High Altitude Cornbread

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This is my favorite High Altitude Cornbread recipe! It's super soft, moist and buttery and best of all, this recipe is super easy and can be made in under 1 hour.

3 small white circle plates with a piece of cornbread with a piece of butter and honey on top on a light wood background.

This cornbread has the perfect golden brown color and is moist and fluffy with gentle cracks on top. A brown butter gives the cornbread a slight nutty taste which elevates the entire flavor. This High Altitude Cornbread is an easy dinner side dish that comes together in less than an hour. It's perfect every time and goes wonderful with your favorite chili recipe (this one's mine), meatloaf, pork chop, ribs, really any cozy comfort food.

This cornbread has a beautiful golden crust and it's wonderful with a a bit of butter and honey spread on. Serve it with my Apple Brie Salad and Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta for an ultimate fall feast.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Ready in less than 1 hour
Perfect dinner side dish
Goes delicious with any comfort food
Beautifully golden
Fluffy, soft and moist inside

A hand holding a small spatula with a piece of cornbread on it. In the background is a square white baking pan with the rest of the cornbread on a light wood background.

Ingredient Notes

High Altitude Cornbread on a light wood background. Each item is labeled with a red rectangle with white text in all caps.

All-Purpose Flour - I use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Cornmeal - The main ingredient for cornbread! Gives us that beautiful golden color and of course the grainy, delicious consistency.
Baking Powder - helps make our cornbread rise to be fluffy and soft.
Salt - Just a bit to bring out the flavors.
Brown Sugar - Use just a bit of sugar for a touch of sweetness. Brown sugar has that molasses which gives the cornbread even more flavor.
Butter - gives the cornbread a rich flavor and moist texture.
Milk Powder (Optional) - We add to our butter when it's browning. It created even more brown butter bits.
Eggs - binds the cornbread batter together and helps the conbread rise. Make sure they are room temperature.
Vegetable Oil - Doesn't provide much flavor but gives cornbread a moist, tender crumb.
Milk - Buttermilk for rich, moist cornbread. Make sure buttermilk is at room temperature before using.

Step-by-Step Instruction

Heat butter over medium heat - medium low heat in a light colored sauce pot until water is dissolved and butter begins to foam. Add in milk powder. And continue to heat and stir constantly until brown bits have formed. (Around 5-7 minutes.)

A sauce pot with butter foaming on the stove with a red spatula stirring the butter. A red square box is in the upper left corner with a white '1' in the center.

Remove from heat and immediately add in brown sugar and stir. This will stop the brown butter from continuing to cook.

A sauce pot with brown butter on the stove with a red spatula stirring the brown butter. A red square box is in the upper left corner with a white '2' in the center.

Let the brown butter sugar mixture cool slightly (2-3 minutes). Then, in a mixing bowl, add in brown butter sugar mixture, vegetable oil and eggs. Use a hand mixer and blend for 2-3 minutes on low. Then, add in buttermilk and mix again for 1 minute on low.

A white mixing bowl with a yellow batter on a black table. A hand mixer is behind the bowl. A red square box is in the upper left corner with a white '3' in the center.

Next add in all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand with a silicone spatula. Optional: Let the batter sit for 25-30 minutes and pre-heat oven to 425 degrees while the batter is resting.

A white mixing bowl with High Altitude cornbread batter with a red spatula in the batter. The bowl sits on a black table. A red square box is in the upper left corner with a white '4' in the center.

Spray non-stick spray in a 9x9 pan. Pour in batter.

A square white baking pan with cornbread batter. The pan sits on a black table. A red square box is in the upper left corner with a white '5' in the center.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until top is set and golden brown and a skewers goes into the center of the cornbread and comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool slightly, cut into 9 pieces or smaller if you desire and serve. I recommend serving cornbread with honey and butter.

Expert Tips

Love a crusty cornbread?! A dark pan will make crustier cornbread then a light pan. For the crustiest cornbread, use a skillet.
Don't over mix! Just mix until you no longer see any dry. You batter should be lumpy.

High Altitude Cornbread in a square white baking dish on a light wood background with a glass of milk, white napkin, small white circle plates and wooden-handle whisk sit around the cornbread.

Recipe FAQ

What is the best kind of cornmeal to use?

Fine cornmeal are your everyday, do-it-all cornmeals. Yellow cornmeal also gives it that classic cornbread look. However, white cornmeal will work as well, just will have a completely different coloring.

What altitude were these baked at?

I baked these at 5,280 ft! Check out this high altitude resource to adjust this cornbread recipe for your altitude.

Should I let the batter sit/rest?

Letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before baking it, gives the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb flavor. This step is completely optional depending on your time.

Do I have to make the brown butter?

If you are short on time, melted butter would also work! Brown butter just adds some much extra flavor in just a few minutes. Check out this guide if you want a more in-depth explanation. I love brown butter especially in these High Altitude Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days at room temperature.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page? I always appreciate feedback. You can also follow me on Pinteres t, Facebook or Instagram.