heaven for Pinterest so I can keep a large part of them straight. I love cornbread in every variation, size and shape, so I’m pinning this. That taco chili sounds amazing and I can’t wait to see the post!

  7. AH your cookbook/magazine collection looks like mine (which also expands into a haphazard pile by the TV, lol.) Cornbread is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods, and jalapeno is basically mandatory. Love!

  8. oh girl… you have no idea how much I love Cornbread! And that mac and cheese 🙂 I’ll take both today please!!

  9. Yum! My husband would love this! I’ve had Jalapeno corn bread at a restaurant before and it was delicious! Would love to make this at home!

  10. I love a sweet cornbread buy my hubby loves the spicy!! I’m definitely going to make this for him when he gets home this Spring! GREAT recipe!

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