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This small batch cornbread bakes up with crisp, buttery edges and a soft, tender crumb. Mixed from scratch and sized for one or two people, it bakes in 20 minutes.
Featured Comment
“This is one of the best cornbreads I’ve made, and I’ve tried dozens of recipes. The outside crust was crisp and buttery. The crumb was light, moist and tender.”
– Sadie
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Equipment: 5-inch square baking dish, 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, 6-inch round pan, or two 10-ounce ramekins
- Cook Method: Baking
- Servings: 1 to 2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Lightly sweet and buttery, with classic cornmeal flavor.
Cornbread for two, warm from the oven with butter melting into the top, turns a bowl of chili or soup into a full dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Single Serving Cornbread Recipe
Good cornbread is crisp and buttery around the edges and soft in the middle, with enough sweetness that a warm square needs nothing more than butter. That’s what this small pan gives you, and it’s why readers who’ve tried dozens of cornbread recipes tell me this is the one they keep.
It’s made for one or two people from the start, stirred together from cornmeal, flour, an egg, milk, and salted butter you already have, and it’s the cornbread recipe I chose for my cookbook. Every square gets eaten warm, and nothing sits on the counter going stale by morning.
I grew up on sweet cornbread in Louisiana, so this batter gets a little sugar, enough to round out the cornmeal without turning it into cake. If your family bakes it savory, leave the sugar out. It’s every bit as good under a ladle of red beans.
Serve it with chili for one or red beans and rice for one, try my small batch corn muffins, or bake a pan a day ahead for small batch cornbread dressing.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
This cornbread for one is made with a short list of pantry and fridge staples. For ways to use any leftover ingredients, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Cornmeal: Yellow cornmeal gives the cornbread its color and classic corn flavor. Use any extra in small batch hush puppies, mini chess pie, or small batch corn casserole.
All-purpose flour: Flour gives the crumb its structure and keeps the cornbread from falling apart when you cut it. If you’d rather skip the flour, use cornmeal in its place and expect a coarser, more crumbly texture. Self-rising flour also works; leave out the baking powder and salt if you use it.
Sugar: A little sugar gives this cornbread a lightly sweet flavor and rounds out the cornmeal. Leave it out for a savory cornbread.
Baking powder: Baking powder lifts the batter and keeps the crumb light. It loses strength over time, sometimes before the date on the can, so test it if yours has been open a while. Stir ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water. If it bubbles right away, it’s fresh. If not, replace it.
Salt: Salt balances the sweetness and brings out the corn flavor. If you bake with unsalted butter, add a pinch more.
Butter: Salted butter adds richness and moisture. Melt it before it goes into the batter.
Milk: Any milk works, whole, 2%, 1%, or skim. Half and half works too. If you’d like to use buttermilk, see the buttermilk cornbread variation below.
Egg: One large egg binds the batter and gives the cornbread structure so it holds together when you cut it.
Recipe Variations
These swaps change the flavor, the texture, or the shape of this small batch cornbread without changing how you make it.
Buttermilk Cornbread
Swap the ¼ cup of milk for ¼ cup of buttermilk and add ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda along with the baking powder. The soda reacts with the buttermilk’s acid, so you get the same rise with a softer crumb and a faint tang from the buttermilk.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Stir ¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped jalapeño (fresh or pickled) into the batter before it goes into the pan. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
Honey Cornbread
Leave out the sugar and whisk 1½ tablespoons of honey into the melted butter, milk, and egg. The batter is a touch looser and bakes up moister, and the top browns a little faster, so check it at 18 minutes.
Cornbread Muffins
Divide the batter between 4 greased cups of a standard muffin tin and bake at the same temperature. Start checking at 15 minutes; they’re done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. For a muffin-first recipe, see my small batch corn muffins.
Cornbread With Corn Kernels
Fold ¼ cup of frozen or drained canned corn into the batter for extra texture and pops of sweet corn. No thawing needed, and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
How to Make A Small Pan Of Cornbread
These step-by-step photos show how the batter comes together for this single serve cornbread. It bakes in a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, a 5-inch square baking dish, a 6-inch round pan, or two 10-ounce ramekins.
