If there is one thing I know, it’s bomb cornbread. And my homemade Jiffy cornbread recipe is legit better than the box ever was. This one crushes the store-bought game with its perfectly sweet, moist, melt in your mouth tender texture. One bite and you will be wondering where this version of Jiffy cornbread has been all your life. Slather with warm butter, grab and napkin and getting eating. Forget that box for good boos!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“Loved it! Actually better than the jiffy mix brand in my opinion.”
—CORINA.
Jiffy cornbread was a big deal in my home y’all. While we Southern folks made plenty of homemade cornbread, my mama really loved quickly opening up a box, mixing together the batter and throwing it in the oven in… well… a “jiffy”. The sweat tender cornbread was quite the staple whether we made it old school style in a cast iron skillet greased in bacon fat or in individual muffin tins for personal servings and snacks. Either way, we got down on it for reals.
Most have jazzed up the box making it their own but honestly you can make it even better by making the whole thing from scratch with ingredients you probably already have. Let me show you how.
What is Jiffy Cornbread?
Jiffy cornbread has been around since 1930. Its reliable mixes have been popular since they debuted. It gets the fun name “jiffy” because it comes together quickly and is super easy to make. Basically you whisk the ingredients together with a few outside additions and bake. What makes Jiffy such a popular mix is the sweet flavor and light fluffy texture. It’s almost like a cross between cornbread and cake.
The Lowdown of The Best Jiffy Cornbread Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort Shortcut
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with some substitutions
Key Flavor: Sweet, Moist Cornbread Goodness
Skill Level: Easy (No Sweat Fam!)
Ditching the Box
You skip all the artificial stuff and make your cornbread with real ingredients.
Quick and Easy
This goes from pantry to your belly in less than an hour.
Crowd Pleaser
I don’t know one soul that doesn’t like hearty cornbread. It is the most versatile side ever, and folks will ask for seconds, trust!
Perfect Taste and Texture
I can’t stand crumbly dry cornbread. This jiffy cornbread recipe is anything but! It’s perfectly moist and tender boos.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Homemade Jiffy Cornbread
For the Jiffy Cornbread Mix
- Cornmeal: We ain’t making cornbread without this key ingredient. Cornmeal is gonna give that distinct corn flavor and gritty texture from the grinding down of the kernels.
- Flour: This balances the gritty taste adding structure and a much more tender and soft texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Because Jiffy cornbread is essentially sweet cornbread, we gotta add this in boos.
- Leavening: I use both baking powder and baking soda here to lighten the cornbread and give it a nice fluffy lift. They both release gas in the batter which expands when baked.
- Salt: This enhances all of the flavors and mellows out the sweetness.
For the Wet Ingredients
- Buttermilk: This rich tangy liquid tenderizes and moistens the batter. The lactic acid reacts with the leavening and softens the proteins in the dry ingredients creating a softer more tender crumb.
- Eggs: These provide structure and stability binding everything together.
- Vegetable Oil– It coats the crumb and adds more richness and moisture. Ain’t no dry cornbread around these parts!
How to Make Jiffy Cornbread From Scratch
Step 1: Crank Up the Heat and Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit then get your muffin pan ready with some liners.
- In a big ol’ bowl, grab your whisk and mix up the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and oil. Get it all nice and smooth boos.
Step 2: Let all the Ingredients Mingle
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and combine. Don’t go crazy and overdo it.
PRO TIP: Don’t go crazy and overdo the mixing y’all. We want a little texture but not a perfectly smooth batter. The more you mix, the more you overactive the gluten creating tough cornbread.
Step 3: Fill and Bake
- Scoop the cornbread batter into the muffin liners – aim for about ⅔ to ¾ of the way so it has room to rise.
- Pop them in the preheated oven and bake for 14-20 or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean boos.
- Let them chill a bit then serve them up boos.
How to Serve this Jiffy Cornbread Copycat Recipe
- Chili: Ain’t nothing like Jiffy cornbread served with literally the best chili on earth. I make this all the time when the weather turns a bit chilly.
- BBQ Side: You gotta have a big basket of these with some baby back ribs, honey bbq wings, fried corn, potato salad, and don’t forget the sweet tea.
- Hearty Stews and Soups: When it gets a bit cold, serve this homemade Jiffy cornbread with some beef stew, creamy chicken noodle soup, and Italian wedding soup.
- Southern Spread: Now you know you can’t have no fried chicken, candied yams, and turnip greens or collard greens without some cornbread.
- Classic Comfort: I love serving this with some red beans and rice or lemon chicken and rice casserole.
- Tex Mex Meal: These jiffy cornbread muffins are great with this taco soup, sheet pan steak fajitas, Dorito casserole and some Mexican rice.
Recipe Substitutions
- Sugar: Swap in some light brown sugar. Just know that the muffins will be a bit different in texture and sweetness from the added molasses.
