Lightly sweet cornbread is loaded with spicy jalapenos, onion and cheese in this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread recipe. 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 recipes too.
Cheddar Cheese Jalapeno 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.
- Sharp cheddar cheese adds texture and flavor!
- 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
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list for cheddar jalapeno cornbread.
- Cornmeal. Ground yellow cornmeal gives the cornbread its golden color and corn taste. If you prefer corn kernels, try my jiffy corn casserole instead.
- All-purpose flour. I 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 my 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. You can use any milk you have in the fridge! I’ve also used full fat sour cream instead of milk!
- Fresh Jalapeños. Seeded, diced jalapeño peppers give the bread the perfect kick of heat!
- Shredded Cheddar cheese. Feel free to swap the sharp cheddar for your favorite Mexican shredded cheese blend instead.
How to Make Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Here’s the great thing about making cornbread: you just toss all the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Move over jiffy cornbread, I’ve got an easy cornbread with jalapeno and cheddar cheese.
Make the cornbread batter.
- It doesn’t matter what order you add the ingredients as long as you blend everything together.
- After mixing, let the batter rest for about 5 minutes. 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.
Baking Time.
Pour cornbread batter into a greased cake pan and bake your cornbread for 20 – 22 minutes until golden brown. Cornbread is ready to eat right out of the oven!
You can also make cornbread in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet!
Tips & Tricks
- Serve warm or room temperature. This cheddar jalapeno cornbread recipe tastes delicious warm from the oven or cooled to room temperature.
- Don’t make it too far ahead of time. Cornbread tastes best when you eat it on the day you make it.
- 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. No parchment paper needed here.
- Drizzle of honey. You’ll love the sweetness of some fresh honey drizzled over the top. You can also use honey butter or hot honey for more flavor!
- Store- Keep leftover corn bread in an airtight container at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
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!
More Perfect Side Dish Recipes
- Slow Cooker Taco Chili
- Gouda Bacon Macaroni and Cheese…ultimate comfort food that pleases kids and adults!
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes…yes, bacon and cheese DO make everything better!
- Roasted Sweet Potato Fries with a creamy cinnamon dipping sauce!
- Sweet Potato Casserole
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Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe
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
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.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Such a great recipe!! Came out perfectly and tasted amazing.
SO good! I was a little skeptical about the dash of cinnamon but it was a tasty addition that contrasted nicely with the jalapeno!
I absolutely love this recipe! The combination of cheddar and jalapeños is always perfect
I totally need to try the hot dogs and corn muffin trick for school lunches. Genius!
My recipe collection looks amazingly similar. This cornbread is the way to my heart, especially will all the jalapenos!
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!
I can’t even imagine eating chili without Corn Bread!!! I love this version!
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!
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!
That looks terrific. Cannot wait to try it out!
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!
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!
oh girl… you have no idea how much I love Cornbread! And that mac and cheese 🙂 I’ll take both today please!!
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!
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!
Cornbread that spiked with some jalepeno sounds like the best kind to me! pinned
Thanks Averie, for the sweet words and pinning!!!