With its soft, fluffy texture and delicate sweetness, this Sourdough Discard Cornbread will secure a permanent place on your menu for any gathering. A quick and convenient one-bowl recipe, this dish takes less than 40 minutes to prepare, serving as the perfect side dish that can be easily made ahead of time or whipped up at the last minute with a few pantry staples.
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Satisfying my cornbread cravings
There are few things more comforting than fresh hot cornbread. The aroma alone is enough to evoke nostalgia and warmth. It’s one of my favorite quick breads, I love the sweet flavor of corn and its unique, fluffy yet slightly gritty texture. The best cornbread I’ve ever had was from a restaurant called South in my hometown Philadelphia. It’s so good, that my friends and I don't dare order it anywhere else, knowing nothing will compare.
Living thousands of miles away from my beloved city (and favorite source of cornbread), nailing this recipe became a bit of a personal challenge. I wanted to capture the combination of moist, buttery goodness, with a hint of sweetness and the satisfying crumbly texture unique to an excellent cornbread. After multiple tests, I finally managed to create a recipe that comes close and I'm thrilled to share it here on the blog.
Looking for more sourdough quick bread recipes? Try my Sourdough Scones, Sourdough Discard Biscuits, Sourdough Zucchini Bread and Sourdough Pumpkin Bread.
Why I love this recipe
- Simple, one-bowl recipe!
- Easy reverse creaming method keeps this cornbread light and fluffy
- Sourdough discard adds a delicious tang and keeps cornbread moist for days.
- Quick recipe that’s ready in less than 40 minutes!
- Light and fluffy cornbread that’s not excessively crumbly!
What you need
Cornmeal: I used Quaker Yellow Cornmeal to test this recipe since it’s widely available. It’s classified as a medium-grain cornmeal, you can use any brand as long as it's not too coarse. Do not use coarse cornmeal as it will make your cornbread too crumbly and prone to breaking apart.
Sourdough discard: Use active starter or add 56 grams of water and 56 grams flour if you don’t have any sourdough discard.
All-purpose flour: This recipe includes a large amount of all-purpose flour, which keeps this cornbread light and fluffy. Don’t try to substitute whole wheat flour (or rye or spelt etc) or your cornbread will become too dry and dense.
Butter and oil: Butter adds flavor while oil keeps the cornbread moist and light. Don't skip either or it will adversely affect the texture and flavor of your sourdough discard cornbread.
Salt: Use kosher salt or sea salt for the best results. Salt grain sizes differ among brands, you may have to adjust measurements if you’re using volume measures teaspoons.
See recipe card for complete ingredient information.
Baking with Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard adds moisture and a great tangy flavor to this cornbread. Since you’re not using it as a leavener, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work in this recipe and you can use it straight from the refrigerator.
Older discard will impart stronger sour flavors than freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll get a slightly different flavor profile but your bake will still be delicious!
Looking for more creative ways to use your starter in recipes other than crusty sourdough bread? Check out my list of sourdough recipes that aren't bread.
Variations
My absolutely favorite way to enjoy this cornbread is slathered with homemade honey butter! It feels like you're eating a slice of cake.
Here are more ways you can spice up your sourdough cornbread recipe:
- Add 1 cup of corn kernels
- Add 1 chopped jalapeno and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- Add ½ cup of blueberries
- Add 2 tablespoons of cooked bacon bits and 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Add 2 finely chopped scallions and ½ cup shredded Colby jack cheese
- Add zest from 1 orange and ¼ cup of dried cranberries
- Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary and ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
Step-by-step instructions
STEP 1: Cream the sugar, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse sand.
STEP 2: Add the eggs in one at a time
TIP: Make sure your leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder) are fresh before starting this recipe. If you're not sure, simply combine a little bit with drop of vinegar, if the mixture fizzes you're good to go!
STEP 3: Stir in sourdough discard, oil and milk until fully incorporated.
STEP 4: Bake in a baking pan lined with parchment paper at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes
TIP: You can bake this sourdough cornbread recipe in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, just pay attention to your bake as you may need to adjust your baking time.
If you love corn recipes, try my Sourdough Butter Swim Cornbread or Sourdough Corn Muffins.
Recipe FAQs
Reverse creaming is a baking technique that involves creaming butter directly into sugar and dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients. This process prevents excessive gluten development for a delicate, light cornbread texture
White cornmeal will work for this recipe, however since it has a more subtle corn flavor than yellow cornmeal, your cornbread may not turn out as flavorful.