Choose your pan before you start, since the skillet heats in the oven while you mix. The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Heat Oven and Mix Wet Ingredients: Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). If you’re baking in the mini cast iron skillet, set it in the oven while it heats. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and egg until smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt so the baking powder is evenly spread through the flour.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the cornbread dense.
- Pour Batter: For the cast iron skillet, use oven mitts to take it out of the oven, add ½ tablespoon of butter, and swirl it over the bottom and sides until it melts. For a baking dish or ramekins, grease the bottom and sides with butter. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or a few minutes less for ramekins, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Expert Tips
Heat the skillet for a crisp crust. Batter poured into a hot, buttered cast iron skillet sizzles and sets on contact, and that’s what browns the bottom and sides into a crust. A baking dish or ramekins start at room temperature and give you a softer edge.
Spoon and level the cornmeal and flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs extra into the cup, and in a batter this small, even a spoonful too much makes the cornbread heavy. Spoon them in and sweep the top level with a knife.
Cool the butter and warm the milk and egg. Let the melted butter cool a few minutes and set the milk and egg out for 15 minutes before mixing. Hot butter can start to cook the egg and cold liquids can firm the butter into flecks, but ingredients close to the same temperature blend into a smooth batter.
Start checking at 20 minutes. In a small pan, a few extra minutes can take the crumb from moist to dry. Ramekins hold less batter each and finish a few minutes sooner, so check those earlier.
Let it rest 5 minutes before cutting. The crumb firms up as it cools slightly, so the squares cut clean without crumbling. For ramekins, run a knife around the edge while they’re warm and the cornbread slides right out.
Make honey butter. Mix 4 tablespoons of softened butter with 2 to 3 teaspoons of honey and spread it on the cornbread while it’s warm, so the butter melts into the top.
Troubleshooting
If your small batch cornbread didn’t turn out quite how you wanted, here’s how to correct it.
Why is my cornbread dense?
Cornbread turns out dense when the baking powder has lost its strength or the cornmeal and flour were packed into the measuring cup. Baking powder can go flat before the date on the can, so test it by stirring ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water. If it doesn’t bubble right away, replace it, and spoon the dry ingredients into the cup instead of scooping.
Why is my cornbread dry?
Cornbread dries out when it bakes too long or extra cornmeal or flour gets into the batter. A small pan goes from moist to dry in a few minutes, so start checking at 20 minutes and take it out when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Why is my cornbread gummy in the middle?
Cornbread is gummy in the middle when the center hasn’t finished baking, and an underbaked center can also sink as it cools. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter.
Why is my cornbread crumbly?
Cornbread crumbles when it’s cut while it’s still hot or when the batter doesn’t have enough flour to hold it together. Let it rest 5 minutes before slicing so the crumb can firm up.
Why is my cornbread sticking to the pan?
Cornbread sticks when the pan isn’t greased well enough. Coat the bottom and sides of a baking dish or ramekins with butter, and for the skillet, swirl the butter in once the pan is hot. Run a knife around the edge while the cornbread is still warm and the squares lift out cleanly.
What To Serve With Cornbread
Serve this mini cornbread with any of these single serving soups and stews.
- Brunswick Stew For One: Dip a warm square into the stew and let it soak up the broth.
- Beef Stew For One: Split a square in half and spoon the stew right over it.
- Taco Soup For One: Crumble a square over the top the way you’d use crackers.
- Ham And Bean Soup For One: Beans and cornbread are a classic Southern pairing, and a spoonful of honey butter on the side goes well with the salty ham.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornbread lasts up to 2 days at room temperature and up to 4 days in the refrigerator when it’s wrapped tightly or kept in an airtight container. If you baked it in cast iron, take it out of the skillet once it cools so the crust stays crisp.
Yes, cornbread freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap the squares tightly in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Cornbread can be sweet or savory, and the answer usually depends on where you grew up. Southern cornbread is traditionally made with little or no sugar, while northern cornbread is sweeter and more cake-like. This recipe is lightly sweet, and you can leave out the sugar for a savory cornbread.
Reheat cornbread wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, until it’s warm through. For a single square, microwave it at 50% power for 30 to 45 seconds, and stop there, since longer heating turns it tough.
