3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (2024)

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1Adjusting Your Cooking Methods

2Adding Dry Ingredients

3Tweaking Wet Ingredients

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Last Updated: July 12, 2024Tested

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Cornbread is a classic Southern side dish, and there are hundreds of different recipes for it! One of the most common problems with homemade cornbread is crumbliness--dry, crumbly bread falls apart when you cut it. Learning how to prevent this is as easy as tweaking your cooking methods or adding a new ingredient!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adjusting Your Cooking Methods

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  1. 1

    Avoid over-mixing the batter. Cornbread batter should still be lumpy when you put it in the oven. If you are mixing it until it’s smooth like cake batter, that could be the cause of your crumbly cornbread! Stop blending as soon as all the ingredients are mixed together.[1]

  2. 2

    Check your oven temperature. Your oven’s temperature may not be accurate. If your oven is baking at a higher temperature than the setting, you could be inadvertently drying out your cornbread. Get an oven-safe thermometer and check the temperature of your preheated oven. If it doesn’t match the setting, call a repair service.[2]

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  3. 3

    Time your baking correctly. Always set a timer for baked goods, and if the recipe gives you a range of baking times, check it after the earliest time. For example, if your recipe calls for 35-40 minutes in the oven, check your cornbread at 35 minutes.[3]

  4. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (7)

    4

    Cook with cast iron. Cast iron pans are great for baking cornbread. They cook the bread more evenly than glass or aluminum pans and can shorten your baking time. If you make pan cornbread, try investing in a cast iron skillet.[4]

    • Many recipes will have a specific time for cast iron pans. If yours doesn't, start checking your cornbread at least five minutes before the timer goes off.
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  1. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (9)

    1

    Adjust the proportion of flour to cornmeal. Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.[5]

    • Many traditional recipes have no flour at all. For these, subtract 1–2 tablespoons (15–30ml) of cornmeal and replace them with flour.
  2. 2

    Try a different brand of flour. Not all bags of flour are the same! If you’ve been baking with the same old flour and your cornbread is still crumbly, try switching to another brand. If you aren’t using all-purpose white wheat flour, switch to that type.[6]

  3. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (11)

    3

    Add a handful of frozen corn. Frozen corn will add moisture to your batter during the baking process. Whole food additions don’t need to be precisely measured, but about a handful will be fine for most recipes.[7]

  4. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (12)

    4

    Add shredded cheese. Melty, gooey cheese will hold your cornbread together and give it a fantastic flavor. Shredded cheddar cheese is best for most cornbread recipes, but you can try experimenting with another variety. Precise measurements aren’t necessary--a handful or two will do.[8]

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Tweaking Wet Ingredients

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  1. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (14)

    1

    Put in an extra egg yolk. Adding an egg yolk to your cornbread will help hold its shape while you’re cutting and serving it. You can add a yolk even if your recipe doesn’t call for any eggs at all--just put it in with the other wet ingredients.[9]

  2. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (15)

    2

    Cut back on fat or grease by one third. Many traditional cornbread recipes call for bacon grease, shortening, or lard. It can add a delicious flavor, but it can also cause your cornbread to separate during baking. Try cutting your proportion of grease or fat by about a third.[10]

  3. 3

    Replace white sugar with a moist sweetener. If your cornbread recipe calls for white sugar, try replacing it with a moister sweetener. Light brown sugar, honey, or corn syrup will all add a little more wetness to the recipe. You can use the same proportions.[11]

  4. 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (17)

    4

    Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) more butter or oil. Adding about 1 tablespoon (15ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread. You can do this even if your recipe doesn’t call for butter or oil.[12]

  5. 5

    Replace milk or water with creamed corn. If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn. This will give your cornbread a richer, creamier texture that will help it hold its shape for much longer.[13]

  6. 6

    Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of sour cream. Adding 1 tablespoon (15ml) of sour cream to your batter is a great way to moisten your cornbread. You can also use light or fat free sour cream to get the same effect without the added fat content![14]

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  • Question

    Can I do all of these to one batch?

    3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (20)

    Oriana Neulinger

    Community Answer

    When you add liquid, make sure you take out about the same amount. Other than that, experiment! I know I've definitely had cornbread with whole kernels, honey, and cheese all together, and although it's not something I'd make for myself, I didn't mind it.

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      About This Article

      3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (25)

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      This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 120,124 times.

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      Co-authors: 5

      Updated: July 12, 2024

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      Categories: Breads

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      • 3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow (26)

        Richard B.

