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.
Delicious! Followed the recipe as written; allowed to ferment on the kitchen counter for 2 hours, then refrigerated for 15 hours before baking. So very moist and had the perfect tangy flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!
Does this need to be refrigerated for the fermentation?
No.
I made this today to go with a pot of brown beans and wild pig. I may have used a little more than 1/2 cup of my starter and subbed 1/2 and 1/2 for the milk. I used my stand mixer and mixed only until the ingredients were incorporated and then went straight into the pan and in the preheated oven. I did not do an overnight fermentation because it was a last minute decision to make cornbread. The cornbread cut into nice little squares and was a wonderful addition to the meal with a little butter and clover honey!It wasn’t dry or crumbly as some reviewers reported. I will definitely make this again! I’m only a few weeks into my sourdough adventure and have never been a baker so I really appreciate these easy-to-follow recipes.
The recipe doesn’t say how much sourdough starter
Yes, it does. It’s listed in the recipe card! You need 1/2 cup starter.
So yummy and easy!
Can I double this recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan instead? Do I still cook for 20 min or 40min?
That should work! I would cook it for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Made this tonight last minute to go with ham and bean soup – turned out really good. Mixed it up and baked after letting it sit a few minutes. The flavor was super good!!
This will be my go to cornbread recipe!!!
Got your cookbook for Christmas; re-learning sourdough as a grandmother and it’s very helpful! I’ve cooked since a pre-teen, but never stop trying new things! Questions regarding this cornbread recipe: 1) Is it a “sweet” cornbread, as the non-sourdough ones I have made for years have much less sugar, so a little concerned, but then hesitate to alter the recipe before trying it once “as written.” 2) Have you ever baked this in a hot and greased cast-iron skillet so the bottom and sides are a little crispy?
Thanks again for the great recipes and tips!
Yes, to both! It’s not as sweet as a box of Jiffy, but it does have a little bit of sweetness.
Looking forward to trying this out 🥰 if I wanted to add some sautéed jalapeños & cheddar when would you suggest adding that in? Thank you in advance!!
I would add them after they ferment, whenever you add the egg!
Thank you!!
One last question, is this fermenting overnight (8-10 hours) on the counter or fridge?
This is a great cornbread recipe! I accidentally mixed the baking soda and powder in at the beginning because I was in a hurry and didn’t read everything properly. The texture was still perfect! It’s very flavorful, I’m definitely making this again! Thank you!
Really hoping this recipe is a winner! Idk why but other cornbreads I’ve made always turn out dry and gross. The recipe on the cornmeal bag is absolutely nasty lol. Hoping this is super moist and sweet ❤️