Smoked Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Moist cornbread infused with smoky jalapeño and sharp cheddar cheese, a perfect side for Southern BBQ dishes. This American quick recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and baking powder for a weeknight-friendly dinner. 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
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. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, and 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter until combined.
- Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir just until combined; do not overmix.
- Step 4: Fold in 2 finely diced jalapeño peppers and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly.
- Step 5: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 6: Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving alongside your favorite BBQ dishes.








