The Best Sweet Cornbread Recipe

I know putting sugar in cornbread is practically fighting words in some parts of the country, but I’m a Washington girl and I will choose sweet cornbread EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

This easy sweet cornbread recipe is soft, buttery and perfectly moist with golden edges and just the right amount of sweetness. It takes only 5 minutes of prep, and thanks to one unexpected shortcut—Bisquick—it turns out tender instead of dry and crumbly.

Add a warm slice, a swipe of honey butter and a big bowl of chili and I am DONE. That’s dinner.

I’ll happily eat savory Southern cornbread because, hello, CARBS, but give me a thick square of slightly sweet cornbread with butter melting into the top and there’s just no competition.

Team sweet. You’re not changing my mind.

Ingredients for Sweet Cornbread

• Bisquick: Our unexpected shortcut makes this recipe easy, reliable and anything but dry.
• Cornmeal: Gives cornbread its unmistakable corn flavor and a little texture.
• All-purpose flour: Adds structure while keeping the cornbread softer than a cornmeal-heavy recipe.
• Granulated sugar: This is sweet cornbread, after all! It gives us that signature sweetness and contributes to a soft, tender texture.
• Baking powder: Gives the cornbread extra lift so it bakes up light rather than dense.
• Salt: Balances all that sweetness and brings out the corn flavor.
• Egg: Binds everything together and adds richness.
• Butter: Because cornbread without buttery flavor is just sad.
• Honey: Adds another layer of sweetness and pairs perfectly with the corn.
• Milk: Provides the moisture for a soft, tender crumb. Whole or 2% milk is our favorite.
• Vanilla: Just a little rounds out the sweetness without making the cornbread taste like cake.

Why Does This Cornbread Recipe Use Bisquick?

I know, Bisquick in cornbread?! Stay with me.

Bisquick is a baking mix made with flour, leavening, salt and fat, and adding it to this recipe helps give the cornbread an extra-soft, tender texture. We’re still using plenty of cornmeal for that classic cornbread flavor, but the Bisquick keeps the finished bread from becoming dry and crumbly.

It’s one of the reasons this recipe is so ridiculously reliable—and why we’ve kept it in the recipe all these years.

How to Make Sweet Cornbread

1. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the Bisquick, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.
2. Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, honey, milk and vanilla.
3. Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently stir just until combined. A few small streaks of flour are fine!
4. Bake. Pour into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish and bake at 375°F for 30–40 minutes.
5. Check for doneness. The top should be golden and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

The Secret to Moist Cornbread

Dry cornbread is usually the result of too much flour, too much mixing or too much time in the oven. Thankfully, they’re all easy to avoid!

• Measure carefully. Too much flour or cornmeal can quickly make cornbread dry.
• Use 2% or whole milk. The extra fat gives you a richer, softer crumb.
• Don’t overmix. Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients come together. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
• Don’t overbake. Start checking at 30 minutes and pull it as soon as the center is done.
• Use the right pan. This recipe was developed for a 9×9-inch baking dish. An 8×8 makes the cornbread thicker and changes the baking time.

Is Cornbread Supposed to Be Sweet?

It depends on where you’re from! Southern cornbread is traditionally more savory, while Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter.

This recipe is firmly on Team Sweet, with both sugar and honey for noticeable sweetness. But there’s still plenty of cornmeal, so it tastes like cornbread—not yellow cake.

And as a Washington girl, that’s exactly how I like it!

Can I Make Sweet Cornbread Without Bisquick?

You can use a homemade Bisquick substitute in a pinch, but for the most consistent results, we recommend using regular Bisquick Original in this recipe.

If you don’t have Bisquick, our friends over at My Baking Addiction have a recipe for a Bisquick substitute.

How to Store and Freeze Cornbread

Room temperature: Store cooled cornbread in an airtight container for 1–2 days.

Refrigerator: Keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm individual pieces briefly before serving for the best texture.

Freezer: Cornbread freezes beautifully. Once completely cool, wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for up to 2–3 months.

How to Reheat Cornbread: Warm individual pieces in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds, or cover with foil and warm in a 300°F oven until heated through.

What to Serve with Sweet Cornbread

Sweet cornbread was MADE for something warm and savory. Try it with:

• Instant Pot Chili
• Healthy Turkey Chili
• Ground Beef Stew
• Vegetarian Chili
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Taco Soup

There are approximately a million opinions about what “real” cornbread should be, but this is the cornbread I want next to my chili. Soft, buttery, MOIST, a little sweet and absolutely slathered in honey butter. Team Sweet Cornbread forever!

More Easy Bread Recipes:

• Herbed Focaccia Bread
• Best Potato Rolls
• Hoagie Rolls
• Unleavened Bread
• Brazilian Cheese Bread

Watch How to Make Sweet Cornbread