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Maple Cornbread

cornbread with maple syrup and butter

Sweet or savory, I like cornbread in just about any form it comes in. But if I have to choose between the two, I’ll opt for slightly sweet over savory almost every time. This is simply because I feel that sweet cornbread is slightly more versatile. It goes well with chilis, meats and other savory/spicy foods and can also be eaten with jam for breakfast. A cornbread packed with chili peppers can be eaten with jam, but it’s not quite the same with a latte.

This cornbread is on the sweet side, made with the addition of maple syrup in place of sugar. The syrup does not have a strong presence in the finished cornbread, largely because there is also plenty of sweet corn mixed in, but does give it a unique and subtle flavor. I like to serve this with butter and more maple syrup, or with maple butter (soften butter and mix in maple syrup, the chill), but you can do just about anything with a batch. It makes a great side dish with a hearty meal if there is a sauce or gravy that will need mopping up and is equally good for breakfast. You can even use it to make dressing/stuffing for a turkey.

I used my Baker’s Edge pan for this batch of cornbread so each piece has a nice edge and it was very easy to slice up. If you don’t have one, you can use a 9×9″ square pan, although it might take a couple extra minutes in the oven to ensure that the center is completely cooked through.

Oh – and if you want to get nice littler butter balls for your cornbread like the one pictured above (not healthy, but makes for an attractive presentation), simply soften your butter and use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to form each ball. Whipped butter tends to look slightly better when balled, in my opinion, but use any kind you like. The balls can be stored in the fridge to ensure that they don’t melt together while you’re waiting to serve them.

Note: This cornbread is used in making Maple Cornbread Stuffing.


Maple Cornbread
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, canned, defrosted)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking pan or a Baker’s Edge pan (my preference).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, syrup and buttermilk. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in corn kernels and pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed. A 9×9 pan may take an additional couple of minutes.
Cool in pan before slicing.

Serves 12-16.

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7 Comments
  • Butters
    November 20, 2007

    Sounds very versatile. I usually tend to lean towards the sweeter cornbreads myself. Looks like I might be using this recipe for Thanksgiving. No that’s something to be thankful for!

  • Sophia
    November 22, 2007

    This looks great! I just won a huge bottle of maple syrup in a raffle, and I have been looking for other ways to use it. I might just have to try it soon! Again, it looks great.

  • Ellen
    July 16, 2009

    Just made this to go alongside green chile chicken stew, to rave reviews. People couldn’t keep their hands off it. That includes me.

    I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of AP (not having white WW on hand), and 2% yogurt (no stabilizers) instead of buttermilk since I always have that in the fridge. The corn was fresh.

    “This is the best cornbread I’ve ever had. And I’m from Alabama, so I know my cornbread!”

  • Renee
    May 10, 2010

    Made this tonight with yogurt for buttermilk and WW flour. Does well in muffin cups for about 27 minutes on Bread cycle of oven. Tops came out toasted and sweet. Great with ribs!

  • Dakota
    March 7, 2011

    Just curious- what kind of yogurt should I use if I want to substitute it for the buttermilk? Just plain yogurt 2 %?

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    May 2, 2009

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