Best Cornbread Mix
For a true taste of the South, there’s nothing like cornbread. This light, crumbly bread can be sweet or plain and has a distinct, almost grainy texture and flavor that makes it perfect to be served as a side. Many people have treasured family recipes for cornbread, but when you don’t have the time or the ingredients to make it from scratch, the next best thing is a good cornbread mix.
Cornbread is delicious on its own as a savory snack or paired with a thick soup. Alternatively, you can top it with honey or dip a chunk into a bowl of chili. No matter how you cut it, there’s no debating the great taste of cornbread.
White cornmeal or yellow, with sugar, honey or other flavors added or not, you know how you like it and what goes best with the food you prepare. With so many cornbread mixes to choose from, it’s easy to stock up on a few boxes to have on hand any time the mood hits.
We feature six cornbread mixes you can buy online. Read on to see which one appeals to you.
Top Pick Best Certified Gluten Free: Krusteaz Gluten Free Honey Cornbread Mix
You’ve recently discovered that a member of your family suffers from Celiac disease and can’t have any gluten. This has made you highly vigilant in finding recipes and packaged foods that not only do not contain any gluten, but are certified as such so there is no possibility of cross-contamination. On its own, corn is gluten-free, which makes cornbread a safe option. But when it comes to cornbread mixes, many brands add wheat, making it off limits to someone with Celiac, or anyone with a gluten intolerance.
If you are looking for a sweeter version of a cornbread mix that is certified gluten free, then consider this one by Krusteaz. This mix may be gluten free, but that doesn’t mean it’s taste-free. This version packs the same flavor as classic cornbread, with real honey and corn, and contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
This cornbread mix is easy to make, too. Whether you’re going to cook it in a skillet or bake it as muffins, simply add milk, vegetable oil and an egg to the mix and in as little as 15 minutes, you’ll be chowing down on some delicious gluten-free cornbread.
Ingredients in this honey cornbread mix are: sugar, whole grain white cornmeal, degermed yellow cornmeal, whole grain sorghum flour, whole grain millet flour. Contains two percent or less of the following: food starch-modified, salt, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate) xanthan gum, honey powder.
Pros:
- Certified gluten-free
- No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
Cons:
- May contain milk, eggs and soy
- More expensive than brands with gluten
Top Pick Best Basic: Fleischmann’s Simply Homemade Cornbread Mix
When you’re in the mood for the good taste of cornbread but you don’t have the patience or the ingredients to make it from scratch, then it’s good to have a few boxes of a basic cornbread mix on hand.
With Fleischmann’s cornbread mix, it only takes a few minutes to begin enjoying warm slices of cornbread either plain, or with butter, honey, or both. All you need to add to the mix is 2/3 of a cup of milk, 1/3 of a cup of butter or margarine, melted and an egg. Stir it all together in a bowl until moist, pour into an eight-inch pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes and you’re done.
Ingredients are: Yellow corn meal, unbleached wheat flour, sugar, baking powder (leavening) (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), salt, honey powder (sugar, honey), xanthan gum (thickener).
Pros:
- Easy to make
- Can make muffins from the mix
Cons:
- More expensive than other 15-ounce mixes
Top Pick Best Mexican Style: Martha White Mexican Style Cornbread and Muffin Mix
You love cornbread and make it a couple of times a week. It’s an easy, delicious comfort food that everyone in your family loves. Lately you’ve been thinking of adding a little bit of ‘pep’ to your cornbread, especially to use as a side for the Mexican food you like to prepare.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-make cornbread mix with Mexican-inspired flavors, then this brand may be for you.
This Mexican style cornbread and muffin mix from Martha White is a quick and simple solution to making a warm, homemade dinner staple. For an added south-of-the-border zing, this mix is made with yellow corn meal and flavored with peppers, onion, and cheese. All you have to do is add milk and an egg, stir, pour and bake and in 18-20 minutes, you’re done. Perfect for the skillet, muffins or cornsticks.
Ingredients are: Enriched degerminated yellow corn meal and enriched bleached flour (degerminated yellow corn meal, wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), canola oil, nonfat dry milk, leavening (calcium phosphate, baking soda), salt, contains two percent or less of: dextrose, dried red and green pepper, dried cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), dried onion, dried parsley flakes, Jalapeño pepper powder, sodium phosphate.
Allergy information: contains milk and wheat ingredients, may contain almond, brazil nut, cashew, egg, hazelnut, macadamia nut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio nut, soybean and walnut ingredients.
Pros:
- Affordable pack of 12, 6-ounce pouches
- Easy to make
Cons:
- 400 mg of salt per serving
- Contains some common allergens like wheat, soy and nuts
Best Easy Bake: Pillsbury Cornbread Swirls
You have a large family and a full time job. Your days are so busy, you run on a tight schedule to fit everything in, with very little wiggle room. That being said, you’re not big on take-out food and while you like to cook, it has to be as convenient as possible, otherwise it won’t get done. Cornbread is a real treat in your house and you’d like to have it more often, but you don’t often have the time to whip up some using a mix. If you want more cornbread but don’t want to spend time making the mix, then this ready-to-use cornbread batter may be what you are looking for.
