Super moist sourdough cornbread is the perfect combination of savory and sweet. Serve with a drizzle of honey for the perfect companion to a hearty meal.
Cornbread is just one of those foods that brings instant comfort. Most likely it is because it makes the perfect side dish to pumpkin chili or Dutch oven beef stew, or is even delicious simply topped with homemade herb butter or peach preserves. It’s that kind of rustic farm food that fills bellies, and something your kids will talk about when they are grown up and out of the house.
This easy sourdough cornbread has the perfect crumbly texture, and is moist with a tender crumb and slight sourdough tang. You can mix it up and bake it right away, or ferment it overnight for the most health benefits and stronger sour flavors. You are going to love this easy recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sourdough discard – I love sourdough discard recipes as it is a great way to use up leftover sourdough starter. This is a great recipe to make if you are a sourdough baker with excess discard on hand! If you need more recipes to use up discard, check out these 15+ healthy sourdough discard recipes.
Easy to digest – If you choose the long fermentation route, fermented grains make this recipe easier to digest. Fermentation breaks down the gluten, making it easier to digest. It also breaks down the anti-nutrient, phytic acid, which in turn makes the nutrients more bio-available for your body to absorb.
Simple ingredients – No hard to find ingredients for this delicious cornbread – just pantry staples.
Ingredients
Butter – You can also use another neutral oil, like avocado oil or coconut oil.
Milk – Preferably whole for best results in flavor and texture.
Sourdough starter – Active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard can work in this recipe. This is due to the fact that the sourdough isn’t what is giving this recipe rise, rather the baking soda and baking powder. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you can learn how to make your own starter here.
Yellow cornmeal – You can make your own by grinding popcorn in a grain mill.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Sourdough Cornbread
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is preheated, add one tablespoon of butter to a 10-12” cast iron skillet and place into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the butter and heat the pan.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, and cane sugar until combined.
Step 3: Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter and whisk into the egg and sugar mixture along with the milk.
Step 4: Once the mixture is combined, stir in the sourdough discard until fully incorporated.
Step 5: In a separate bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 6: Use a spatula to gently stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 7: Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and pour the batter into the hot cast iron skillet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Step 8: Let cool for about 20 – 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to Long Ferment Sourdough Cornbread
The Night Before
Step 1: Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, honey, milk, 8 tablespoons of melted butter, and sourdough starter. Mix well.
Step 2: Cover with plastic wrap, a damp tea towel, lid, or foil. Allow to ferment for 12-18 hours. Allow to ferment for 12-18 hours. (If you don’t feel comfortable leaving milk out at room temperature, you can substitute water. I personally use milk!)
The Next Day
Step 1: Sprinkle baking powder and salt over the fermented dough. Add the egg and mix well. This is easiest using a stand mixer.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to a 10-12” cast iron skillet and place into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the butter.
Step 3: Remove from the oven and pour the batter into the cast iron skillet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Step 4: Let cool for about 20 – 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the milk for a non-dairy milk and butter for another neutral oil, like avocado.
- You can make your own cornmeal by running popcorn through your grain mill. Just make sure your grain mill is made for such things before you do this.
- For more texture, add some canned or frozen corn to the batter before baking.
Recipe FAQs
Yellow cornmeal offers the most classic flavor and is what is used in this recipe.
You can use a flaxseed egg or yogurt as a substitute. I have not tried either of these, but they should work.
Yes. Sourdough discard or active starter will work for this recipe. This is because this recipe relies on baking soda and baking powder to give the bread rise.
Place leftover cornbread in an airtight container or Ziplock bag and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. For longer term storage, freeze for up to 6 months in a freezer safe Zip-lock.
More Sourdough Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
- Sourdough Carrot Cake
- Sourdough Chocolate Bread
- The Best Cinnamon Maple Sourdough Apple Cobbler
- Homemade Sourdough Bagels
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Cornbread
Video
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet 10 to 12 inches
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup white cane sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is preheated, add one tablespoon of butter to a 10-12” cast iron skillet and place into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the butter and heat the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, and cane sugar until combined.
- Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter and whisk into the egg and sugar mixture along with the milk.
- Once the mixture is combined, stir in the sourdough discard until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Use a spatula to gently stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Remove from the oven and pour the batter into the hot cast iron skillet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool for about 20 – 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the milk for a non-dairy milk and butter for another neutral oil, like avocado or coconut oil.
- You can make your own cornmeal by running popcorn through your grain mill. Just make sure your grain mill is made for such things before you do this.
- For more texture, add some canned or frozen corn to the batter before baking.
- See post for notes on ingredients and how to long ferment this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my favorite cornbread recipe. I’ve made it several times now. I only add about 4 tsp of sugar though and it’s the perfect sweetness for us. Thank you, Lisa!
So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Lisa! Thanks for this recipe; I tried it today but it was super crumbly. What did I do wrong?
Oh bummer. I’m sorry. What is the hydration of your starter. That may have something to do with it.
Could honey be used as a substitute for sugar in this recipe? If yes, what would a good amount be?
Probably, I’ve never tried it but if I were to, I would probably use 1/3 cup honey and reduce the milk a little bit. Start at 1/4 cup, see if that works, and if it needs it add a little bit more until the desired consistency is reached.
Is it possible to mix this without a stand mixer? Trying to decide whether to completely make this at home (with the mixer) or ferment at home, but mix and bake up on Thanksgiving Day so it’s warm (in a house without mixer). Thanks!
Sorry this is a little late. You can mix it up with out a stand mixer, but it will be a little challenging. I suggest using your hands to bread it all up.
How do I make sourdough starter?
I’m not understanding is sourdough something you made or buy?
Thank you.
Marlene
It is something you make. The easiest way to get a sourdough starter is from a friend or you can follow this post here: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/make-sourdough-starter-scratch
Thank you Lisa for another fantastic recipe 🙂 My kids loved this so much they voted it their favorite (we’ve tried a bunch of recipes)! I am having a lot of fun playing with my starter and your website has been the best place for excellent recipes. Blessings to you for all you share!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I had just made a sponge for a sourdough cornbread, when your newsletter (about cornbread and chili) turned up in my email. My recipe is from a book that I have. Only 2 hr. pre-fermentation. Your recipe will be next with the overnight one. I’ll have to check my grain mill manual if I can use popcorn. I have been using Bob’s Red Mill ground corn meal. Freshly milled is probably much better tasting.
I have the same grain mill as Lisa but mine says to not use popcorn kernels in it. A lot of other YouTube videos I’ve seen with my same grain mill do use popcorn kernels. I am so confused! I want to try it but am unsure. Lisa help!
Oh haha I never read the manual! Maybe you’re not supposed to, but I did it all the time.
Any chance I could use kefir instead of milk!? Can’t wait to try, love all your recipes!
I made this today (started last night and fermented it overnight). Mine got much browner on top (still delicious looking but had to cover with foil) and took an additional 15 mins to bake…? I don’t know what that’s about! Waiting for it to cool and hoping it’s delicious – it looks great!
Hope you still enjoyed it. It could be a difference in oven temperature. What size pan did you use?
Making today! Going to make my corndog with this recipe for supper.
So funny, I too am making this recipe on september 11th, but i started it yesterday the 10th!!! It’s in the oven baking now. Must be something in the air calling us to make cornbread!