- Buttermilk: Make your own boos if you ain’t got some lying around. Just add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it set for about 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. You can also thin out some thick plain yogurt or sour cream with milk and use as well.
- Oil: Another neutral oil like canola oil will work here. You can also use melted butter here but it will make the muffins a little less moist but will taste super rich in flavor.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-Free: You can replace the all-purpose flour with 1:1 ratio gluten-free baking flour but just know the texture may change slightly.
- Cheese It Up: Adding in cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack, or crumbled cojita for a nice melty remix.
- Honey it Up: While these already have a nice sweet kick, a natural honey will add an additional depth of sweetness. Maple syrup is also a unique twist as well.
- Herb it Up: Add in some herbs like chives, parsley or thyme for an earthy twist.
- Spice it up: You can give more savory vibes with spices like chili powder, paprika, cayenne or even cumin in the batter. You can also give some warm tones with cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Bacon: Now y’all know adding crumbled bacon will give some salty savory crunch and texture.
- Stir in Vegetables: Finely chop and dice up veggies like onions, bell pepper or even some corn. That’s texture and nutritional benefit right there.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use the right cornmeal: Y’all make sure you don’t grab the coarse-grind cornmeal because it creates a dryer crumbly super coarse texture. The grit will be too much. Make sure to use the fine grind instead.
- Room Temp: Make sure those eggs and buttermilk are room temp y’all. This will ensure all the ingredients incorporate better.
- Don’t over mix! Once things are combined, don’t over mix or you could create a tougher batter that is dense and not soft and tender.
- Don’t overfill: Don’t go beyond 3/4s full in each liner or you could have a spillage mess in your oven.
- Cool the muffins in the muffin pan: Allow the muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will make sure the muffins shape up and won’t break apart during the transfer.
How to Store Copycat Jiffy Cornbread
- Room Temperature: Jiffy cornbread recipe leftovers can be stored at room temp in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Muffins will stay fresh for 1-2 days at room temperature.
- Fridge: I personally wouldn’t store leftovers in the fridge. They will dry out and lose their amazing texture.
- Freezer: Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap then add them to a resealable plastic bag. It will stay fresh for 2-3 months in the freezer. Let them thaw at room temp when you want to eat again.
- Reheating: You can add a little warmth to your cornbread in the microwave. Cover your homemade Jiffy cornbread with a damp paper towel and microwave in increments of 10 seconds until warmed through. Be careful not to overdo it or you will end up with dry cornbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely go for fine or medium grind. Coarse is too gritty and can result in a more crumbly cornbread y’all.
Yep of course boos. Just grease your muffin pan and proceed with the recipe. You can also cook all the batter in a greased round cake pan or cast iron skillet as well.
Oh no boos! This can happen for a few reasons. Make sure you measure your ingredients correctly. Being off on ratios can change a recipe super fast. Secondly, make sure you don’t overmix that batter and make it dense and dry. And lastly, check that bake time boos. If you overbake, you can dry cornbread out in a “jiffy”.
Yep for sure boos! Cornmeal is naturally gluten free since it doesn’t contain any wheat or gluten containing grains. For the flour however, replace the all purpose flour with a gluten free all purpose flour or a cup for cup flour like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill and you should have great success.
Other Cornbread Recipes to Try
- Hot Water Cornbread
- Mexican Cornbread
- Fried Cornbread
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Southern Cornbread
- Johnny Cakes
- Cornbread Salad
- Cornmeal Cake
Jiffy Cornbread Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and oil until combined then pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until it just comes together. No need to overmix but make sure it is well combined.
- Add batter to muffin liners going about ⅔-¾ of the way up and bake for 14-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy.
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Hello,
Does it matter if you use self-rising cornmeal?
Hi Elaine, yes, if you use self rising cornmeal it’s going to have more fluff so the texture will change.
I don’t often make cornbread from scratch and have been a fan of Jiffy mix for many years. I think my Jiffy days are over now, though! This recipe is fantastic. It has a slightly lighter texture than Jiffy. I thought the batter looked too wet but followed the recipe (although I only made 1/2 recipe–10 perfect muffins). This recipe will be a favorite for years to come, was a perfect side with the hamburger soup I made. Thank you, I am now a subscriber.
Wow I’m so glad you enjoyed this. It really is delish!
Hi,
I noticed in the video you use sour cream in the cornbread mixture but you didn’t have sour cream as one of your ingredients. Can you please tell me how much you put in the cornbread mixture. Thank You!
Hi,
I noticed in the video you use sour cream in the cornbread mixture but you didn’t have sour cream as one of your ingredients. Can you please tell me how much you put in the cornbread mixture. Thank You!
I would like to know if this can be baked in a loaf pan or square pan instead of muffin pan.
Thank you.
It definitely can be baked in whatever pan you like for sure.