This MEXICAN CORNBREAD is soft, moist, delicious with a hint of sweetness and heat filled with corn kernels, jalapeno peppers, green chilies, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese. An amazing cornmeal comfort food that pairs well with soups and stews, entrees, or on its own!
I love anything cornmeal! Growing up with it made me obsessed with making different versions of cornbread. In my quest for expanding my cornbread recipe collection, I bumped into this Mexican Cornbread recipe that closely resembles this South African Mealie Bread.
Oh boy, every bite of this soft and moist cornbread is just pleasing to the mouth. It has that spot on tangy, sweet, cheesy, and mild heat flavors in every bite. No wonder hubby gets all fired up (pun intended) when he sees this paired with soups and stews.
Buuut, take it with a grain of salt. You should try and judge it yourself. Enjoy!
Mexican Cornbread vs Southern Cornbread
We all know by now how cornbread is a staple in every Southern home. The southern version is quick, easy with just a handful of ingredients. Although, I must say, that there’s a debate about whether to put sugar or not in a Southern cornbread.
On the other hand, this Mexican version here is a spicy cornbread. Okay, it’s not that kind of spicy that burns your tongue. With chopped green chilies and jalapenos, which are common in Mexican cuisine, it’s mild heat balances the tanginess and cheesiness in this popular side dish. Add some sweet corn kernels, and you’ll have a burst of summer flavor in every bite!
Recipe Ingredients
What makes our Mexican Cornbread extra delicious? Well, you won’t be needing much. These are the things that make up our mouth-watering baked cornbread treat:
All-purpose flour – is used as a thickening agent. The all-purpose flour also holds together the wet ingredients for your cornbread such as oil, buttermilk, and eggs.
Ground Cornmeal – the star of the show! You can choose any variety you like whether the grainy or smooth one.
Baking Powder – is a leavening agent that gives our cornbread that beautiful rise and gives the baked goods that light and fluffy texture.
Granulated Sugar – it balances the flavor and heat found in this recipe and also that wonderful golden brown color.
Kosher Salt – Kosher salt is preferred for cooking cornbread because it has a cleaner, brighter flavor, unlike iodized salt that has a metallic taste.
Buttermilk – adds that very much needed softness and moisture in our recipe. Have you encountered cornbreads that are dry on the inside? Yes? Then it’s missing this key ingredient. Don’t have one? Check out my Buttermilk Substitutes HERE.
Eggs – whole eggs also add tenderness and moisture to baked goods.
Unsalted Butter – the primary reason that most recipes call for unsalted butter is that you cannot measure the amount of salt content in the butter and it’s very hard to adjust the rest of the flavors or seasoning in the recipe. And of course, that added buttery flavor in your cornbread is a major WIN!
Jalapeños and Chilies – two of the most-used ingredients in Mexican cuisine. These two add textures in every bite and that wonderful heat as well. Feel free to adjust the amount to suit your heat tolerance.
Corn Kernel – corn kernel just makes every bite of this dish more interesting. Want a smoother corn feel instead? Swap it with canned creamed corn.
Monterey Jack Cheese and Cheddar Cheese – add that gooey savory cheesiness into our cornbread. Feel free to swap it with your favorite cheeses tho.
Cornbread Variations
There are just tons of ways to make your own version of cornbread. Below are just some of the most popular variations for this recipe.
- Maple and Walnut Cornbread – Sweet Northern-style cornbread with a crisp crust, enhanced by maple syrup and toasted walnuts.
- Orange and Cranberry Cornbread – Level up that sweet-style cornbread and make it even sweeter with honey—it’s the perfect counterpoint to the tart fresh cranberries and bright orange zest in this recipe.
- Cheddar, Bacon, and Scallion Cornbread Recipe – this cornbread recipe is loaded on its own with salty, sharp, and smoky flavor from cheese and bacon. It’s a great contrast to the sweet, moist bread that some of you would love.
- Roasted Pepper Cornbread Recipe – recipe calls for roasted poblano and red bell peppers, corn, and a little cayenne, for sweet, smokey, and fruity cornbread with an interesting heat.
Storage Instructions
Just in case you’ll have some leftover cornbread, you can keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure to cover the cornbread in an aluminum foil first, before you put it in an airtight container.
To reheat, heat up a cast iron pan on a stove, add a bit of butter, then take out and reheat the cornbread in it.
What Goes Good with Cornbread?
Make a complete fiesta meal by pairing this cornbread with these other Mexican recipes.
More Cornbread Recipes to Try
If you want to widen your cornbread recipe collection as I do, you can check out these other cornbread recipes below.
How to Make Mexican Cornbread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 4×4 baking dish or 10-inch skillet and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk in the buttermilk, and the eggs until well combined. Then, add melted butter, jalapeno peppers, green chiles, corn kernels, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese. Thoroughly mix to incorporate all ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If desired, sprinkle extra grated cheese and jalapeno peppers. Bake for about 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Cut and serve.
Mexican Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ground cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1-2 small chopped fresh jalapeño peppers
- 4 oz chopped green chilies , drained (optional)
- 1 cup kernel corn
- ½ cup grated Monterey jack cheese
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 4x4 baking dish or 10-inch skillet and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Whisk in the buttermilk, and the eggs until well combined.
- Then, add melted butter, jalapeno peppers, green chiles, corn kernels, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese. Thoroughly mix to incorporate all ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If desired, sprinkle extra grated cheese and jalapeno peppers.
- Bake for about 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Cut and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Joseph says
How much is a cup in milligrams
ImmaculateBites says
About 200 grams
Ummy Mohiudeen says
Hi… what is 8 Tablespoons butter in grams??
Monet says
About 113 gr
Michele says
Maybe a 8×8 instead of a 4×4?