Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread Recipe

This jalapeno and cheddar cornbread recipe is savory, cheesy, and has a nice hint of spice for the tastiest cornbread that has ever hit your tastebuds. 

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Have you ever had cornbread that was soft and moist with a nice crunch around the edges? If you haven’t, I will tell you that you’re most definitely missing out.

I wholeheartedly believe that cornbread should be added to the “comfort food list”. Hear me out. It’s just one of the food choices out there that can be sweet, savory, tangy, spicy, smoky, and cheesy all at the same time. If that’s not a miracle then I don’t know what it! And what’s great about it is you can’t necessarily mess it up. You can also enjoy it alongside a hot bowl of pasta e fagioli soup.

I’ve lived in a lot of places but, nothing beats that good ole’ Southern Hospitality. Especially when my great grandmother made cornbread. I swear she couldn’t get it out of the oven fast enough before I was spreading butter on a slice of cornbread. She didn’t mind it though. Grandmother’s love to see their grandkids eat.. that’s how they show love.

Having my grandmother’s cornbread made me want to create my own version that I know she would be proud of and I think I did just that. My Jalapeno and Cheddar cornbread is savory, smoky, and cheesy with the right amount of sweetness to keep the family coming back for another slice.

Tools for success:

• 10 inch cast iron skillet
• mixing bowl
• mixing spoon
• measuring cups

How long will this Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread last?

• On the counter, the cornbread will last about 2 days.
• In the fridge, the cornbread will last for about a week. Make sure you wrap the cornbread in cling wrap or foil.
• In the freezer, the cornbread will last about 3 months. I like to wrap them in cling wrap and then place in a freezer bag or an airtight container.

Ingredients for Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread

• all purpose flour: Will make the jalapeno cheddar cornbread less crumbly and kind of spongy.
• fine ground cornmeal: I believe this is the best grind for cornmeal. It results in a smoother texture without making the cornbread gritty. You can of course use a medium ground cornmeal as well.
• unsalted butter: I prefer unsalted butter so that I can control the salt content.
• buttermilk: What good is cornbread without the tanginess of buttermilk? It will also make the jalapeno and cheddar cornbread moist!
• eggs: I used organic large brown eggs. It’s something about the richness and the healthy yellows of the eggs that makes me feel like whatever I’m baking of cooking is about to be delicious!
• sugar: I love cornbread with a little sweetness. You can also use brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
• shredded triple cheddar cheese: Cheese, cheese, and more cheese.
• jalapeno: I used fresh jalapenos right out of my raised bed garden and I could’t have felt more accomplished. And for some reason fresh veggies that you’ve grown yourself just taste so much better than the grocery store. And A plus is that it’s also cheaper!
• baking powder and baking soda: This will give the cornbread the give the jalapeno and cheddar cornbread a nice rise as well as making it fluffy.
• olive oil (or butter): this is to coat the hot cast iron skillet. I’ve always seen my grandma heat up her oil before pouring in her cornbread batter so, I’m keeping with the tradition.
• salt: Enhances the other flavors and balances the sugar out.

How to make this Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven with 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil and heat it up.

In a medium bowl mix together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted unsalted butter.

Then add flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Stir to combine.

Honestly, you can totally stop right here and have delicious buttermilk cornbread. But, if you’re ready to upgrade to the next level…continue on.

Go ahead and add in the smoked paprika. Then fold in shredded triple cheddar cheese and half of the chopped jalapenos.

Take the cast iron out of the oven and pour the jalapeno and cheddar batter into it. Add the remaining jalapenos to the top of the batter.

Place in oven and cook for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. You should be able to place a knife or tooth pick in the cornbread and it should come out clean.

Let the jalapeno and cheddar cornbread rest for 10-15 minutes then, dig in!

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Check out my other post:

• Perfectly Fluffy Homemade Sourdough Biscuits
• Sourdough Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

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