Moist, lightly crumbly, and not overly sweet, this sourdough cornbread has the perfect balance of tenderness and texture. Sourdough discard adds subtle tangy flavor, while melted butter and medium-grind cornmeal create a delicious soft crumb with just a little grit. Baking the batter in a hot, buttered pan gives the cornbread golden, buttery edges that are hard to resist. It comes together in under 35 minutes and bakes up fluffy and sliceable every time.
Tender & Moist Sourdough Cornbread with Discard
Have you tried homemade sourdough cornbread using sourdough discard? It’s a wonderful addition to cornbread, and a tasty way to enjoy discard you may keep on hand. In cornbread, discard adds complex flavor, while also creating a moist and tender crumb.
If you’ve made my Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread or this reader favorite Skillet Gluten Free Cornbread, you know I love a lightly crumbly, moist cornbread that’s not overly sweet. The same applies here with a touch of gritty texture and somewhere between cake-like fluffy and spongy, just enough to mop up whatever’s in the bowl.
This Recipe Is
- soft, tender with a bit of grit
- just a hint of sweet
- easy to make
If you make sourdough discard recipes, you’ll enjoy this classic sourdough cornbread recipe.
Yellow cornmeal comes in a variety of grinds. I’ve found stone ground medium grind yellow cornmeal to by my go to in cornbread for a not *too* crumbly texture, while offering a bit of grit and sweet corn flavor.
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How to Make Sourdough Discard Cornbread
step by step
Melting butter in the pan while it heats in the oven before adding the cornbread batter preheats the pan and creates golden brown cornbread edges that are buttery, crisp and irresistible!
Traci’s Tips
- Pan vs Skillet: I tested this recipe in two different pans. This is the USA 9 inch nonstick pan and seasoned 10 inch cast iron skillet I use (affiliate links). Either pan works in this recipe, although the skillet needs a few minutes longer in the oven than the metal pan.
- Sourdough Discard: We’re using 100% hydration sourdough discard for this recipe. If you made my Sourdough Bread Starter Recipe, this is a 100% hydration starter, which means you maintain your starter using equal parts flour and water by weight.
Buttery Sourdough Discard Cornbread
Servings:16 pieces (2 1/4 inch ea.)
Calories:158kcal
Moist, lightly crumbly, and not overly sweet, this sourdough cornbread has the perfect balance of tenderness and texture. Sourdough discard adds subtle depth, while melted butter and medium-grind cornmeal create a delicious soft crumb with just a little grit. Baking the batter in a hot, buttered pan gives the cornbread golden, buttery edges that are hard to resist. It comes together in under 35 minutes and bakes up fluffy and sliceable every time.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (120 grams) Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup (155 grams) Medium Grind Cornmeal preferably stone ground
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons Baking Powder non aluminum
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (230 grams) Whole Milk or Unsweetened Cashew Milk
- 9 tablespoons (127 grams) Unsalted Butter divided
- 2 Whole Eggs
- 1/2 cup (145 grams) Sourdough Discard 100% hydration
Instructions
- Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius). Have ready either a 9 inch square metal nonstick pan (this is the USA pan I use) or 10 inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl add 8 tablespoons (one stick) of butter and melt it in the microwave. To the butter, pour in the milk, crack in the eggs, whisk until smooth. Add the sourdough discard to the butter mixture and whisk again until smooth. Set aside.
Combine, Pan and Bake
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan and put it in the oven to melt and preheat, about 3 minutes (letting the butter brown slightly is okay!).
- Final MIX: While the butter is melting, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a silicone spatula until just combined. The batter will be like a thicker pancake batter and you should have a few lumps.
- Remove the pan from the oven using two hot pads and gently tilt the pan so that the coats the surface, and corners. Scrape the cornbread batter into the hot pan and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes OR until the edges are golden brown, pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan and the center springs back slightly when gently pressed. The top will be lightly golden. An instant read food thermometer will read between 190-195 Fahrenheit when done.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Gently slice in the pan using a dull knife. Or, turn the cornbread out onto a cutting board by placing a small board on top of the pan, flip it over and the cornbread will fall out. Gently place another small cutting board on top (like a cornbread sandwich) and flip both boards over so now the cornbread top is facing up. Slice into 16 pieces, about 2 1/4 inches each. Enjoy warm.
Store and Reheat
- Cool completely, then store in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze for longer storage. For the freezer, I wrap pieces in foil, then into a storage container for up to two weeks. The cornbread can go from freezer to a 350 Fahrenheit oven for about 10-15 minutes to rewarm. *tip* slice in half, toast and slather with honey butter for a tasty treat!
Notes
This recipe is adapted from my Moist Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread.
Kitchen Tools: I recommend an external oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for the best outcome (affiliate link).
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1, 2 1/4 inch piece | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
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