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Healthy Cornbread (Whole Wheat, Fluffy and Moist)

May 21, 2020 by Christy Gurin (updated June 17, 2024) | 2 Comments

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The best healthy cornbread recipe with white whole wheat flour that is still buttery, perfectly moist and absolutely delicious!

honey dipper drizzling honey on top of a square of cornbread

Cornbread is one food item that is absolutely wonderful when done well but can be god awful terrible when its bad. Not that it’s particularly hard to make but it can easily turn out dry and/or flavorless if ratios are off.

But this cornbread? It’s whole wheat and healthy but still moist, buttery and oh so good. This recipe took a ton of testing but the final whole wheat cornbread recipe is tried and true!

Hand grabbing a piece of cornbread from a stack

Why this is the BEST Healthy Cornbread recipe

This cornbread recipe is more nutritious than your standard cornbread since it uses white whole wheat flour and is lightened up from using less honey and butter than most recipes. You might be wondering if it’s still edible and yes, it’s far better than that!

My take on any healthy recipe re-vamp is that it still has to taste as close to the real full fat, calorie laden standard recipe as possible. I tested making it way more nutritious and no dice.

The early trials crashed and burned. Take it from me, when the cornbread is super dry, there isn’t enough liquid in the world wash it down. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Also, yogurt has no place here and butter and honey are a must.

Soooo, we met in the middle, and made it healthier not healthiest and I truly think this is the best of both worlds. Still absolutely delicious with great texture but better for the bod.

overhead picture of a plate of cornbread on a metal tray and blue background

Ingredients

The ingredients in this recipe are pretty simple. I don’t keep buttermilk on hand so I make my own with vinegar and milk, which is pretty much the most complicated step in the whole process. That’s saying something since all you do is stir the vinegar into the milk.

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

  • cornmeal (fine ground is best but medium works too)
  • white whole wheat flour
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • egg
  • honey
  • buttermilk (or just mix 1 Tbsp. vinegar into regular milk and let sit for 10 minutes)
  • melted butter
overhead picture of whole wheat cornbread ingredients on a gray background

How to Make Healthy Cornbread

Most cornbread recipes are pretty easy to make and this one is no different. There are just a few simple steps and a short bake time and you’re done.

First you mix the dry ingredients together. Second, mix the wet in another bowl and then whisk them together. I definitely recommend using two separate bowls to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately to avoid over mixing and keep it light and fluffy.

Grease a pan (I use butter) and pour the batter evenly into it. Bake for about 18 minutes and enjoy!

step by step numbered process pictures for making cornbread

Making Cornbread Muffins

You can easily make this recipe into cornbread muffins by pouring the batter into nine spots in a greased muffin tin. I prefer and recommend greasing with butter but any oil will work.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until baked through and enjoy warm if possible. You can try the add-ins from

Cornbread Storage

While it’s always best warm, cornbread can be kept for about 3 days, sealed on the countertop or up to five days in the refrigerator.

Add-In Options

The options for cornbread add-ins are bountiful but here are some of my favorites:

  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese and a can of diced jalapeños or diced green chilis for a milder option
  • About one cup of blueberries or strawberries (they can be frozen) and serve with Honey
  • 1 cup corn (thawed if frozen) and 1 cup shredded cheese and 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
  • Add a few tablespoons of fresh herbs like rosemary, cilantro, thyme sage or anything that sounds good to you.
up close picture of a hand holding a piece of cornbread with a bite taken out and honey dripping off

What to Serve with Cornbread

Well the most obvious is chili of course – here are my top suggestions of what to eat with cornbread:

  • It pairs seamlessly with this Turkey Veggie Chili – one of my all time favorites
  • With BBQ or pulled pork like my delicious tenderloin pulled pork.
  • Or even with this piña colada banana nice cream
  • Just drizzled with honey or spread with a thin layer of honey or honey butter
Hand holding a honey dipper drizzling honey onto a piece of cornbread
Recipe
A hand drizzles honey over a square piece of cornbread on a gray surface. A bowl of honey and more cornbread pieces are in the background.
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Healthy Cornbread (Whole Wheat, Fluffy and Moist)

Created by: Christy Gurin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
9 pieces
The best healthy cornbread recipe with white whole wheat flour that is still buttery, perfectly moist and absolutely delicious!
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup cornmeal fine ground is best but medium works too
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 ¼ cup buttermilk* preferably room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp. cup butter melted but not still hot

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (205° C).
  • Add cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk egg. Add honey, buttermilk then melted butter and whisk to mix in.
  • Butter an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Pour batter into pan and place pan into preheated oven.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes until starting to turn lightly golden on top and cooked through (if not sure, test by inserting a toothpick into the center of the pan and if it’s cooked it won’t have batter on it when you pull it out).
  • Cut into 9 pieces and serve cornbread while still warm. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.

Notes

* To make buttermilk, put 1 Tbsp. vinegar to 1 1/4 cup of milk. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes before using.
* To make cornbread muffins, grease 9 spots in a muffin tin and pour cornbread into prepared spots. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg

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posted in: Baked Goods, Grains, Oven, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Dana Morrison says

    April 3, 2021

    Do you have to use “White” whole wheat flour? I have regular whole wheat flour.

    Reply
    • Christy says

      April 13, 2021

      That’s totally fine! White whole wheat flour is much finer and has a lighter taste so the end result is less “whole wheat” tasting, but it will work either way.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Christy

I started cooking, baking, and helping in the kitchen when I was old enough to reach the counter. I am a food lover with a focus on quick and easy dinners using wholesome ingredients that are approachable for the home chef. If you crave flavor but always find yourself short on time, you’re in the right place.

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