Best Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe – Soft, moist, thick, and fluffy Jalapeno Cornbread loaded with cheese. It’s a classically delicious southern side dish that’s ready in under an hour!

fluffy jalapeno cheddar cornbread close up slice

Why We Love This Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Recipe

Thick or thin, crumbly or soft, smooth or with kernels – if you’re from the south then you likely have an opinion (or two) on which cornbread is the best.

While we believe that all cornbreads are beautiful, in our family we prefer thick and fluffy cornbread prepared in a baking dish. Although dense and slightly crispy cornbread made in a skillet is certainly yummy, it just doesn’t quite give me the oomph I need in a carb-alicious side dish.

To us, the taller the cornbread the better. Especially if it contains spicy jalapenos and cheese!

Besides having a fabulous taste and the fluffiest texture possible, a thick cornbread is great for loading with all kinds of savory and spicy add-ins.

This Jalapeno Cornbread recipe with cheddar cheese is similar to our Fluffy Broccoli Cornbread, but kicked up a few notches thanks to the spicy peppers. The heat is balanced by cheesy goodness and sweet corn so that every bite is a party in your mouth. And it’s easy to tweak the ingredients and flavors to your liking!

Prep time is only about 15 minutes and this recipe uses just one bowl. The cornbread then bakes hands-off for 40 minutes, so in less than an hour, start to finish, you have a fresh and hot side dish on the table.

Once you realize how simple it is to make cornbread from scratch using basic pantry items, I promise you’ll never buy the pre-made package blends again. All of these ingredients are easy to find at popular grocery stores, and you probably have most (if not all) of these in your kitchen right now!

Hand grabbing this cornbread recipe with jalapenos and cheese

Ingredients You Need

  • All-purpose flour – or your favorite gluten-free baking mix
  • Cornmeal – 100% pure, not a mix
  • Granulated sugar – or coconut sugar
  • Baking powder – to get perfectly tall cornbread
  • Salt – just a pinch
  • Garlic powder – because all good things have garlic, amirite?
  • Buttermilk – store-bought or homemade buttermilk
  • Eggs – room temperature if you can
  • Unsalted butter – melted
  • Sweet corn – frozen and thawed
  • Sharp cheddar cheese – shredded
  • Jalapeno peppers – diced

Pro Tip: Pair Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread with your favorite fuss-free southern mains for a comforting dinner any night of the week!

overhead view squares of baked cornbread on a white platter

Equipment You Need

  • Cutting Board 
  • Knife 
  • Measuring Cup
  • Large Bowl 
  • Whisk
  • Casserole Dish or Cast Iron Skillet
recipe ingredients including corn, chopped peppers on a cutting board

How to Make Jalapeno Cornbread with Cheddar Cheese

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 9 X 13-inch baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

Dice the jalapenos and shred the cheese.

Pro Tip: If you are sensitive to heat you might want to wear gloves when handling the jalapenos.

chopped jalapenos on a cutting board

Next, set out a large mixing bowl. Start with your dry ingredients and add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Mix well with a wire whisk. Then whisk in the wet ingredients: buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter.

Whisk again until smooth.

pouring buttermilk into a bowl with baking mix about to whisk it up

Add the thawed sweet corn, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and the diced jalapenos into the batter.

bowl with baking mix, corn meal, cheddar cheese, diced jalapenos

Gently and evenly fold and stir the ingredients into the batter. You do not want to over-mix or your Jalapeno Cornbread with Cheese won’t get that fantastic fluffy rise.

Then pour the batter into the baking dish, and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top.

Get the Complete (Printable) Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!

adding shredded cheese to the top of the unbaked batter in a casserole dish

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.

You can insert a toothpick into the center to make sure it’s fully baked. If the toothpick comes out dry, remove it from the oven.

Let the cornbread cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

baked dish of  cornbread covered in cheese

Recipe Variations

Make this cornbread just how you like! Here are just a few suggestions:

  • Prepare as a fairly mild Jalapeno Cornbread recipe by seeding the fresh jalapenos before adding them to the batter.
  • Like it super spicy? Leave the jalapeno seeds in when you dice them!
  • Make it even spicier by swapping cheddar with spicy pepper jack cheese or adding in crushed red pepper.
  • Elevate the flavors in your cornbread by using gouda cheese. Or, use half shredded gouda and half shredded cheddar.

Tips & Tricks

  • Some people argue that sugar should never be added to cornbread. If you don’t want sugar in your cornbread, feel free to omit it or use a little bit less!
  • To make sure you get fluffy cornbread with crisp edges, don’t over-mix the cornbread batter! Mix just until everything is combined.
  • Use a medium-grain cornmeal! This will provide the perfect amount of crunchiness to this jalapeno cornbread recipe.
  • Use freshly shredded cheese! Freshly shredded cheese (from a block) will ensure that the cheese melts seamlessly into the batter while baking.
cut squares of homemade cheesy cornbread with jalapenos

Frequently Asked Questions

What dishes go well with spicy Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread?

Serve the fluffiest, most flavorful cornbread loaded with cheese and jalapenos alongside nearly any classic southern dish. It is delicious with mains like Coca-Cola Baked HamGrilled Pork Chops, or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork… And is a great addition to other sides like Southern Collard Greens and Cheesy Southern Squash Casserole.

Generous chunks of warm and soft cornbread are also wonderful to enjoy with hearty soups and stews. Try this recipe as a side for Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup, the BEST Beef Chili (seriously), and Creamy White Chicken Chili.

How do you make gluten-free fluffy cornbread with jalapenos and cheddar cheese?

Cornmeal itself is GF so you simply need to swap the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free baking mix.

Is cheesy jalapeno cornbread spicy?

This depends on how you make it! It definitely has a little bit of a kick to it. However, if you deseed the jalapeños, the cornbread won’t be as spicy. If you keep the seeds in the batter, then you will get more of a spicy flavor!

How long does homemade cornbread keep well?

Leftover cheesy cornbread with jalapeños will keep well for up to 3-4 days. Wrap tightly in cling wrap or keep in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also place it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can Jalapeno Cornbread with cheese be frozen?

Yes! This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze. Let the cornbread cool completely before wrapping it in cling film and then a layer of aluminum foil. For even more protection I recommend also storing it in an airtight plastic zipper bag. Defrost the Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread in the fridge overnight and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until warm, about 5-10 minutes.

side view of cornbread squares filled with chopped peppers and topped with cheese

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Fluffy Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
The BEST recipe for super soft, moist and fluffy Jalapeno Cornbread loaded with cheddar cheese. Enjoy this southern side with all your fave comfort dishes!
Servings: 12 pieces

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 9 X 13 inch baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Dice the jalapenos and shred the cheese. (If you are sensitive to heat, seed the jalapenos before dicing, otherwise leave the seeds in.)
  • Set out a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Mix well. Then whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk until smooth.
  • Fold the thawed sweet corn, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, and the diced jalapenos into the batter. Mix well.
  • Scoop the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the top.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes. The center should no longer jiggle when you shake the pan. (You can insert a toothpick into the center to make sure it’s fully baked. If the toothpick comes out dry, remove from the oven.)

Video

Notes

Try with gouda or pepper jack cheese as well.
Leftover cheesy cornbread with jalapenos will keep well for up to 3-4 days. Wrap tightly in cling wrap or keep in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece, Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 129mg, Sodium: 729mg, Potassium: 465mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1001IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 356mg, Iron: 3mg
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Author: Sommer Collier
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