How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better

How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better: a few simple ways to make your boxed corn muffin mix taste homemade! Moist, flavorful, and so easy!

I’m all about homemade cornbread, but sometimes you just need to use a box of muffin mix and call it a day. What if I told you you could have your cake cornbread and eat it too? Today we’re talking about How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better: the ease of using a boxed mix with the taste of homemade. Win win!

Ingredients

With just a few extra ingredients, nobody will ever guess that this is made with boxed cornbread!

• Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – a boxed cornbread mix containing flour, cornmeal, sugar, shortening, baking soda, and salt. You’ll need 2 (8.5 oz) boxes (any brand should be just fine) for this recipe.
• Eggs – the box originally calls for 1 large egg, but since we’re using 2 boxes, you’ll need 2 large eggs. Bring the eggs to room temperature to ensure they will be evenly mixed into the batter. Eggs provide structure to cornbread recipes and also act as a binding agent.
• Buttermilk – the type of milk listed on the back of the corn muffin mix isn’t specified, but today we’re using buttermilk. Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and ultra moist texture that is absolutely perfect for cornbread. 1/3 cup is originally called for, but again, because we’re using 2 boxes, you’ll need 2/3 cup milk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can either make your own, or use whatever milk you have on hand instead.
• Sour Cream – boxed corn muffin mixes can result in a very dry cornbread. Sour cream provides additional moisture and also adds a subtle tang to compliment the buttermilk. Not a fan of sour cream? Try using mayo or full fat greek yogurt.
• Butter – quick breads (a bread made without yeast), like this semi-homemade cornbread, need some sort of fat (typically oil or butter) to provide flavor and moisture. Oil will produce a bread that’s more moist, but butter provides a rich, buttery flavor. If oil is preferred, use a neutral flavored oil like canola.
• Granulated Sugar – sugar or no sugar in cornbread? It depends on who you ask, but it’s already listed on the back of the Jiffy box, so why not throw in a bit more?! Granulated sugar provides sweetness, enhances the flavor of the corn, and helps keeps baked goods moist and tender. Honey (like in my cornbread muffins) or even maple syrup may be used instead.
• Salt – provides flavor. Whether a sweet or salty recipe is being made, salt is a key ingredient to create a flavorful final dish. Salt enhances the flavor of the corn and balances out the sweetness from the sugar.
• Sweet Corn – you’ll need 1 (15 oz) sweet corn that’s been thoroughly drained. Not only does corn provide additional sweetness and more corn flavor, it adds a nice “pop” of texture to balance out the dense, crumbly bread. If you’re looking for a recipe that uses creamed or cream style corn, check out my corn casserole or slow cooker corn pudding.

How to make

Only 10 minutes of prep to make the BEST semi-homemade cornbread!

1. Stir corn muffin mix, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, butter, sugar, salt, and corn together in a large bowl.
2. Pour batter into a greased 8×8 baking dish, then bake in a 400 degree F oven until an inserted toothpick is basically clean.
3. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving with butter and honey!

How to make jiffy cornbread more moist

Jiffy cornbread, if made as the box directed, can be very dry. Here’s how to make it more moist:

• Use buttermilk. The acidity in buttermilk makes for a very tender and moist bread. Bonus: it adds a create, subtle tang.
• Add sour cream. Or greek yogurt or mayonnaise. Whatever you use, use full fat ingredients! The extract fat content makes the bread dense and rich.
• Use butter. Or oil.  Again, the high fat content will make the cornbread more moist. Butter will give you more flavor, but oil will technically make it even more moist.

Is jiffy cornbread gluten free?

Jiffy cornbread is not gluten free, but there are gluten free cornbread mixes available at the store. For this recipe, you’ll need 17 oz of the gluten free corn muffin mix which is about 3 cups.

You can also check out my copycat jiffy cornbread mix recipe or my homemade cornbread recipe which is naturally gluten free!

Flavor variations

If you’d like to add even more pizazz to your cornbread, here are some fun mix-ins!

• Canned and diced green chiles or jalapenos. Adds a subtle (or not so subtle) spicy flair.
• Cheese. Any shredded cheese will do — pepper-jack, cheddar, monterey-jack, etc.
• Bacon. Make my oven baked bacon, then crumble, and stir!
• Roasted Garlic. Because what recipe isn’t made better with garlic?
• Spices. Check out my street corn spoon bread for inspiration!

Tips

This jiffy cornbread is easy peasy, but here are a few extra tips to help make this boxed cornbread even better:

• Use room temperature ingredients. Same temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly.
• Don’t forget the cooking spray. Cornbread is really great at sticking to the bottom of the pan, so spray generously!
• Let it rest. It’s tough, but letting the cornbread cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan after it comes out of the oven will help prevent it from crumbling too much when cutting into squares.
• Serve with honey and butter. Does this really need an explanation? Honey provides additional sweetness and stickiness and butter adds richness and moisture.

What to serve with jiffy cornbread

Cornbread is great next to soups, chilis, and more! Here are some of my favorites:

• Instant Pot Chili
• Chicken Florentine Soup
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
• Air Fryer Salmon
• Pear, Blue Cheese, Candied Pecan Salad

How to store

Leftover cornbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

To reheat, bake or microwave until warmed through.

– Jennifer

How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better

4.95 from 17 votes

How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better: a few simple ways to make your boxed corn muffin mix taste homemade! Moist, flavorful, and so easy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Yield: 9 pieces

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 2 (8.5 oz) boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ ⅔ cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 1 (8 oz) container sour cream room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn drained

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease a non-stick 8x8 square baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Place corn muffin mix into a large bowl, then add in eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, butter, sugar, and salt.
• Stir until *just* combined, then stir in the drained corn. It’s ok if the mixture is a little lumpy.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick is basically clean. If the top starts to get too brown, cover with a greased piece of tin foil.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving with butter and honey!
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STORING

Room Temp:2 Days

Refrigerator:7 Days

Freezer:3 Months

Reheat:Microwave or bake in oven until warm

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better

Amount Per Serving (1 piece)

Calories 356 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 937mg41%

Potassium 146mg4%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 529IU11%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 160mg16%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: boxed cornbread, semi-homemade

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Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Author: Jennifer Debth