Add some heat and sweetness to your dinner table with Mexican cornbread. It amplifies all the things we love about a good cornbread. This recipe for Mexican cornbread is moist and flavorful and transforms the classic dish from a side into one of the stars of your meals or potlucks. How to make Mexican cornbread, you ask? It starts with getting cheesier and spicier than the original (don’t worry, it won’t make you feel like you’re in a Hot Ones challenge). Because the recipe enhances the savory flavors, these cornbread squares can also be kept as snacks.
This Mexican cornbread recipe makes a decent-sized batch, so it’s a good recipe to file away when planning to feed bigger groups.
Mexican Cornbread Ingredients
- Cornbread/muffin mix: Using a premade cornbread mix will simplify prep. You can use your preferred choice, including one that’s gluten-free if you have dietary restrictions.
- Onion: Onion adds savory and sweet notes to balance out the other flavors. We recommend a yellow or sweet onion here, but depending on taste preferences it can be omitted.
- Cheddar cheese: On the sharper side of cheeses, cheddar cheese provides a rich, deeper flavor and a crave-worthy creaminess. For optimal taste and texture, freshly grate your cheddar. You can also use pre-shredded cheese if you don’t have fresh.
- Cream-style corn: As its name suggests, cream-style corn is already creamy, providing moisture and liquid to your recipe, along with the sweetness from the corn. It’s also known as creamed corn.
- Sour cream: Sour cream adds moisture to the recipe and a little bit of tang that balances the richness of the corn and cheese.
- Eggs: Eggs help the cornbread rise.
- Green chiles: Heavier on the flavor than they are the heat, green chiles are tender, mild and add a compelling savoriness to your dish. Depending on the brand you get, they can add a rustic or smoky touch to your cornbread.
- Jalapeño: Despite what some may think, jalapeños aren’t the spiciest members of the pepper family, especially if you remove the seeds and membranes. They have a fresh, herbaceous flavor with a little bit of heat.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the cornbread mixture
In a large bowl, combine cornbread mix and onion. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the cornbread mixture just until moistened. Pour into a greased 13×9-inch baking dish.
Editor’s Tip: Use disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers. If you don’t have any gloves, be careful not to touch your face. The oils can stick to your skin for a while.
Step 2: Bake the cornbread
Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes or until the cornbread is lightly browned and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Serve warm.
Mexican Cornbread Variations
- Sweeten it up: Top your cornbread with a honey butter glaze for a little extra sweetness.
- Pepper play: To increase the heat (slightly), you can swap out cheddar cheese for Pepper Jack.
- Go green: Incorporate some flavor-packed herbs into this recipe for Mexican cornbread. Try some fresh chives or cilantro and add them to the batter as well as use them as garnishes.
How to Store Mexican Cornbread
Refrigerate your leftover Mexican cornbread in an airtight container for up to three days.
Can you freeze Mexican cornbread?
Yes, you can also freeze it! Just wrap it tightly in plastic and wrap that in aluminum foil for extra protection against freezer burn. You can store the cornbread for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Make sure to warm your cornbread up in the oven before serving!
Mexican Cornbread Tips
How spicy are jalapeños?
Chili peppers’ heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A sweet bell pepper measures 0 SHU and doesn’t have any spice. At the higher end of the scale is a habanero, which falls between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU (very spicy). A jalapeño pepper has between 1,000 and 2,000 SHU, so they really won’t be that hot. Note that the spice resides in the seeds and membrane, so if you cut them out, you’ll reduce the heat.
But if you don’t like heat, you can omit the jalapeño in this recipe for Mexican cornbread.
Can I make this with regular canned corn?
Cream-style corn has pureed corn and more liquid, so using canned corn will change the final result. If you only have canned corn, blend it with a little liquid (milk or water works) until it’s more of a pureed consistency. If you have time, you can also make your own creamed corn.
What should I serve with Mexican cornbread?
You can go with a hearty chili dish and it’s a classic duo for a reason. The cornbread pairs well alongside other rich dishes like ribs. But if you want something on the lighter side, a salad is a great accompaniment.
