Marie Callender’s Cornbread Recipe

If you’re craving a classic southern treat, try this Marie Callender’s cornbread recipe!

This copycat recipe makes a moist, perfectly crumbly, and ridiculously tasty cornbread.

It’s also soft, warm, and buttery, and simply sublime. It’s awesome with toppings, partnered with other dishes, and even on its own.

So whether you like cornbread drizzled with honey or paired with chili or BBQ, this recipe won’t disappoint.

Oh, and it also gets bonus points for being super easy to make. With the help of Bisquick, this recipe comes together in no time.

So come on, put on that apron, preheat your oven, and prepare to be a-maized. 

Marie Callender’s Cornbread Recipe 

This cornbread recipe has the perfect balance between sweet, buttery, and corn-flavored.

It’s not overly sweet, so for those of you who prefer savory cornbread, you’ll also enjoy this.

Apart from the flavor, you’ll also fall in love with its texture. It’s nice and crumbly, but because it’s also moist, it doesn’t fall apart like wet sand. 

What is Cornmeal and What Kind Is Best?

Cornmeal is dried and ground yellow or white corn. It’s mostly powdery with varying levels of granularity – coarse, medium, and fine.

While similar, don’t confuse cornmeal with polenta, grits, and cornflour. 

• Polenta is a dish made of boiled cornmeal.
• Cornflour is also made from milled and dried corn, but it has a lighter corn flavor and a finer texture than cornmeal.
• While very similar in flavor and texture to cornmeal, corn grits are a bit coarser.

If you want cornbread success, it’s important to use the right kind of cornmeal. Stick to fine-ground plain cornmeal for the best results.

Stay away from cornmeal mix as it contains flour and leavening agents.

This recipe already contains Bisquick mix and baking powder. Adding more will mess up the batter.

If you want a sweeter cake-like cornbread, use yellow cornmeal. White cornmeal is also okay, but it has a milder corn flavor.

How Do You Make Cornbread Without It Falling Apart?

While this recipe already makes perfectly moist cornbread, there are several ways you can improve upon it to ensure it doesn’t fall apart.

• First, let the cornbread batter sit for 15 minutes before baking it. Cornmeal, unlike flour, needs time to absorb moisture from the liquid ingredients. 
• Don’t wait out too long, though, or the batter will be way too thick and stiff. If this happens, just add more liquid to give it moisture again. 

A splash of milk or buttermilk will do the trick. You can also use a dollop of yogurt or creamed corn.

• You can add more fat and moist sweeteners to your batter as well. This will soften the crumb of the cornbread, making it less dry and crumbly.

Fat can come in the form of extra oil, butter, or margarine. I also like adding an extra egg yolk in there. 

For the sweeteners, you can use brown sugar, honey, or corn syrup.

• I like crumbly cornbread, but if you want it more cakey than crumbly, consider reducing the amount of cornmeal and adding more flour.
• Do not overmix the batter. Cornbread batter is supposed to be lumpy, so don’t hope for it to be smooth like cake batter.
• Bake at the right temperature. Some ovens, especially old ones, run hotter than the temperature you set it, too. Put an oven-safe thermometer in there to ensure the temperature is correct.
• Don’t overbake the cornbread. This cornbread requires 35 minutes to bake, but I like to check at the 30-minute mark, just to be sure.

Tips for Making The Best Cornbread 

• Use room temperature ingredients. Set the milk and eggs out on the counter 1 hour before use. Or, microwave the milk and submerge the eggs in hot water for a few seconds to warm them up.
• Measure the ingredients well. The key to the perfect cornbread texture is a correct ratio between cornmeal and Bisquick mix. Too much cornmeal will make the cornbread too dry and crumbly – almost like wet sand.
• This recipe calls for Bisquick baking mix just because it’s more commonly available, but of course, Marie Callender’s will work, too. You can also use a regular pancake mix in a pinch.
• You can use gluten-free Bisquick for gluten-free cornbread. 
• This recipe makes a mildly sweet cornbread. Feel free to reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer it savory.
• You can substitute coconut sugar, Splenda, and other sweeteners for sugar.
• For a fluffier cornbread, increase the baking powder to 1 teaspoon. If you like it dense, omit the baking powder.
• Traditional southern cornbread is baked in a cast-iron skillet because it creates a crispy crust at the bottom and around the sides. But you can also use a casserole dish, cake pan, or any stoneware.
• If using a cast-iron skillet, preheat it on the stovetop over medium heat before pouring the batter. This will guarantee a crispy crust.
• If you’re not using a cast-iron skillet, grease the pan well with butter. 
• Instead of a bowl, you can use a large measuring cup with a pour spout to whisk in the wet ingredients.
• Be sure the melted margarine or butter has cooled to room temperature. Hot butter will scramble the eggs.
• Don’t over-mix the batter. Cornbread should be light and fluffy, not dense and rubbery. Stop as soon as the batter is moist. Don’t mind the lumps, they’re fine! 

Also, just use a wire whisk or a rubber spatula when combining the wet and dry ingredients. An electric mixer is a big no-no.

• The batter should be loose and almost watery. If it’s too thick, expect the cornbread to be tough and dense.
• If the batter is browning too much too soon, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
• Let the batter sit for 15 minutes before baking. This will allow the baking powder to react with the wet ingredients, making the cornbread light and airy.
• Let the cornbread rest for 15 minutes before slicing. It’ll still be mushy in the middle right after baking.
• Store any leftover cornbread in an air-tight container. It will last for up to 2 days at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge. 
• To freeze it, slice the cornbread into squares and place them in freezer-safe bags with a piece of parchment paper in between. Freeze it for up to 3 months.

Let the frozen cornbread sit at room temperature before serving. You can also warm it in the oven.

Wrap it in aluminum foil and warm it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cornbread Variations

Feel free to customize cornbread to make it your own! These add-ins will definitely give more personality to your cornbread.

• Give your cornbread maximum corn flavor with corn kernels. You can use either fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed corn. 
• Make it Mexican with some spicy jalapenos. Besides the added kick, these peppers also give the cornbread a nice pop of color.
• Make it earthy and savory with your fresh herbs. Sage, thyme, and rosemary are some of my favorites.
• Add shredded sharp cheddar to the batter for a cheesy cornbread.
• Bacon makes everything better, so go ahead and throw in bacon bits into the batter as well.

You can also use the same batter to make cornbread muffins.

Line your muffin tin with muffin liners or grease them with butter. Fill them with batter 2/3 of the way. 

Bake them for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let them cool slightly and enjoy!

What Goes with Cornbread?

I can eat cornbread all day, whether on its own, drizzled with honey, or paired with other treats. 

I don’t know if I just love cornbread too much, but for me, cornbread goes well with EVERYTHING.

But for the ultimate cornbread experience, you can’t go wrong with these pairings.

• Honey and Butter. Nothing goes better with cornbread than these two! You can use regular honey and butter, or switch things up with these variations:
  • Cranberry honey butter 
  • Whipped butter
  • Honey butter glaze
• Bread Spreads. Jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades – have at it.
• Chili. Is there a more classic southern combination than chili and cornbread? I don’t think so.
• Barbeque. I’m talking ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, brisket – you name it. 
• Fruits and Berries. When you’re in the mood for a light and sweet snack, pair your cornbread with banana, mango, or apple slices. Fresh berries are perfect, too.

Check this out for more epic cornbread combos!

More Cornbread Recipes You’ll Love

• Bisquick Cornbread
• Aunt Jemima Cornbread
• Albers Cornbread
• Cracker Barrel Cornbread
• Mexican Cornbread