herb cornbread sliced

Herb cornbread, you complete me.

You think I’m exaggerating, but it’s true. A life without delicious cornbread is a life not lived, I say. And this version, with its flavor infusion of fresh herbs and buttermilk, is tops. It goes with everything, from soup to chili to salad to brats on the grill. It says, “hello, warm weather!” as you’re about to take a generous bite.

No, wait, it doesn’t say anything when you’re about to bite into it, because that would be weird. But you get the point.

rosemary sprigs

mixing ingredients in a bowl

herb cornbread in baking dish

I actually baked this cornbread on a fairly cool and rainy day, but it still invoked in me a sense of fresh spring flavors and warmth and sunshine and eating al fresco. For me, cornbread is generally reserved for those chilly comfort food nights with chunky sweaters by the fireplace (or at least that’s how it is in my Pinterest life) with a big, hearty bowl of something soup-y in which to dunk it. But this herb cornbread is different. The fresh herbs give it brightness, greenery and an overall sense of… renewal? Is that too far for cornbread? I think maybe not.

The point is you can make this cornbread to go with anything and everything, no matter the time of year. And you can pick the herbs you want to put into it based on the season/occasion, too. I used a combination of basil, thyme, sage and rosemary for this batch, but chives, parsley, oregano, dill and even cilantro also would work amazingly well. Think of it as a blank cornbread slate that you can fill in with any herb you love — bonus points if those herbs actually came from your garden, you green thumb, you.

sliced herb cornbread

close up of sliced herb cornbread

Since I’m not cool enough to have a green thumb (I’m currently trying to grow a basil plant indoors, though, and I haven’t killed it — yet!), I spent the time I would otherwise be gardening devouring this cornbread. One night I had it with a black bean soup, and another night I had it with sausage and peppers. Tonight, I might just straight-up eat cornbread for dinner (in part because I forget to plan a meal for tonight, d’oh). And I am not mad at that.

close up herb cornbread

Look at those flecks of herb-y goodness, I mean, c’mon.

Print
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herb cornbread

Herb Cornbread

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  • Author: Girl Versus Dough
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan
  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, chives, parsley, etc.)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with butter.
  2. In large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda until combined. In medium bowl, whisk melted butter, buttermilk and eggs until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
  3. Stir in chopped fresh herbs. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 20 minutes before serving.