Cornbread with Jalapeño and Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Moist Southern-style cornbread studded with diced jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese for a spicy, cheesy side that complements any meal. This Southern United States-inspired comfort-food recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup, melted unsalted butter
- 1 medium, seeded and finely diced jalapeño
- 1 cup, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
The cast-iron skillet we’d sear this in → Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter until combined.
- Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined.
- Step 5: Fold in 1 diced jalapeño (seeded for less heat) and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly through the batter.
- Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Step 7: Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.








