Easy, homemade Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn truly is the stuff of cornbread lovers’ dreams. Like my Southern Cornbread Recipe and Old Fashioned Cornbread, it’s made from scratch with buttermilk in a cast-iron skillet, but this cornbread has a bit of heat from sliced jalapeños, tempered by the sweetness of corn.
Quick Look: Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn
- Ready in: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 generous slices
- Difficulty: Easy - no fuss favorite.
- Best for: Often called Mexican cornbread, it is the perfect side dish for your Cinco de Mayo celebration, backyard BBQs, and game-day parties (cut into bite-sized squares), with my garlic herb butter recipe. It’s also perfect for serving with my chili made with chuck roast.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: After making this recipe dozens of times over the years, I’ve found the best way to make the crispiest cornbread ahead is to measure everything, mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then combine and bake just before serving.
- Taste and Texture: Savory and buttery, with crisp, golden edges, a tender center, sweet pops of corn, and just enough jalapeño heat for a little kick.
- Equipment: 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
- What makes it different? Whole corn kernels add sweetness and texture, while thinly sliced jalapeños on top give each slice a little heat. Baking the batter in a hot, oiled cast-iron skillet creates crisp, golden edges.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn
- Key ingredients
- How to Make Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn
- Sharon’s Tips
- What to Serve With Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread
- How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread FAQs
- Need a Little Help with This Recipe?
- Join the Conversation
- If You Love Cornbread, Try These Next
- Recipe:
Key ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and their measurements is below on the recipe card.
- White or yellow cornmeal – you can’t have cornbread without cornmeal, and what kind you use will make a difference in the finished product. I like either white or yellow stone-ground if you can find it. My hands-down favorite is the stone-ground cornmeal you can get at Bradley’s Country Store if you are in the Tallahassee area.
- All-purpose flour – combines with the cornmeal to form the base of the cornbread.
- Baking powder – is considered a leavener and is what makes the cornbread rise when baking. Make sure yours is fresh. You can tell if it is still good by dropping a teaspoon into a cup of hot water. If it bubbles up, it is good. If not, it’s old, and your cornbread won’t rise properly.
- Buttermilk – Adds a tangy flavor and helps create a tender crumb. If you're out of buttermilk, stir 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1½ cups of milk. Let it stand for five minutes, then stir before using. Cultured buttermilk is my first choice.
- Fresh or frozen corn kernels – adding fresh or frozen corn magnifies the corn flavor of this delicious bread.
- Jalapeños – not only add a bit of a kick, but they also provide a touch of color to this dish.
- Vegetable oil – is used to grease the cast iron skillet so the cornbread doesn’t stick, and it helps the crust cook up golden brown and crispy. I like to use peanut oil.
How to Make Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add the vegetable oil to a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and place it in the oven for five minutes to heat up while you are preparing the batter.
- Then, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Once that is done, add the buttermilk, corn, eggs, and melted butter to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, with no dry pockets of flour remaining. A few lumps are fine; avoid overmixing.
- When the skillet is hot, carefully remove it from the oven and swirl the oil around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Immediately add the cornbread batter to the hot skillet. Top with the jalapeño slices and return the skillet to the oven-bake for 25 minutes. When it’s done, the cornbread should be golden brown, and the sides should pull away from the skillet.
- Cut into slices and serve immediately with plenty of butter.
Sharon’s Tips
- Any good vegetable oil works in this recipe, but I highly recommend using peanut or pecan oil. I don’t recommend using olive oil to grease the pan.
- I have found a handheld mandoline works perfectly for slicing the jalapeños into nice even slices.
- For milder cornbread, remove the jalapeños' white ribs and seeds before slicing. Peppers vary in heat, so this reduces the kick but doesn't guarantee heat-free cornbread.
- Be sure to store your cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer for maximum freshness.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can use an oven-safe baking dish, but you will not get the crispy crust.