        Jul 19, 2023

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      FAQs

      3 Ways to Keep Cornbread from Crumbling - wikiHow? ›

      Light brown sugar, honey, or corn syrup will all add a little more wetness to the recipe. You can use the same proportions. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) more butter or oil. Adding about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread.

      How to make krusteaz cornbread less crumbly? ›

      Eggs, or egg substitutes help add structure to the cornbread. Without an egg or substitute, the cornbread may crumble and fall apart easily.

      What is the best way to store cornbread? ›

      Make sure the cornbread has fully cooled down before you store it. Wrap the loaf in aluminum foil or plastic wrap two times, and then place it in a zip-tight plastic bag. Make sure to eliminate all the air as you seal it. Cornbread will last up to three days stored at room temperature.

      How do you keep cornbread from falling in the middle? ›

      While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.

      How do you keep cornbread moist after baking? ›

      Melted butter and thick buttermilk keep this cornbread moist. After baking, I like to run a stick of butter over the top of the hot cornbread so that it soaks right in and stays even more moist and buttery.

      How to keep cornbread from being so crumbly? ›

      Adding about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread. You can do this even if your recipe doesn't call for butter or oil. Replace milk or water with creamed corn. If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn.

      How to doctor up boxed cornbread mix? ›

      One of the simplest ways is to bring in more flavor and depth is by adding ⅓ cup of sour cream to the batter, which makes the cornbread extra moist and a little tangy. Another tangy option: Add ⅔ cup of buttermilk, which also makes the cornbread super tender.

      Can you leave cornbread batter in the fridge overnight? ›

      In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir the corn flour and cornmeal with the buttermilk until there are no dry pockets remaining. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for as little as 1 hour if you want to make the cornbread right now). Preheat the oven to 375°F.

      Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing? ›

      Can cornbread be left out overnight? Yes, it is perfectly fine to crumble or dice cornbread and leave it out at room temperature overnight so that it goes stale for dressing. Stale cornbread soaks up more flavor.

      How long should you let cornbread sit? ›

      We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

      What causes corn bread to fall apart? ›

      The gluten in flour adds durability to your cornbread. Meanwhile, cornmeal is slow to absorb liquids, making your cornbread more inclined to crumble, according to Our Everyday Life.

      What causes cornbread to not cook in the middle? ›

      Why Did My Bread Not Cook in the Middle?
      • Improper Flour Measurement. For best results, measure all ingredients by weight, not volume. ...
      • Not Preheating the Oven. For most recipes, you'll want to make sure the oven is fully preheated. ...
      • Setting the Oven Temperature Is Too Hot. ...
      • Not Testing for Doneness. ...
      • It's Not Cool Enough.
      Jan 23, 2020

      What happens if you put too many eggs in cornbread? ›

      Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery.

      What is the best way to store cooked cornbread? ›

      In the refrigerator: You can extend the life of your cornbread by storing it in the refrigerator. Simply wrap the cornbread as you would for the pantry method—wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap in a food storage bag or airtight container. Then place it in the refrigerator.

      Should I use milk or water for cornbread? ›

      Water: Water can be used as a substitute for milk in Jiffy cornbread. It may result in a slightly drier and less rich texture, but it will still work. Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a good substitute for milk in Jiffy cornbread. It will add a tangy flavor and a moist texture.

      Should I take cornbread out of pan to cool? ›

      Allow your cornbread to cool in the skillet for about 5 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge to help you easily turn the bread out of the skillet.

      Can you double the Krusteaz cornbread? ›

      A: Krusteaz says on its website that you can indeed combine two boxes to bake in a 9 1/2 x 13 pan. Increase baking time by up to 5 minutes.

      How do you salvage dry cornbread? ›

      Tips for reviving dry cornbread

      Bake it in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes on 400 degrees. Throw it in the oven to warm. Baste it with Holiday Butter. Slice it & serve with another dollop of Holiday Butter and drizzle of honey.

      Does Krusteaz cornbread rise? ›

      The verdict: Krusteaz cornbread showed up to the taste test looking like it was in desperate need of a tropical vacation, which is a roundabout way of saying it was very pale. Its domed center had risen quite high, but when we took a piece out of the pan, the stodgy slice began to fall apart in our hands.

      How do you make cornbread soft again? ›

      Reheating cornbread in the oven is the best option for reviving it after the day it was initially served. Cut the leftover bread into serving-size pieces and place on a baking sheet or other oven-safe dish in a single layer. Cover with aluminum foil to avoid burning and to keep the bread from getting too dry.

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