Halving a full cornbread recipe still leaves you with nearly twice what two people need, since most full recipes are made for an 8 or 9-inch pan. This cornbread for two is sized for a 5-inch dish and cuts into 4 squares, two for each person.
Make single serve cornbread by dividing this batter between two 10-ounce ramekins, which bake a few minutes faster than a single pan. Each ramekin is one serving, so you get cornbread for one on two different nights: eat one warm and wrap and freeze the other.
More Small Batch Bread Recipes
Here are a few more breads sized for one or two people.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes For One
If you’ve tried this easy small batch cornbread recipe, please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Small Batch Cornbread
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 6.5-inch cast iron mini skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter – divided (2½ tablespoons melted and slightly cooled, ½ tablespoon for the pan)
- ¼ cup milk – room temperature
- 1 large egg – room temperature
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). If you're using a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, set it in the oven while it heats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2½ tablespoons of melted butter, milk, and egg until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine.
- For the cast iron skillet, use oven mitts to remove it from the oven, add the ½ tablespoon of butter, and swirl it over the bottom and sides until melted. For a baking dish, grease the bottom and sides with the ½ tablespoon of butter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it level.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cornbread rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into 4 squares and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
made this tonight with some Brunswick stew and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Thank you for the recipes for 2 as its just my husband and I.
Thank you so much. Cornbread with Brunswick stew is a perfect pairing, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I must be an outlier because mine came out quite dense. I followed the recipe EXACTLY and I was very careful not to over mix the batter. I really like cornbread and this was a disappointment. I’ll try it again to see if it improves.
Sorry it came out dense. When the mixing is right, the usual culprit is baking powder that has lost its lift. It fades over time, sometimes before the date on the tin, so if yours has been open a while, that is the first thing I would swap before your next try. The other quiet cause is packing the cornmeal and flour into the measuring cup. Spooning them in and leveling off keeps the batter from getting heavy.
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! I didn’t have fresh milk, so I used buttermilk instead. I’ll be making this over and over!!
So glad you loved it. Buttermilk is a great choice in cornbread. It gives it a little extra richness and a tender crumb.
This is the best cornbread I have ever made! Thank you for this delicious easy recipe!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
I found this recipe to be very easy. After starting to measure out ingredients I discovered I had no cornmeal. I did a google search and learned that you can substitute cream of wheat for the cornmeal so that is what I did and it worked well. I cut it in small squares and ladeled chili over it. Yum!
I love that you found a solution and made it work! That sounds like a creative substitution, and serving it with chili is so delicious. I’m so glad it turned out well for you.
Made 2 silicone jumbo muffin cups at 18 minutes in the toaster oven and turned out wonderfully! Perfect size for me and the hubs.
Can you use White Self Rising Cornmeal for this recipe?
Thank you and have a Bessed day
I haven’t tested this recipe with white self-rising cornmeal, so I can’t say for certain how it would turn out. I think it could work, but because self-rising cornmeal already contains leavening and salt, you’d want to leave those out from the recipe to avoid overdoing it. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Very easy recipe to follow. I have been looking for a small batch recipe. This is in the oven right now!! 😁
I just tried this recipe and was amazingly surprised. It was soft and fluffy yet deliciously tasting cornbread. Now I don’t have to make a big skillet of cornbread.
Is there a way I can make this recipe just with cornmeal? I cannot use flour. Thank you for all your great recipes!
Yes, you can make this cornbread using only cornmeal, but you’ll need to make a few adjustments. Since flour provides structure, replacing it with more cornmeal will create a different texture—more crumbly and slightly denser. To help with the rise, I’d recommend using buttermilk instead of regular milk because its acidity will react with the baking soda, giving the cornbread a bit of lift.
I haven’t tested this myself, but if I were to try, I’d replace the 1/4 cup of flour with an additional 1/4 cup of cornmeal, swap the milk for buttermilk, and add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda along with the baking powder already in the recipe. If needed, you could increase the baking soda to 1/4 teaspoon. Since I haven’t tested it, I can’t say for certain how it will turn out, but this is where I’d start. I’d love to hear how it works if you give it a try!
