Homemade Convenience Without the Box
Cornbread is one of those dependable side dishes that belongs beside chili, homemade soup, beans, barbecue, or a hearty stew. Having a few jars of homemade cornbread mix waiting in the pantry makes baking a fresh skillet nearly as convenient as opening a box.
Each jar contains everything needed for one batch of cornbread. When you are ready to bake, empty the jar into a bowl, add the eggs, milk, and butter, and pour the batter into a hot cast-iron skillet.
Why Make Your Own Cornbread Mix?
The familiar box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix contains 17 individually named ingredients when the preservatives used in the lard are counted separately. Along with flour, degermed cornmeal, sugar, leavening, and salt, it contains hydrogenated lard, BHT, citric acid, wheat starch, and the nutrients added to enriched flour.
BHT, or butylated hydroxytoluene, is a synthetic antioxidant used to keep the lard from becoming rancid while the mix sits on the shelf. Degermed cornmeal has had the oil-rich germ mechanically removed to extend its shelf life.
This homemade mix brings that list down to six familiar pantry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, pure cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. The butter is added fresh when you prepare the batter, so the dry mix does not need shelf-stable fat or a preservative to protect it.
Making the mix yourself also allows you to choose the flour and cornmeal you want to use. I prefer unbleached, unenriched all-purpose flour and good-quality cornmeal with no unnecessary additives.
A Homemade Jiffy-Style Cornbread
Traditional Southern cornbread often contains more cornmeal than flour and little or no sugar. That produces a more corn-forward flavor and a firmer, more crumbly texture.
This recipe uses equal amounts of flour and cornmeal, giving the cornbread a softer, lighter crumb that is closer to the familiar Jiffy style. Eggs and butter make it rich and tender, while baking it in a hot cast-iron skillet creates crisp, deeply golden edges.
The sugar is optional. Adding ¼ cup gives the cornbread a noticeable but balanced sweetness. If you prefer savory cornbread, simply leave the sugar out when preparing the jar.
Make One Jar or Fill the Pantry
Each jar holds the dry ingredients for one 10-inch skillet of cornbread. You can prepare a single jar or line up several and add the full amount of each ingredient to every jar.
Label each jar with the wet ingredients and baking directions so there is nothing to look up later. When you are ready to bake, shake the jar, empty the entire contents into a bowl, and add the eggs, milk, and butter.
These jars also make a thoughtful homemade gift. Add a simple label with the directions and pair the jar with a wooden spoon, a jar of local honey, or a favorite chili recipe.
DIY Cornbread Mix
Equipment
- airtight containers
Ingredients
For each Jar of Cornbread Mix
- 1 cup Corn meal
- 1 cup unbleached flour
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Pure cane sugar Or you can substitute honey in the wet ingredients
TO MAKE A PAN OF CORNBREAD
- 1 jar Homemade cornbread mIx
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 2 egg
- 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
To Prepare the Cornbread Mix Jar
- Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a 24-ounce or quart-size jar. Secure the lid and shake thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly combined.Label the jar with the wet ingredients and baking instructions. Store it tightly covered in a cool, dry pantry until ready to use.
To Make the Cornbread
- Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Put the skillet in the oven, then preheat the oven to 400°F. The skillet will heat as the oven preheats, and the butter will melt.Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and allow it to cool slightly.Shake the sealed jar thoroughly to redistribute any ingredients that may have settled during storage.Whisk the eggs, milk or buttermilk, and the 6 tablespoons of melted butter together in a large mixing bowl.Empty the entire jar of cornbread mix into the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Swirl the melted butter to coat the bottom and slightly up the sides of the skillet.Pour the batter into the center of the hot skillet. The melted butter will move around the edges of the batter and help create a crisp, golden crust.Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.Allow the cornbread to rest in the skillet for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Adding the sugar produces a lightly sweet, Jiffy-style cornbread. Leave it out if you prefer savory cornbread.Whole milk produces a milder flavor, while buttermilk adds a slight tang and creates a more tender crumb.