This easysour cream cornbread recipemakes a slightly dense and moist cornbread with just the right amount of sweetness! This cornbread isnot too crumblyand goes perfectly with a bowl of soup or chili.

sour cream cornbread in round white dish with piece cutout on white plate with butter and honey.

When I was a kid, my mom made Jiffy cornbread from that fun little blue box. Her secret touch wasadding a little sour creamto the mix to make it moremoist and thickerthan it normally cooks.

I’ve taken a page from her book and am sharing a great recipe forsour cream cornbread.The sour cream in the cornbread recipe replaces part of the oil and helps to make the cornbread a bitthicker and denserthan traditional cornbread. It makes a great cornbread that issweet and moist but doesn’t fall apart.I love this recipe to servealongside chili.It’s also perfect for buttering up with lots of honey butter.

easy sour cream cornbread slice on white plate and butter.

17 Best Cornbread Recipes Ever!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The best part of this recipe?It only takes 5 minutes to stir together and another 20 minutes to bake.That means you can have ahot bread side dishin less than a half hour on the table.It’s so quick and easy!
Combine the wet and dry ingredients just until they are mixed.Overmixing can lead to dense, tough cornbread.
Let the cornbreadcool in the pan for a few minutesbefore transferring it to a wire rack. This prevents it from becomingsoggy.

Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour—if you’re gluten-free you can totally substitute this and it will work perfectly
Yellow cornmeal—you can use white cornmeal too
Sugar
Baking powder
Baking soda
Sour cream
Egg
Butter

How to make sour cream cornbread

4 photo collage of dough and the finished cornbread cake in a pie plate.

Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt..
Make a well in dry ingredients and add sour cream, egg, and melted butter.
Mix the ingredients just until everything is incorporated.
Add the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Recipe FAQs

Should you use low-fat or full-fat sour cream in cornbread?

Because you are replacing the fat and oil in this recipe with sour cream, I have found it best to use full-fat sour cream and not light.

What kind of cornmeal do you use in cornbread?

Use yellow cornmeal in this recipe. White works fine, but it just doesn’t look the same. Golden yellow cornbread is a must. Also, don’t try to sub any of the cornmeals used for making tamales – they are a different grind and the texture doesn’t come out the same.

What are good toppings for cornbread?

This recipe is great with a drizzle of honey, butter, honey butter, or just as it is.

What do you serve sour cream cornbread with?

I like to serve it with lentil chili, vegetarian chili (made in the Instant Pot!), or next to simple baked chicken legs with some roasted veggies or a salad on the side. It goes well with lots of things.

Can you make cornbread gluten free?

I have made this recipe gluten-free by simply swapping out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking blend and it worked perfectly.

easy sour cream cornbread in round white dish with butter, honey, and butterknife.

Expert Tips

Using room temperature ingredients will help you get anice smooth batter.
Adjust the baking time if using a different pan size. A larger, shallower pan will cook faster, while a smaller, deeper pan may require a bit more time.
Use high-quality butterfor a richer flavor. If you prefer, you can alsouse melted bacon fatfor a savory twist.

cut of cornbread on plate with butter and honey on top.

Sour cream vs. buttermilk cornbread:

Sour cream and buttermilk alike create a nice and tender cornbread. They both have acids in them that tenderize gluten strands, making the bread softer after baking.Buttermilk isn’t fatty, however, so it adds a rich flavor and texture without adding fat.

Sour cream makes cornbread more moist and gives it a creamier texture, but it has a higher fat content than buttermilk.If you follow a lower-fat diet, you may prefer to makebuttermilk cornbread like this onerather than sour cream cornbread.