Mexican Cornbread Recipe by Mama

Most families I know make a version of this deliciously moist and decadent cornbread known to us as Mama’s Mexican Cornbread recipe. Studded with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and spicy bits of jalapeño peppers it’s sure to be a favorite.

Whenever I make Mexican Cornbread, I can happily eat two pieces of it, hot from the oven, and nothing else . Even my husband, who really doesn’t care for cornbread unless it’s sweet, comes running whenever I make this. My son’s only complaint is that I don’t cut the pieces bigger so he doesn’t have to keep coming back. Needless to say, when I make this Mexican Cornbread recipe by Mama for supper, usually, there isn’t any left.

mexican cornbread ingredients

 Recipe Ingredients:

  • Cream style corn
  • Vegetable oil
  • Egg
  • Self rising cornmeal flour
  • Sugar
  • Chopped onion
  • Shredded cheese
  • Diced jalapeno
  • Milk (I buy organic milk because it stays good for twice as long as regular milk 🙂
  • Salt

To everyone who wasn’t raised on sweet cornbread:

Oh I know putting sugar in there feels so wrong. Cornbread isn’t supposed to be sweet. T’ain’t fittin’ and I know that. But, this is my Mama’s Mexican Cornbread recipe and the sugar is just a scant amount and it really works well with the heat of the jalapeños. It won’t end up tasting sweet in this particular recipe so just bite the bullet and do what Mama tells you to do 🙂

combine all ingredients together

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.

mix up all the ingredients

Stir all of that up pretty good with a spoon or whisk.

add oil to your preheated cast iron pan
  • Now this is a cast iron skillet that I’ve had heating in the oven while it preheats. Preheat the oven as well.
  • Pour about a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in it and swirl it around a good bit.
pour batter in cast iron skillet, bake at 350 for 35-40 mins
  • Pour in your batter in the prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until all golden and  prettified 🙂
Mexican Cornbread baked until golden brown on topHere it is all baked up.
Turning cornbread over onto a large plate

Turn that cornbread over onto a large plate.

Mexican Cornbread Stand aside because when the family catches a whiff it might spark a stampede!

Variations To Recipe

  • diced green onions
  • chopped green bell peppers
  • green chilis
  • pepper jack cheese in replace of other cheese

mexican cornbread with diced peppers

Here is another one with some variations

Recipe FAQsHow do I make my cornbread crust crispy?

Get your pan nice and hot, this is going to be key, then pour the batter into the hot pan. This will help to create that crispy crust you are looking for.

What does adding an extra egg to cornbread do?

The extra yolk in the egg helps to make it more moist. If you want to add another egg, I recommend doing yolk only for the second cornbread.

Why does my Jiffy cornbread fall apart?

Overcooking cornbread can cause it to fall apart. Every oven cooks different, so keep an eye on it if you made it before and it fell apart.  To tell if it’s done you it should be crispy brown on top and when you insert a toothpick it comes out clean.

Note about baking Mexican Cornbread in an alternative to Cast Iron:

You can make this in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan if you prefer. It’s traditionally made in cast iron but it will turn out just fine if you make it in a cake pan or even an 8×8 square baking dish. Just go with whatever cranks yer tractor 🙂

Mexican Cornbread

Mexican Cornbread

Deliciously moist, decadent, this Mexican Cornbread recipe by Mama is studded with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and spicy bits of jalapeño peppers!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cornbread
Servings: 4
Calories: 743kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 + 1/2 cups self rising corn meal mix white or yellow
  • 1 + 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese mild, medium, or sharp
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño seeds removed
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup canned cream style corn*

Instructions

  • Place a seasoned cast iron skillet (or 8 inch round cake pan) in the oven and preheat to 350.
  • In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients.
  • Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into skillet and swirl a bit to cover the bottom (This skillet is hot so hold it with a potholder).
  • Pour batter in skillet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Turn out onto a plate, cut, and serve.

*Mama and I take the remaining cream corn and put it in a zipper seal bag to freeze. Next time you make corn bread just lay it out for about half an hour before you need it to thaw.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 743kcal
    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

    Try serving this with:

    And here are some other cornbread recipes you may enjoy:

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    2. Make it positive.
    3. Repeat. 🙂

    ~Christy Jordan

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    180 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! Just the right amount of sweetness and heat. (Other recipes are usually WAY too sweet for my taste). I used my 8″ iron skillet, and it turned out exactly like the picture! Mine did take a little longer to cook (at 40 min, it wasn’t set) but after about 50 min, it came out PERFECT! I was hesitant to use 1/2 c of oil, but thankfully I didn’t adjust anything. THANK YOU!

    2. 5 stars
      I love using this recipe. Janice is sure a great cook. I mix some crisco in with my turkey bacon grease in the skillet and it flavors it enough to give that flavor in the crust I’m looking for .

    3. 5 stars
      Love, Love, Love the pottery piece you are using as a salt crock! I use Kosher salt a lot and currently it is in a small Tupperware piece. I’m going to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge in the fall, I will definitely look and see if I can still find one (original post 2013). I’ve also been looking for something to keep bacon grease in!

    4. Christy, tell your sweet Mama to forgive me but I will have to do this one without the sugar. I am married to a guy who does not like sweet cornbread! I love your Mama and thank her for this recipe but I live with hubby!

    5. This is the first time I have ever commented on a recipe. This was also my first attempt at making cornbread. I hoped it would be good, and it surpassed my expectations. Texture and taste were perfect for my palette.

      1. I’m so grateful that you took the time to comment, Mark, and thrilled it turned out just right for you. I hope to see you around more. Holler if you are looking for any particular recipes and if I have them on the site I’ll drop the links for ya! Have a great week!

    6. I had printed your Mama’s Mexican Cornbread recipe a week or so ago and was just waiting on the weather to get cold enough to cook soups and chili to eat with it. I made White Chicken Chili tonight for supper and made your Mama’s Mexican Cornbread and it was delicious! My husband thought so as well. I think I will take it to the next Church Potluck and also to a Get-Together at my sister’s house she is having next week where we are having Soups, etc. I just know everyone will love it as much as we did. Thanks for all you do and keep those recipe coming!!!

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