Who said cornbread has to be humble? It’s the star of the holiday bread basket, a staple at barbecues, and a vehicle for butter, syrup, and creative toppings. Cornbread can be sweet, spicy, crunchy, tender, and creatively shaped, filled, and topped — you just have to find your favorite. Cornbread is ever so versatile as a bread, snack, side dish, or a small plate and we’re thrilled to share our best cornbread recipes from some of our favorite chefs.
Virtue Cornbread
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall
Slightly sweet and buttery, this classic Southern cornbread is a must-order at Virtue, Erick Williams’ flagship restaurant in Chicago, where he celebrates the food of the Great Migration. Repurpose any leftovers in his recipes for Lobster Tournedos with Cornbread or Blueberry Cornbread French Toast.
Jalapeño Cornbread
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Orlando-based chef Tim Keating fills his cornbread with chopped jalapeño, red pepper, and corn kernels for a very hearty round. Those additions add sweet and spicy notes to the bread, which we especially love when baked in a cast-iron skillet.
Cast-Iron Cornbread
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Chef Tiffany Derry of Roots Southern Table in Dallas combines sharp, tangy cheddar with a fresh jalapeño pepper for a kick that’s just right. She also studs her fluffy cornbread with thawed frozen corn kernels for extra pops of sweetness.
Buttermilk Cornbread
Victor Protasio
Former F&W Test Kitchen editor Josh Miller developed this recipe as an homage to the best practices of his family across generations. It’s stunning solo but will keep its crunch and retain its structure if cubed and folded into a dressing for Thanksgiving.
Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins
Kelly Marshall
At his dinner parties in Harlem, chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls pairs creamy, slightly spicy, fresh deviled crab with tender corn muffins, barely sweetened with brown sugar and studded with corn kernels, for a quick one-bite appetizer.
Iron Skillet Cornbread
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This show-stopping skillet cornbread from Indianola restaurant in Houston, Texas, features three homemade toppings: richly flavored spiced cane syrup, crispy fried beluga lentils, and jalapeño-onion spread for heat — as well as Ruby Red grapefruit segments, fresh dill, and flaky sea salt. Piled on top of the cornbread, made with Hopi Blue cornmeal, they make for a festive, colorful presentation.
Blueberry Cornbread French Toast
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall
Cornbread and blueberries are natural partners, especially in this French toast recipe by Erick Williams. Dipping cornbread into the blueberry-infused batter gives the bread a beautiful blue marbled pattern while retaining its texture. Be sure to just dip it in the batter and not soak the bread; otherwise, it will fall apart.
Skillet Cornbread
© Abby Hocking
Chef and TV personality Carla Hall uses creamed corn in her skillet cornbread to give the finished result an extra luxe texture.
Chicken Pot Pie Cornbread Muffins
© Scott Hocker
These vegetable- and meat-packed muffins are great for any meal of the day and make for an especially high-protein breakfast muffin.
Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie
© Scott Hocker
And if a muffin is not enough, Scott Hocker swaps cornbread in for pastry for his Southern take on a classic French pot pie.
Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s Cornbread Dressing with Pecans
Food & Wine / Photo by Rachel Marek / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Props Styling by Gabriel Greco
Pro tip: Make a double batch of Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s Southern Cornbread while you’re at it. Slather the first batch with butter or cane syrup and enjoy it while you wait for the second to dry out overnight to use in this nutty, smoky dressing.
Dining and Cooking