Similar to other Pillsbury batter baked goods, all you have to do to make delicious cornbread swirls is cut and place the batter on a pan, stick it into the oven and in a few minutes you have six tasty, warm cornbread swirls. Enjoy on its own or with soup, chili or barbecue. So easy to make, your kids can do it while you take care of the rest of the meal.
Ingredients: Enriched flour bleached, water, degerminated yellow corn meal, soybean and palm oil, sugar, vital wheat gluten, hydrogenated palm oil, baking power, contains two percent or less of salt, mono and diglycerides, xanthan gum, sucralose, preservatives (TBHQ) citric acid, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, color added.
Pros:
- Ultra convenient
- No need to add anything, just cut, place and bake
Cons:
- Contains preservatives and color
Top Pick Best Cornbread/Chili Kit: ASS KICKIN’ Chili Seasoning Mix Meal Kit
Cornbread and chili are one of those comfort food combinations that make us feel great, sort of like bread and butter, peanut butter and jam and tea with honey. The hotter the chili, the more vital cornbread is in mopping it all up, right?
If you are a fan of mixing chili with cornbread and want an easy all-in-one kit to do it or you’re looking for the perfect gift for a chili-loving friend, then consider this package. Everything you need is included; just add ground beef or turkey. The secret is the scorching hot, flavorful ingredients that include habanero peppers.
You or the person you give this unique gift to will find one bag of Butt Kickin’ one pound chili mix, one bag of Butt Kickin’ one pound cornbread mix and one five-ounce bottle of Butt Kickin’ Original Hot Sauce. Each mix comes in an authentic and eco-friendly southwest cloth bag. The chili mix includes masa flour, habanero peppers, pinto and black beans, which are each packaged separately inside the bag. The cornbread mix also includes a packet of habanero.
When it’s done, you’ll be able to serve a crowd of friends because this complete meal kit containing Butt Kickin’ Corn Bread and Ass Kickin’ Chili Mix serves a gallon!
Pros:
- Makes a great gift
- Cornbread mix with chili ingredients
Cons:
- Contains more than just a cornbread mix
Most Convenient: Kodiak Cakes Cornbread in a Cup
When it comes to convenience, nothing beats using the microwave for quick and easy baking. In fact, you pride yourself in making the best chocolate mug cake. Lately, you’ve been craving cornbread but don’t want the fuss and muss of using a mix. If you’re looking for the ultimate easy way to make cornbread in the microwave, then you may want to consider this product.
This cornbread in a cup is exactly as it sounds. It’s made with 100 percent whole grains and non-GMO whole grain corn flour and cooks up in about a minute. A solid snack or foundation for your next meal, it has 10 grams of high-quality protein and no artificial preservatives.
Just stir in 1/4 cup of water or milk and put in the microwave for one minute. So easy, a child can do it. Convenient one-portion size.
Ingredients: 100 percent whole grain corn meal, 100 percent whole grain wheat flour, palm oil, wheat protein isolate, cane sugar, honey powder (honey, wheat starch), whey protein concentrate, buttermilk, leavening (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda), sea salt, butter-flavored powder (modified corn starch, salt, whey solids, nonfat dry milk, dehydrated butter, natural flavor, sugar, xanthan gum, lactic acid [turmeric and annatto for color]). Contains milk and wheat. Due to processing on shared equipment, contains trace amounts of egg, soy, and tree nuts.
Pros:
- Easy to make, takes one minute in the microwave
- Just add water or milk
- Made with non-GMO whole grain corn flour
Cons:
- Not recommend for the regular oven or skillet
- Won’t get brown on top
- Need a microwave to make the cornbread
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a cornbread mix so you will choose one that best suits your taste:
Ease of use: The whole point of using a mix to make cornbread is for it to make the process fast and easy. Before choosing a cornbread mix, consider what it takes to put the batter together. You don’t want to have to add too many ingredients, as that defeats the purpose of using a mix. Basically all you want to add is milk and eggs to the mix, stir and bake. Some mixes will require the addition of oil, while others come as a complete batter and you don’t have to add anything extra.
Ingredients: Of course a cornbread mix needs to have cornmeal in it, but some mixes use white corn to make the meal while others use yellow corn. Each of these imparts a different flavor, so consider this before making a choice. Some ingredients include whole grain corn meal, while others are more processed and have degerminated cornmeal. Similar to wheat and other grains, corn kernels are made of three parts – the oil-rich and vitamin-packed germ or heart; the fibrous hull; and the starchy endosperm. Whole-grain cornmeal contains parts of all three and because of this, boasts a fuller, richer taste and twice the nutritional value of degerminated cornmeal.
Finally, some cornbread mixes include allergens like gluten, soy and nuts, as well as preservatives, color, sugar and salt. Read the labels carefully and consider all of these factors before choosing a cornbread mix.