Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

This easy Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread recipe is sweet, savory, and made with the perfect hint of spice. Baked until golden and fluffy, it’s moist, tender, and perfect for pairing with all your favorite meals! 

Love cornbread? Try our healthy pumpkin cornbread, healthy maple cornbread, and Mexican cornbread casserole, too.

A piece of cheddar cornbread with diced jalapenos on a fork on a white plate.

We make cornbread as often as we can, especially in the fall. It’s the perfect side to our pumpkin chili and sweet and spicy chili recipe! While we love traditional recipes, we also like to spice things up every now and then (literally) with this cheddar cheese jalapeno cornbread recipe.

It has all the soft texture and sweet corn flavor you love, but is amplified with melty cheese and the kick of jalapeños. Don’t worry, though. It’s not spicy, it just has an extra touch of flavor! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this easy jalapeño cheddar cornbread recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!

Labeled ingredients for sweet and spicy jalapeno cornbread on a white marble countertop.
  • All-Purpose Flour – This forms the base of the cornbread. 
  • Cornmeal – A must-have in any good cornbread recipe! 
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda – These leaveners help the bread rise and become fluffy as it bakes. 
  • Salt – Just a pinch enhances the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
  • Butter – We recommend using unsalted butter to avoid a super salty taste. 
  • Buttermilk – This gives the cornbread a slightly tangy taste and contributes to the tender texture. 
  • Honey – A natural sweetener, this balances some of the tangy, spicy flavors of the rest of the ingredients. 
  • Eggs – These act as binders, helping the bread hold its shape. 
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese – For the best results, use a block of sharp cheddar cheese and grate it yourself. 
  • Jalapeños – Make sure to remove the seeds and membrane, and dice your jalapeño into small pieces so that they distribute evenly throughout the batter. 

How to Make Cornbread with Jalapeno and Cheddar Cheese

Preheat your oven, and grease a square baking pan or cast iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray. 

A glass mixing bowl with cornmeal and flour.
  1. Combine. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
A glass mixing bowl with layers of honey, eggs, buttermilk, and butter.

2. Then, whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Once smooth, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir just until combined. 

Cornbread batter in a bowl topped with shredded cheese and diced jalapenos.

3. Add the mix-ins. Fold in the shredded cheese and chopped jalapeños, being careful not to overmix the batter. 

Unbaked spicy cornbread batter in a glass pan.

4. Transfer. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle more cheese and jalapeños evenly on top. 

Shredded cheese and fresh jalapeno topping cornbread batter in a glass pan.

5. Bake. Transfer your cornbread to the oven, and bake just until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Baked cornbread with diced jalapenos and cheddar cheese in a pan.

6. Cool. Let your cornbread cool in the pan slightly. Then, slice and enjoy! 

A fork with a piece of cornbread studded with jalapenos.

Common Questions 

How long does this recipe last? 

Stored in an airtight container, leftovers will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

Can I freeze homemade jalapeno cheddar cornbread? 

Yes! You can freeze this recipe for 2-3 months. Wrap each slice of cornbread with plastic wrap, and transfer them to a sealable bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge when you’re ready to eat. Then, enjoy cold, or warm leftovers for a few seconds in the microwave. 

Can I make jalapeno cornbread muffins?

We haven’t tested it, but don’t see why not! Prepare the batter as usual. Then, portion it into a greased muffin tin, filling each cavity 2/3 of the way full, and adjust the baking time as needed.

A stack of three jalapeno cheddar cornbread pieces on top of each other.
A piece of cheddar cornbread with diced jalapenos on a fork on a white plate.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe

Sammi Ricke
Elevate your favorite side dish with the sweet and savory flavors of this cheddar jalapeno cornbread made with eleven ingredients in just over 30 minutes!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings
Calories 285 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 large or 2 small jalapenos deseeded and finely diced, divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease an 8×8 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, honey and eggs.
    1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup honey, 2 eggs
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
  • Gently fold in 1 cup shredded cheese and ¼ cup diced jalapeno until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Do not overmix.
    1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 large or 2 small jalapenos
  • Pour into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly until smooth. Top with the reserved ¼ cup cheddar cheese and 1-2 Tablespoons diced jalapeno.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool for 15 minutes and serve plain or with butter and honey.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Tips – Feel free to add another jalapeno in this recipe if you love them and want a little more heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 32.1gProtein: 7.5gFat: 14.8gSaturated Fat: 9.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 80.8mgSodium: 508.3mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 7.9gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Did you make and enjoy this Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread recipe? We would love for you to leave a comment and rating, if so! And don’t forget to follow and tag us in your creations on Instagram! We can’t wait to connect.

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5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We LOVE this flavorful cornbread! It’s not too spicy and the combo of cheddar cheese and jalapeno is sooo good. A must try!

  2. Oh, I have to prepare it for my boyfriend as he loves jalapeño peppers! For me they are too spicy and I can’t stand it so instead of jalapeño pepper I use normal ones which are sweet and I can use them for everything. When I do some desserts from veggies I usually choose carrots as they are loved by everyone and you can easily adjust their flavor. However, you have to be very careful because there are different varieties of carrot and not even will suit. My favourite, but quite late variety is Delta https://gardenseedsmarket.com/marchew-delta-pozna-en.html but for dishes like that it’s the best.