This Sour Cream Cornbread recipe is so moist, delicious, and not overly sweet. It’s super easy to make, the entire family loves it, and it’s simply the best!

For just $0.31 per serving, you can make this cornbread recipe that serves nine people. The entire recipe costs about $2.75 to make.

This cornbread is the perfect side dish for almost any meal. Some of my favorite meals to serve it with are this Southwest Shepherd’s Pie, Quick & Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup, Restaurant-Style Black Bean Soup, and this Sausage and Butter Bean Soup.

Three pieces of Sour Cream Cornbread stacked on top of each other.

Best Ever Sour Cream Cornbread Recipe

Today I’m sharing this Sour Cream Cornbread Recipe that I’ve been making for over 20 years now! It’s a versatile recipe that can be served with your favorite soup, chili, Mexican meal, or even breakfast! But, of course, having leftovers for breakfast is my favorite!

Each piece has a soft, buttery, fluffy center surrounded by crispy golden edges with the perfect crumb. 

This recipe comes from my cousin, Renee. I have stopped searching for the best cornbread recipe because this one is IT! It’s effortless to make and foolproof.

The sour cream really makes it nice and moist. It’s also a great base recipe if you want to spice it up with jalapeño and cheddar cheese. I make this recipe ALL THE TIME! As a result, cornmeal is always stocked in my pantry!

Moist Cornbread Ingredients & Cost

Per Serving Cost: $0.31

Recipe Cost: $2.75

  • 1 cup flour – $0.19
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal – $0.48
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar – $0.06
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder – $0.30
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda – $0.01
  • 1 teaspoon salt – $0.06
  • 1 large egg – $0.10
  • ½ cup milk – $0.06
  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter – $0.40
  • 1 ¼ cup sour cream – $1.09

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. 

An overhead picture of all of the ingredients needed to make this cornbread recipe.

How to make Cornbread with Sour Cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease an 8-inch square pan. Set the pan aside.
  2. Next, whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl. 
  3. Beat the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup. 
  4. Then, combine the wet and dry ingredients but don’t over-mix. 
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and top with butter extra butter (optional). 
  6. Finally, bake for 20-25 minutes and cool for ten minutes before slicing and serving.

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

A picture collage of how to make cornbread without buttermilk.

Moist Cornbread Recipe Variations

  • Spice up the cornbread by adding 2 large chopped jalapeño or 1 (4 ounce) can of green chiles and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese.
  • You can use reduced-fat sour cream, just don’t use fat-free sour cream.
  • You can easily turn this recipe into corn muffins. Just fill lined, or greased muffin wells ⅔ full with batter and bake in a 400-degree F oven for 15-20 minutes. You should get about 12 muffins from this recipe.

How to store this Recipe for Cornbread

SERVE & STORE: Serve the sour cream cornbread warm or at room temperature. Cover and store at room temperature for 2-3 days.

FREEZE: Once cooled, Wrap the cornbread in two layers of plastic wrap and foil and then place it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Freeze for 2-3 months.

DEFROST: Defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours and serve.

An over head picture of a piece of cornbread with melted butter on it.

Cornbread Recipe with Sour Cream FAQs

Why is my cornbread not done in the middle?

Try covering the dish with foil and baking it for a few more minutes if it is not done in the middle.

How can you tell if cornbread is done?

The top of the cornbread will be a beautiful golden brown when done baking. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of it to check if it is done. It is done if the toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

What causes crumbly cornbread?

There are a couple of different reasons this could be happening. First, make sure you use the correct amounts of flour and cornmeal. Too much or not enough of either one will throw the texture of the cornbread off.

What makes your cornbread moist?

There are a few things that make my cornbread moist:
Use sour cream. Sour cream contains lactic acid, which helps break down the flour’s gluten, making the cornbread more tender and moist.
I don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour, making the cornbread tough.
Use fresh cornmeal. Old cornmeal can make the cornbread dry and crumbly.
Don’t overbake. Overbaked cornbread will be dry and hard.

Does cornbread taste better with oil or butter?

Whether cornbread tastes better with oil or butter is a matter of personal preference.
Oil is a common ingredient in cornbread recipes. It helps to keep the cornbread moist and tender. Oil also gives the bread a slightly lighter and more crumbly texture than butter.
Butter adds a rich and buttery flavor to cornbread. It also gives it a denser and more cake-like texture than oil.

An overhead picture of cornbread cut up in the pan it has been baked in.

