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A slice of jalapeno cheddar cornbread with butter on top.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Jalapeno and cheddar cheese add fantastic flavor to cornbread. There are a lot of jalapenos in this recipe but if you remove the seeds and pith, they will not overwhelm the cornbread. Baking the peppers also reduces their 'fire power" so the spice level is actually quite mild.
4.50 from 18 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 1-½ cups yellow cornmeal see notes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-½ teaspoons salt
  • 1-¼ cups buttermilk milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 to 5 jalapeño peppers seeded and diced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick spray.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
  • In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk eggs, melted butter, and olive oil. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers.
  • Spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  • Let the cornbread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides and invert onto a cooling rack. 

Notes

  • Look for finely ground cornmeal (also sold as "bolted cornmeal"). Finely ground cornmeal will give you a much more tender crumb than coarse-ground cornmeal.
  • Wear gloves when you chop the jalapeno peppers or wash your hands well after handling them. Chopping them releases capsaicin which can burn your eyes if you touch your face.
  • The seeds and the white membrane inside the peppers have the highest concentration of capsaicin. Scrape them out completely or they will overwhelm your cornbread with too much heat.
  • Use a 9-inch square pan or a 10-inch round pan for the best results. A smaller pan will take much longer to bake and a larger pan will make very thin cornbread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 650mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g