I loved this recipe as a gluten free option. I am not a huge fan of baking with gluten free flour because of its grittiness. But, that’s all I had today. The King Arthur 1:1 blend works remarkably well with the texture of cornmeal.The cornmeal does a wonderful job of masking the gritty texture of the gluten free flour.
The final product is delicious on all fronts — soft, moist, flavorful; perfect portion for husband and me; and easy to prepare. Thanks
Thank you so much for letting us gf folks know what worked!
Super easy, came out great!
Have made this cornbread many times sometimes adding pickled jalapeños, yummy!
Hi Joanie! Would I be able to omit the AP flour in the recipe and use cornmeal only? I am trying to eat low carb.
You can leave out the all-purpose flour and use slightly more than 1/2 cup of cornmeal if you’d like to make this recipe without flour. The texture will be a bit more crumbly, but it should still be delicious. Enjoy!
This is one of the best cornbread’s I’ve made, and I’ve tried dozens of recipes. The outside crust was crisp and buttery. The crumb was light, moist and tender. I used buttermilk and added the baking soda. My only tweaks were to add a pinch of black pepper, dry mustard, maple extract, and only 1 tbsp sugar. It was delicious with a dollop of red pepper jelly. Thank you for another stellar recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it – thank you so much for your feedback.
I really love this recipe for hubby and me. We’re having it tonight with beef stew. Yummy!
I frosted it with vanilla icing and served it with ice cream. Yummy dessert.
Can you use self raising flour instead of all purpose?
Yes you can, just eliminate the baking powder and salt.
These recipes are WONDERFUL!!!
I have more of a question than a comment. Can I use one box of Jiffy corn muffin mix to make my cornbread
Sure, you can use a box of Jiffy to make your cornbread. You won’t need this recipe so just follow the ingredients on the box.
Perfect with my bowl of taco soup. Yum!
Oh no, no, no! You can’t call this cornbread in the South if you put sugar in it! Just sayin! LOL
Oh, the great Cornbread Conundrum! 😄 You’ve hit the nail on the head – it’s a hot topic, especially in the South! We’ve dedicated a whole section to this debate: “The Sugar Debate: Sweet Or Savory Cornbread”. It’s a place where sweet meets savory, and everyone’s opinion is welcome, sugar or no sugar. Let’s just say, we’re stirring the pot… and the batter! 🌽🥄🤠
I’ve made this cornbread in the baking dish quite a few times as it’s so delicious. I tried baking it in the 6” cast iron skillet … it just shot to the next level! And then smothered in the honey butter? Yikes! Absolutely wonderful!
How much butter was added to the hot skillet? Is it in addition to the amount stated in the recipe? Thanks…
Just lightly butter the skillet, maybe 1/4 tablespoon of butter.
Thank you for this recipe. It is so moist and the perfect amount for one or two people! I cannot wait to try adding some additional “extras” to it. Best recipe I have tried in a long time.
Thank you for this! It was the perfect amount for two of us. It made three muffins. I made it with canola oil rather than butter since I don’t keep dairy in the house. And I omitted the sugar, but added a few frozen corn kernels. And topped afterwards with a little jam. Didn’t have a huge amount of leftovers with just two of us which is great.
I used buttermilk, added some frozen corn kernels and a little honey. Baked in a small cast iron skillet .Delicious!
Thank you for your feedback.
I am from the south and never made or ate cornbread with sugar, but I’m older now and willing to try new recipes. I added jalapenos and sour crea, baked in iron skillet. Its delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Lisa.
Excellent cornbread! Baked in cast iron skillet according to directions. Will definitely make again. Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cornbread!
Made 6 cornbread muffins and tasted really good.
Save money making 1 dish meals.
Thank you
Absolutely agree, Ann! Now that it is just my husband and I, I have wasted so much money not being to find recipes that I could properly scale down. I am always making cornbread, I love it so 💜. THANK YOU so much Joanie !
It’s delicious! So convenient to be able to make a small batch. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, its a keeper!
This was delicious. I can’t wait to make it again.
This was really good! I had to make it gluten free so I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free corn grits and also Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour. It turned out amazing. My husband is quite particular about his baked good and he loved it!
Thank you for this great recipe!
Good