Soft Sweet Sourdough Cornbread (With Discard or Starter)
This soft sweet sourdough cornbread can be made with discard or active sourdough starter and creates a delicious quick bread with a moist crumb.
Sourdough cornbread is tender, light, and moist. Using a sourdough starter adds this moisture and helps lock it into the cornbread so you don’t wind up with crumbly dry bread. But a moist, delicately sweet cornbread that is delicious with butter and honey or even served plain for an easy side dish.
I use both an active starter and starter pulled straight from the fridge to make this. What’s nice about this recipe is that you can also use sourdough discard if you have some to use up on hand. The use of baking powder in this recipe makes it possible to use either and helps give the bread a nice rise and airy quality.
This easy recipe is a mix-and-go type that I love to serve with my easy black bean chili for a cozy night in. If you don’t have a starter available, don’t worry you can still make these sweet cornbread muffins which have a very similar flavor and crumb.
Sweet Sourdough Cornbread Is..
- Super simple sourdough bread cornbread recipe to make.
- Made with whole ingredients.
- Easily adapted to add add-ins like cheddar, jalapeno or crispy bacon.
- An easy quick bread to make that is a perfect quick dinner side
- Can be made with an active sourdough starter, discard, or starter pulled straight from the fridge.
- Great to use for cornbread stuffing.
- A great way to use discarded sourdough.
- Delicious with a drizzle of honey or a pat of butter.
- A great recipe to also make sourdough cornbread muffins with.
Ingredients
Flour- I like to use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose in my kitchen. But any good quality all-purpose flour will work.
Sourdough Starter- The beauty of this easy recipe is that you can use an active starter, a starter pulled straight from the fridge, or even sourdough discard! Adding sourdough starter to this recipe creates a delicious soft, moist crumb while adding in a bit of phytic acid from the starter.
Cornmeal- I use yellow and white cornmeal for this sourdough cornbread. Both work fine. Make sure to use actual cornmeal and not a cornmeal blend.
Baking Powder- Baking powder is used as the leavening agent for this cornbread. It gives the bread a nice even lift.
Oil- I use olive oil in a lot of my baking and find it works perfectly for quick bread like this sourdough cornbread. If you would prefer using a more neutral oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil, that will work fine. You can also sub out butter, see FAQ section for tips on converting to butter).
Eggs- I use a large egg for this and prefer an organic free range however, store bought eggs work great. One tip is to allow the egg to come to room temperature before use. This allows the egg to mix into the batter more easily.
Milk- Adding milk helps create a nice batter consistency. I use whole milk or 2% for this.
Sugar- Adding just a bit of sugar will help to sweeten the bread and create that delicious traditional cornbread flavor. Use white sugar not brown.
Salt- I like to use sea salt or kosher salt for this but standard table salt works fine too.
Tools
8 x 8 Baking Dish or Metal Square Pan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
There is no need to separate the dry ingredients from the wet ingredients for this. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. Be careful not to over-mix. Spray or grease an 8×8 baking dish. Pour the batter into the baking dish and smooth it out with the back of a wooden spoon.
Bake in the center rack for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Allow the cornbread to cool before slicing.
Baking Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs for easy mixing.
- Don’t over mix the dough. Mix it until it just comes together.
- Baking times might vary when using either a glass baking dish or a metal pan (see FAQ for further notes).
- You can also use a hot skillet to bake this cornbread.
- You can use any neutral oil if you don’t have olive oil.
- Can easily be converted into corn muffins.
How To Store
Store leftover cornbread in a ziploc bag or place in an airtight container. You can also wrap the cornbread in plastic wrap.
FAQ
Should I use yellow cornmeal or white cornmeal?
For this recipe, you can use either yellow cornmeal or white. Yellow will add a more classic golden color while white cornmeal is on the pale side. Yellow also has a more prominent corn flavor while the white is subtle and delicate. It is all a matter of taste preference.
Can I long ferment the dough?
You can long ferment the dough. If doing so, use an active sourdough starter and I suggest mixing up everything but the baking powder. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours or more. When ready you can add the baking powder to the cornbread batter to ensure a good rise and bake as instructed.
Should I use a glass baking dish or a metal baking pan?
I use either for this. A couple of things to note is that when using glass it tends to take a little longer to heat in the oven so the baking time will likely be more on the 25-minute mark. While the metal pan will give browner edges and cook slightly faster. You can also make this a sourdough skillet cornbread by simply using an 8-inch cast iron skillet to make it in.
Can I use melted butter instead of olive oil?
Yes, melted butter will work fine for this recipe. I would use a little more butter than olive oil as the conversion for subbing out oil for butter is a 3:4 conversion. So in other words, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter you would use 3/4 cup of oil.
Why Sourdough?
Sourdough is not only a delicious bread option, but it is also a healthier option than traditional store-bought bread made with yeast. Sourdough bread or baked goods made with a sourdough starter have a lower phytate content making it easier to digest, resulting in a more nutritious bread.
Additionally, it is a suitable option for those who are intolerant to gluten, as it is a fermented food with a bacteria-to-yeast composition that works to break down the starches in the grain before consumption. Furthermore, sourdough is also a prebiotic, meaning it will help maintain the health of the gut bacteria.
Other Sourdough Recipes To Try
- Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread with a Soft Crumb
- Sourdough Puff Pancake
- Best Pull Apart Sourdough Monkey Bread
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Soft Sweet Sourdough Cornbread (With Discard or Starter)
a delicious simple cornbread with a soft crumb that can be made with sourdough starter or discard
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. There is no need to separate the dry ingredients from the wet ingredients for this. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients with a wooden spoon until it just comes together.
- Be careful not to over-mix.
- Spray or grease an 8x8 baking dish.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and smooth it out with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Bake on the center rack for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow the cornbread to cool before slicing.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs for easy mixing.
- Don't over-mix the dough. Mix it until it just comes together.
- Baking times might vary when using either a glass baking dish or a metal pan (see FAQ for further notes).
- You can also use a hot skillet to bake this cornbread in.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 348mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g