What to Serve With Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread
Jalapeño cornbread is wonderful paired with my Black-Eyed Pea Soup, Chili Recipe using Chuck Roast, and Mexican Pork Stew,
I also like to pair it with my Mexican and Beef Rice Skillet, Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- This spicy cornbread is best hot, right out of the oven. However, you can store leftovers covered at room temperature for two to three days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature before reheating.
- I like to reheat the bread in the oven, or slice it, toast the slices under the broiler, and top with a pat of my homemade garlic herb butter.
Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread FAQs
How can I make Mexican jalapeño cornbread less spicy?
Remove the white ribs and seeds before thinly slicing the jalapeños, and use fewer slices if you prefer. Jalapeños vary in heat, so removing the ribs and seeds reduces the heat without eliminating it completely.
Can I use canned or pickled jalapeños instead of fresh ones in making Mexican Cornbread with Jalapeños?
Yes. Pickled jalapeños add tangy flavor and heat, while fresh jalapeños add brighter color. Just make sure to drain pickled jalapeños well and pat them dry so they don’t add extra liquid to your batter.
Need a Little Help with This Recipe?
Have a question about this recipe? Leave me a comment below-I’m always happy to help! If you’re in a hurry or need an answer right away, try the helpful AI option below.
New to AI? Choose an option below. When it opens, simply click the white arrow in the blue circle to send the question-there's no need to change the prompt.
Join the Conversation
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Have you made this Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Did you use fresh or pickled jalapeños, or make any changes? Leave a comment below and, if you enjoyed the recipe, please give it a star rating. Your feedback helps other readers, too!
If You Love Cornbread, Try These Next
Serve this cornbread warm, with a pat of butter and something good to spoon alongside it. Those crisp skillet edges are worth gathering everyone at the table while it's still hot.
Recipe:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Grits and Pinecones.
Easy Mexican Jalapeño Cornbread with Corn
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 303kcal
Hot out of a cast-iron skillet, savory with just a bit of heat from sliced jalapeños and tempered with the sweetness of corn, this recipe for easy, crispy Jalapeño Cornbread makes a tasty snack or spicy side-dish. Served with a bowl of chili or Mexican stew, it's the stuff of cornbread lovers' dreams.
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white or yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs large or extra-large, beaten
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 jalapeño peppers thinly sliced, seeds removed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add the vegetable oil to a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and place it in the oven for five minutes to heat up while you prepare the batter.
- Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the buttermilk, corn, eggs, and melted butter to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, with no dry pockets of flour remaining. A few lumps are fine; avoid overmixing.
- When the skillet is hot, carefully remove it from the oven and swirl the oil around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Immediately add the cornbread batter to the hot skillet. Top with the jalapeño slices and place the skillet back into the oven-bake for 25 minutes. When it's done, the sides of the cornbread should be golden brown and pull away from the sides of the skillet.
- Cut into slices and serve immediately with plenty of butter.
Notes
I always use peanut oil, but any good vegetable oil will work. I don’t recommend using olive oil to grease the pan.
I have found a handheld mandoline works perfectly for slicing the jalapeños into nice even slices.
If you don’t want any heat, be sure too remove the seeds from the jalapeno jalapeños slices.
Be sure to store your cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer for maximum freshness.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with one cup of milk. Let it sit for five minutes to do its magic before using it.
I like to use medium-grind cornmeal, which gives the cornbread extra texture, but if you don’t have it on hand, regular finer-grind cornmeal works too.
If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can use an oven-safe metal or glass baking dish, but you will not get the crispy crust.
Cornbread is at its best hot right out of the oven. However, leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for two to three days. I do not recommend trying to microwave leftovers. It’s best to either reheat your bread in the oven or slice it and toast the slices under the broiler and top with a pat of butter.
You can also freeze leftover cornbread for several months to use later to make cornbread dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2.2mg
Made this recipe?Click the stars ⭐️ below to rate it or leave a comment-I'd love to hear how it turned out! And if you enjoy my recipes, click the button below to add Grits and Pinecones as a Preferred Source on Google.
Leave a Reply