More Side Dish Recipes

Cornbread pieces stacked on top of each other with a pad of butter on top that is starting to melt.
4.49 from 29 votes

Best Ever Cornbread with Sour Cream

Author Recipe from my cousin, Renee Lavoie Rothauser
Recipe Cost $ $2.75
Serving Cost $ $0.31
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 39 minutes
9 large pieces
This Sour Cream Cornbread recipe is so moist, delicious, and not overly sweet. It’s super easy to make, the entire family loves it, and it's simply the best!

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • whisk
  • large liquid measuring cup
  • 8-inch square pan

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • ½ cup milk
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 ¼ cup sour cream 1/2 pint

Instructions

PREP OVEN AND PAN:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square pan and set it aside.

MAKE BATTER:

  • Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Mix the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup, and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until all of the ingredients are just combined.
  • Pour into your prepared pan, and dot the top with small pads of butter (optional).

BAKE AND COOL:

  • Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1.4mg

did you love this recipe?

Share it with me on Facebook and find more recipes on foodfolksandfun for more!

Three pieces of cornbread stacked on top of each other.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




26 Comments

  1. These are simply awesome! I’ve even been able to make this recipe without mishap. Practically foolproof. 🙂

  2. ranadurham says:

    yummy, I love cornbread. that’s a new twist that I wantr to try

  3. ranadurham says:

    yummy sour cream cornbread delsh. trying this soon

  4. Sherry Cole says:

    Made this cornbread today and it is amazing. Will probably become my main recipe for cornbread. I never add flour, sugar, or sour cream, but I like it. It comes out so soft and delicious.

    1. Sherry, I am SO glad you loved it! I have been making it for over 15 years now and it’s the only corn bread recipe I make! Thanks for stopping by to tell me how you liked it, I always love hearing from readers! 🙂

  5. Thank you very much for the recipe. I made it with light sour cream and low fat milk and also added some corn it was very tasty. Thank you☺

    1. Glad you liked it! 🙂

  6. My son in law just raves about the cornbread. It’s the best that I have made for him. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Patricia, I’m so glad he loves it! It’s definitely a family favorite at my house! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  7. Melinda Taylor says:

    Corn bread was almost an every night occurrence at my grandmothers house.In fact,I still have her black cast iron skillet that I bake mine in.
    Not only is it so good with melting butter on and in your slice,it’s also very good cold with milk poured in it as a snack.
    I’ve used a few different recipes and am looking forward to trying this one out.

    1. Melinda, I love kitchen treasures that are passed down from generation to generation. Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

  8. This corn bread was excellent…I used honey instead of sugar and added a bit of lemon rind….wonderful

    1. So glad you liked it! 🙂

    1. So glad you liked it, Rita! I’ve been making it for 20 years now!

  9. Very good cornbread, and easy to throw together, as are all cornbread recipes. Because of the current isolation situation, I used what I had n hand, which meant plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It turned out wonderfully. Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. So glad Greek yogurt worked in this recipe for you! Thanks for stopping by!

  10. The cornbread looks so light, fluffy and delicious. I can’t believe it’s this easy and inexpensive to make. I’ll definitely be making this often.

  11. Such great texture from the sour cream and love the idea of putting pats of butter on top before baking!

  12. We love cornbread at our house and this is a great recipe. It was easy to make and I love your price breakdown – a bit more here in Caliofornia but it helps. If we wanted to add a bit of cheddar cheese for a cheesy cornbread, any idea how much?

  13. Very nice, easy, and flavorful recipe! Thanks for sharing!

  14. Love how fluffy and soft this is! I hope I’ll get mine as delicious a yours! Thanks for the idea!

  15. This is truly the best cornbread I have ever tasted!! I made it into corn muffins, and the drizzle of butter on the tops gave a wonderful tender crispy crust. The consistency is perfect. I was looking for a way to use up some leftover sour cream, and this recipe hit it out of the park!

  16. IslandCat says:

    My new go-to cornbread recipe! Thank you!

  17. Love this recipe for cornbread! It is so moist and not overly sweet. Question…I’m assuming you have updated the recipe because when I first started making it, the recipe called for 1/3 cup of milk and now it’s 1/2 cup. Also, the amount of sour cream was 1 cup and now it’s 1 1/4 cup (which is more than 1/2 pint……confused. I would love to get your reply. I just made this again last night and YUM!

    1. Hi Carolyn, You are right, I have updated the recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for over 20 years (been posted for over 10) and I’ve tinkered with it over time to make it super moist.