Although most of my family looks forward to the side dishes more than the turkey on Thanksgiving (especially this healthy sweet potato casserole—it tastes like pumpkin pie!), the exact opposite scenario occurs with our main entrée at Christmas. Nearly every year, we purchase a honey baked ham from a specialty shop in town, along with an assortment of chutneys and stone ground mustards.
We typically cut a few slices to serve the day before as part of celebrating my grandparents’ wedding anniversary (yes, they were married on Christmas Eve!), but we save the majority of the ham for our regular Christmas dinner. Everyone reaches for those thick, juicy slices first, as well as the condiments, before turning their attention to the platters of sides.
Even with everyone sneaking into the fridge for a few extra nibbles in between meals throughout the next few days, licking the sweet honey evidence from their fingers to avoid getting caught, we still end up with leftovers. However, Mom always plans ahead and buys a special artisan package of dried beans from the store when she picks up the ham.
When everyone proclaims they’re done, she adds the rest of the ham to a big pot, along with the contents of the package and an ample amount of water, to make ham bone and bean soup. While it simmers, it fills the house with the coziest savory smell, causing everyone to ask, “Is it done yet?”
Occasionally, Mom whips up a batch of cornbread while the soup cooks. She usually follows the directions from one of our old well-worn cookbooks or on the back of the box of cornmeal, both of which depend on large amounts of oil and sugar for their moist texture. It’s a good thing we usually finish off the pan before New Year’s Eve… We need come up with resolutions to burn off all those calories!
With the holidays quickly approaching (how is it that Thanksgiving is right around the corner already??) and chilly fall weather fully upon us, I suggested that we make this Ultimate Healthy Cornbread instead this year. After their first bites, both of my parents’ eyes lit up, just like five-year-old children’s on Christmas morning, and they immediately agreed… While reaching for a second slice, with the crumbs of the first still lingering on their lips!
They quickly deemed it the best cornbread they’d ever had—and I definitely agree!
For the base of this healthy cornbread, you’ll use a combination of cornmeal and white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat, which has a lighter taste and texture very similar to that of all-purpose flour. This gives your cornbread the perfect tender texture, while still letting the comforting corn flavor shine!
Whereas the recipes my mom typically turned to all used oil, I actually prefer butter in this recipe! It gives the cornbread an extra cozy-comfort-food richness, especially when paired with vanilla extract. I know it sounds crazy… Vanilla extract? In cornbread?? Trust me—you do not want to skip it! Vanilla actually enhances butter’s flavor, so it makes this recipe taste just as indulgent as traditional ones!
However, unlike traditional recipes with around ½ cup of oil, you’ll only use 1 tablespoon of butter. (Or coconut oil… It also works, but it doesn’t have the same rich flavor!) Instead, the rest of this cornbread’s tender texture comes from Greek yogurt! It’s my favorite ingredient in healthier baking for a reason… It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your cornbread a protein boost, too!
Finally, you’ll mix in just a hint of honey for sweetness. Because my family often eats their cornbread warm with a drizzle of honey (and a small pat of butter that melts into all of the crooks and crannies), we prefer our cornbread on the not-so-sweet side. You could easily substitute a little extra honey for some of the milk if you prefer!
And there you have it! The best healthy cornbread—perfect for serving with soups, chilis, game day spreads… Or any time you’re just craving comfort food—but not the guilt! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your cornbread!
| The Ultimate Healthy Cornbread | | Print |
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) finely ground cornmeal (measured like this)
- ½ cup (60g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (30mL) honey
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the honey. Alternate between adding the cornmeal mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the cornmeal mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the cornmeal mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden and the center feels firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. (For the best texture, let it cool completely to room temperature.)
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
It’s very important to measure both the cornmeal and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (I always use this kitchen scale because it makes sure my baking recipes turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time. It’s only $20!) Too much of either will dry out your cornbread, instead of the moist and tender texture it should have.
I know vanilla sounds like a strange ingredient for cornbread, but trust me! Vanilla enhances butter’s flavor, so it makes this cornbread taste just as indulgent as traditional recipes. (I highly recommend using butter instead of coconut oil, for that reason!)
Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey. We prefer our cornbread on the not-so-sweet side since we usually serve it with a drizzle of honey (and a small pat of melted butter, if you’re feeling indulgent!). If you like sweeter cornbread, substitute additional honey, pure maple syrup, or agave in place of an equal amount of the milk.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, low sugar}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
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♥ Baked Spicy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries
Can I use sugar free vanilla yogurt instead of plain yogurt? It does have an artificial sweetener in it.also can I use almond milk replacement? Thanks.
Yes, your sugar-free vanilla Greek yogurt is fine to use! Then I’ve actually answered your question about almond milk in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this cornbread!
Can you freeze this?
And can you use oatmeal flour?
Yes, this cornbread freezes and thaws really well! I always slice it into the individual portions first to make it easier (and faster) to both freeze and thaw.
I typically don’t recommend that substitution in my cornbread recipes, including this one. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Oat flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in my recipes that rise (like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling. Does that make sense?
However, if you don’t mind that texture difference with oat flour (where your cornbread may collapse and turn out denser), the flavors will still remain the same! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making this cornbread, Roxie!
Perfect recipe even at 6,000 ft elevation. Kids loved it. I love it. No changes besides no vanilla (I don’t even put it in choc chip cookies or crispie treats, and we don’t miss it), muffin tins, and reduced bake time to golden edges (I think 18 mins). Keeper. No sense using all that oil/ sugar in standard recipe becauee this is fantastic and I honestly think tastes better than the king arthur flour recipe I’ve used for years!!!! (Pioneer style is best I can describe this recipe, if you’re going for that). Thank you for figuring it out for the rest of the world!
Oh my goodness! You just made my entire week, Rachel!! I’m honored that you’d call this recipe a keeper — and better than the previous recipe you had been making for years. Your sweet comment put the biggest smile on my face. I’m so glad you love it! Thank you for taking the time to let me know too!
This came out very dry when I made it. Instead of the yogurt I used lite sour cream, but otherwise I followed your recipe exactly! Does anyone have any suggestions or hints to make it moister? Thanks!
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Patti! That sounds disappointing and not like how this cornbread should turn out at all. I’m happy to help solve that issue, and in order to do so, I have some questions for you! 🙂
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons for all of the ingredients, especially the flour, cornmeal, honey, and milk?
How was the consistency of your batter compared to mine in the video directly above the recipe? Was it thicker, thinner, or about the same?
When you measure the top rim of your square baking pan, how many inches across is it?
How long did you bake your cornbread?
How tall or thick were your square cornbread slices?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them!
Hi Amy! Thanks for your reply.
I made two substitutions – one was using light sour cream instead of yogurt, and the other was using olive oil instead of butter.
I use measuring spoons and cups, and did not scoop the flour or cornmeal, but rather spooned it and leveled it off.
The batter looked like yours in the video.
My baking pan is 8 inches but is not straight-edged like yours, so the bottom is not 8 inches.
I baked for 20 minutes since my husband likes things darker brown in color.
The pieces looked like yours in thickness – but I did not measure them so cannot answer your question exactly.
I truly appreciate your help in solving this mystery!
It’s my pleasure, Patti! I’m happy to help. 🙂
I haven’t tried light sour cream in place of the yogurt in this recipe, so I’m not 100% sure whether that would have impacted the texture. (I’m assuming you used ½ cup, but I should’ve thought to ask that earlier. My apologies!) Olive oil would not change the texture though!
When you spooned and leveled the flour and cornmeal, did you shake the measuring cups back and forth while doing so?
What brands of cornmeal and white whole wheat flour did you use?
How many inches across is the bottom of your pan? (If the top is 8 inches, that’s at least a good sign!)
Did you check on the cornbread after 18 minutes of baking, by any chance? Or just wait until 20 minutes?
Did you slice into the cornbread while it was still warm or let it cool completely to room temperature? If you had any leftover and sealed it inside of an airtight container, how was the texture the following day?
Thank you for your patience as we solve this cornbread mystery!