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Sourdough Discard Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- hand mixer or stand mixer
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Ingredients
- 240 grams all-purpose flour
- 160 grams yellow cornmeal
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 10 grams baking powder
- 6 grams salt
- 150 grams cane sugar
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened
- 2 eggs large
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 282 grams whole milk
- 113 grams cooking oil neutral-flavored
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 F with the rack in the middle. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, cream the dry ingredients with the sugar and butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.240 grams all-purpose flour, 160 grams yellow cornmeal, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 10 grams baking powder, 6 grams salt, 150 grams cane sugar, 113 grams unsalted butter
- Add the eggs into the mixture on at a time waiting until each one is incorporated before adding the next.2 eggs
- Stir in the sourdough discard, milk and oil until the mixture looks smooth.113 grams cooking oil, 113 grams sourdough discard, 282 grams whole milk
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown.
- Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy and store: Slice and serve the cornbread warm with a pat of butter and drizzle of honey. Store leftover cornbread slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info provided are estimates.
Rachel Merz says
This was literally the best cornbread I have ever had! So glad I found it!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi Rachel! Such high praise! Thank you so much for the kind words.
Heather says
I didn’t have straight cornmeal and used white lily buttermilk cornmeal mix(250g) and all-purpose flour(150g). I also ran out of sugar and did 75g sugar and 70g honey. Turned out PERFECT! ❤️❤️❤️
Hannah Dela Cruz says
I'm so glad they worked with the honey and I am so happy you loved it!
agv says
The flavor of these is fabulous (used only 100g of sugar) but I will say they are super crumbly! I'm not sure if anyone else had that issue. Maybe need more than 2 eggs as a binder?
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi! Crumbly cornbread could be caused by the brand or type of cornmeal you used. Most likely it's because you reduced the amount of sugar the recipe calls for by a third. Yes, sugar provides sweetness but it also adds moisture and has a huge effect on the texture of baked goods.
D says
Deliciously sweet. It was so moist and good I ate it like cake. I made 1/2 the recipe and baked it in an iron skillet.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So thrilled that you loved this!
Z says
I just tried this today and was happy to see how quickly it came together. I made mine in a 9 x 13 cast iron roasting pan, heated it first then brushed some oil all over bottom and sides, poured batter in and baked 20 minutes. Allowed it to rest for about 15 minutes outside (cool day) then ran a knife around all four sides, flipped it over onto a baking rack and out it came.
I especially liked that is is not overly sweet like many corn breads are. I used regular granulated sugar since I did not have any cane sugar. This is a keeper
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So happy this recipe met your expectations! I'm glad I was able to help you find something you loved.
Brian Heathcock says
We really like your cornbread recipe from the Challenger Breadware website. This looks to be basically the same recipe with a larger volume. The Challenger recipe has the opposite ratio of baking soda (12g) to baking powder (6g). Is that correct? The recipe on this page and most others I've seen have more baking powder and less baking soda (about 2:1 ratio). I've made the Challenger version multiple times as written except I cut back on the oil. Thanks in advance for the clarification.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi Brian! It basically is the same recipe, I made the Challenger corn bread recipe quite a while ago, I believe I've preferred using just a little bit of baking soda. Sometimes adding too much of it will impart a bit of bitterness.
Steve Wylie says
This is really moist cornbread! It's a little sweet for my taste (I might try 50g of sugar next time). I let it ferment for 30 minutes, but I should have gone longer. I didn't get much sour in the flavor (masked by the sugar?). But it was far better than a box mix. I might try it again in the future with some modifications (less oil since the stick of butter should be plenty?). Thanks for the recipe!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Thanks for the rating and for sharing your feedback! I'm glad that you enjoyed the recipe, let me know how it goes with your suggested modifications. I'm interested to hear what difference they make.
Allie Mitch says
I have made this 3-4 times now for BBQs and it’s is ALWAYS a hit! I’ve doctored it up with Maldon flaky salt, brushed with honey butter, mixed in fresh jalapeños… those are all tasty and the original recipe is just as yummy.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
That sounds so good! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Kylie says
So simple and delicious
Hannah Dela Cruz says
This is one of my favorites! Glad you loved it!
Edleide Shank says
Incredible, great taste!!!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So happy you loved the recipe!
Elizabeth says
I made the as written but I just left out 5g of sugar. Just to cut back a bit. It tasted good but it wasn't as fluffy as expected. It was only about an inch in height in the 9x13 baking pan.
Dee Ann says
This turned out amazing - super light, moist and yummy! Baked 1/3 in bread pan as plain cornbread. The other 2/3 in a 9x9 with added candied jalapenos - oh so good! Baked till clean tooth pick in centers. Definitely making this again and again!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So happy you loved the recipe!
Sarah says
This really is very fluffy! I added like 1/4 cup honey, I admittedly like my cornbread more like cake. The sourdough tang really came through. I would highly recommend this recipe!