Name: Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick); ½ cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup cornmeal; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 large egg; ½ cup whole milk; ½ cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon jalapeños (chopped (pickled or fresh)); 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

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This jalapeño cheddar cornbread is moist, tender, and absolutely amazing! It’s my husband John’s recipe, and we bake it in a small cast iron skillet. It has crispy edges, a soft cheesy center, and just enough heat from the jalapeños.

Slices of jalapeno cornbread on a wooden board.

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John has been making this cornbread for years, and it’s hands down one of my favorites. He makes a good masa cornbread, too. Both of them are incredibly good.

This one is made in a hot skillet with melted butter, sharp cheddar cheese, and bits of fresh jalapeño. It usually disappears while we’re waiting for the main dish.

It’s a small-batch recipe, so it’s perfect for two to four people without leaving you with a giant pan of leftovers. We make it almost every time we have chili, soup, or meat off the grill.

Kim’s Tips for Great Cornbread

Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing is the easiest way to end up with dense, tough cornbread. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. A few small lumps are fine.
Make sure the skillet is hot when the batter goes in. The hot skillet and hot, melted butter create crispy, golden brown edges. Don’t skip this step!
Grate the cheese off the block. Pre-shredded bagged cheese has anti-caking agents that cause the cheese not to melt as well. Shredding off the block makes a big difference.
Start checking early. Ovens vary, so start checking the cornbread for doneness a little early. I usually start checking with a toothpick around the 35-minute mark.

Ingredients

You’ll need both all-purpose flour and yellow cornmeal to make the base of the cornbread. Use plain cornmeal without leavening agents, since those are added separately.
We use whole milk and buttermilk for the liquid. It’s important to use full-fat versions of both to provide moisture and keep the cornbread from drying out.
Jalapeños are a must! You can use pickled or fresh. If using fresh, remove the seeds to keep the heat at a minimum or leave them for a spicier flavor.
We like to use sharp cheddar cheese since you can actually taste it mixed with the other ingredients.
Everything else we use is pantry staples and listed in the recipe card below.

How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Step-by-Step

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F, and placing the butter in a 6-inch oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Place the skillet in the oven until the butter melts, then remove it.

While the butter melts, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and buttermilk. Then drizzle in the melted butter. Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients just until combined.

Batter for jalapeno cornbread in a bowl.

Overhead view of cornbread in a cast iron pan.

Fold in the cheese and jalapeños, and pour the batter into the hot skillet. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Start checking at around 35 minutes to be sure it doesn’t overbake. The top will be golden brown and the edges will pull away very slightly from the skillet.

Serve the cornbread warm out of the pan with butter or a drizzle of honey.