Have you tried adding corn to this? I have a package of frozen corn in the freezer and I’m wondering how it would alter the recipe.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Jackie! I haven’t added corn to this specific cornbread recipe, but I have added it to my cornbread muffins recipe. In those, I used canned corn that I rinsed and drained as a shortcut. Because that turned out so well, I have a feeling adding corn to this cornbread should be just fine too! I’d recommend about ½ cup. Since you’re using frozen, you may need to bake your cornbread for a few additional minutes.
I’m really looking forward to hearing what you think of this cornbread!
Hi Amy!
I’m excited to try your cornbread recipe but I was wondering if I can make mini muffins instead of baking in the 8×8 pan. Would I have to make any changes? Thank you in advance.
Veronica
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Veronica! You can easily make this as mini muffins instead. You’ll probably get around 20 mini muffins (depending on how much batter you add to each mini muffin cup!). Bake them at 350°F for 10-13 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs attached. Cool them in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. 🙂
I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
I made the recipe exactly as stated with precise measurements and I had the dryness problem too. I did cook it maybe 7 minutes longer to get brown edges. Could that have been the culprit?
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Chris! Unfortunately, yes. Baking 7 minutes longer would definitely make this cornbread dry! When you leave it in the oven longer, the heat from the oven continues to cook the cornbread. It’s similar to what happens when you put a piece of bread in the oven to make toast. Before heating, the bread is (or at least should be!) soft and tender. After cooking, it’s stiff and dry. The same thing applies to baking recipes! If baked for the proper amount of time, this cornbread will be moist and tender. When baked for too long, it quickly becomes dry.
If you decide to try making this cornbread again and remove it from the oven sooner, it should turn out with a much better texture! 🙂
Dear Amy! This is the best bread I ever tasted. It instantly beats any shop bought bread! I made it gluten free with oat flour (being all flour I had) and used almond milk. My niece and mum loved it! My mum also said, it is the best bread ever! You are right, the honey-butter-vanilla mixture is key!!
Ended up making another loaf a few hours later! Which is about to disappear as well. Next time I should triple the dose! We are no longer going to the bakery! You are simply a star!!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖
Oh my goodness!! Two loaves in one day? And your mum called it the best bread ever? You just made my entire WEEK, Marcia!! ♡ My heart feels so full right now. I’m thrilled you and your family love this cornbread so much! Thank you for taking the time to let me know; that really means a lot!
Hello! I just made your recipe, and it turned out exactly as pictured! I did enjoy it, but it tasted like something was missing. It was probably the calories! Lol I used reg flour and 2% milk, and it is only 73 calories per square, which is amazing! I like how airy this recipe is. I ate it with honey based strawberry apricot jam (from V Smiley Preserves), which was perfect for this. I am definitely saving this recipe to cook again!
I’m so glad you liked this cornbread, Stefanie! That’s the best kind of compliment, if you already think you’ll make it again. Thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I love your idea of pairing it with that jam too. That sounds fantastic!
I was so impressed by this cornbread! It had amazing flavor and a rustic, yet surprisingly moist texture. The amount of sweetness was just right. I will DEFINITELY use this recipe again! I did end up changing just a couple of things out of necessity. Since I was out of white whole wheat flour, I used spelt flour. The only cornmeal I had was whole grain, stone ground (medium texture). Since it wasn’t the fine stuff called for in the recipe, I sifted it and discarded anything that couldn’t get through the sifter. I measured by weight to make sure I had the right amounts after sifting. I made 12 decent-sized muffins instead of pouring the batter into a square pan. According to my fitness app, each muffin came out to be 90 calories, which isn’t bad for bread. Bake time was about 12-14 minutes. Really fabulous tasting–actually way better than the less healthy traditional recipe, and I don’t get to say that often. These cornbread muffins were the star of my meal. 🙂 It was so hard not to eat two…or three…
Oh my goodness — you just made my entire week, Allison!! I’m so glad you loved this recipe! You’re so sweet to take the time to let me know. It really means a lot! ♡ Thank you for sharing your recipe modifications too. I always love hearing what tweaks work, and that was a fantastic idea about sifting the cornmeal before using!