We’ve perfected this Amish Friendship Bread cornbread so you could make a meal of it! Add corn kernels, chopped jalapeños, black beans, or a side of chili.
UPDATED, REVISED, PERFECTED!
Not every Amish Friendship Bread adaption works out. You take a recipe you love and give it an Amish Friendship Bread spin, and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. I think what’s worse is when it works out for some people and not for others, which in my book counts as a fail because consistency is kind of important in the kitchen. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to figure out if it’s the recipe or you that got it wrong.
This original cornbread variation came out in April 2011, and it was exactly that — a hit and miss. I meant to give it another try but new recipes kept taking over and I actually forgot about it. With the publication of my latest cookbook, Amish Friendship Bread Recipes With a Twist, I knew I wanted to include a cornbread recipe but the old recipe obviously had to go. So last week I hit the kitchen and put everything I learned these past few years to work and came up with an Amish Friendship Bread cornbread recipe that I think you’re going to love.
Not only that, this version is faster, easier, and the end result is amazing. You can make your cornbread plain or dress it up with fresh corn kernels, cheese, or sliced jalapeños. I made it for my family so I went with corn (organic frozen), jalapeños (on half of the cornbread since two of my kids don’t like spicy stuff), and picked up some buttermilk (regular milk works well, too).
What emerged in less than half an hour was this:
It was one of those scenarios when you know you have something really good but there’s no time to wait for it to cool down because you absolutely must have a slice now. So yes, I burned myself (cast iron skillets straight out of the oven are HOT), and yes, it was totally worth it.
Next time I’m going to load up the slow cooker with chili and pour the batter on top to make a tamale pie. I hope you’ll give this a try and tell me how it works out for you!
Amish Friendship Bread Cornbread
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1½ cups milk or buttermilk
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400° F (205° C). Oil a 9″ cast-iron skillet or round pan. Place in over to preheat.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine starter, eggs, oil milk, and butter. Mix well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to center of well and gently incorporate. Do not overmix.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Pour cornbread batter into pan and return to oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the top browns and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the skillet..
- ENJOY!
>> Have you tried this recipe? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
This cornbread is superb! I used polenta instead of regular cornmeal as it is more coarse and results in better terms tire.
I added 1/2 cup drained and chopped Trader Joe’s ‘Hot and Sweet’ jalapeños, 1/2 t red chili flakes and 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese. Half mixed in batter and half sprinkled on top.
Wonderful! Thanks.
That sounds so delicious! Thanks for sharing your tips!
My kids all love this cornbread, I have made it 3 times already in the past six weeks! Turns out perfect every time.
We love to hear this, Emily! So glad this recipe has been enjoyed by you (and your family)! If you took any pictures, feel free to share them on our group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amishfriendshipbread/
The flour to cornmeal ratio looks right, but I cannot stand cornbread with sugar, so when I try this, I will leave out the sugar.
I didn’t have a cast iron pan and so made this in an oven-safe frying pan. The crust was good but I have to admit that none of us were fans. Not using cast iron meant I had to cook it longer to try to get the center cooked through and I still had gummy bits in the middle. Although this is cornbread, it tasted very much like tangy sour amish bread with some cornmeal mixed in. I wanted more traditional cornbread texture and flavor and less tang, I think. It wasn’t a bad bread, and obviously there was some user error and thwarted expectations, but I would not make this again. If you want a really tangy and unusual cornbread that’s closer in texture to sweetbread, this recipe will work for you and make you happy.
Did u ever pour the batter over ur chili in the crock pot? If so how did it turn out? I really want to try it.
I made this into corn muffins because I love muffins! Make as directed and then bake in a muffin tin for 15 minutes. Delicious
Hi Nicole! Those sound amazing! They would make such a great addition to soup or chili. If you make them again and snap a picture, we’d love to see it. You can submit your photo here.
i squirted some Sriracha on the top of it in a zigzag pattern. …. cute and tastes good.
Can’t wait to try the cornbread. MMMmm.
I love this fb page! I won’t be in the kitchen much this weekend but will be next week! Can hardly wait to taste this, yum! Thanks so much!