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This Instant Pot Cornbread is soft and moist with a tender crumb and buttery texture. You’ll never have dry or crumbly cornbread again when you cook it in the pressure cooker!
Is there anything better than fresh, homemade cornbread served warm with a generous smear of butter and honey!?
Cornbread. I don't know about you guys, but I think cornbread is one of the most amazing breads out there.
It's simple, the edges get all nice and caramelized when cooked, and it has a wonderful texture.
And while I still make cornbread the traditional way, or even this air fryer cornbread or cornbread pudding, when I’m looking for a more hands off recipe, I love ‘baking’ it in my Instant Pot!
I love love love the way it always comes out so moist and tender and fluffy. I'm drooling right now just thinking about it.
This was my first real time "baking" in the Instant Pot (except for this blueberry cobbler, but that doesn't really count) and I was skeptical it would come out, but it did!
I learned one lesson after my first attempt - you must cover it with foil when cooking otherwise all the moisture just goes back into the bread making it a gooey lump. Gross.
Check out the Instant Pot cornbread story!
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Why this recipe works
- While it takes longer to cook cornbread in the Instant Pot, the result is a soft and tender cornbread, and it’s almost hands off as you don’t need to check on it while it cooks.
- The pot-in-pot method means the cornbread doesn’t cook directly in the Instant Pot insert. (If you did this it would likely burn on)! So, while you’re using your Instant Pot to cook the cornbread, you’re not actually getting it dirty!
- Using the Instant Pot also means you don’t need to heat up your oven just to make cornbread, which is perfect for hot summer days when you want some cornbread to take on a picnic or bring to a cookout.
- You don't need a mixer or any special tools (well, except the Instant Pot!).
- It's perfect for those hot summer days where you can't bear the thought of turning on your oven.
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For this recipe, you’ll need 1 cup of cornmeal, which is the key to cornbread’s signature golden brown color. You’ll want a fine or medium grind for this recipe (avoid a coarse grind).
I add ¾ cup of all purpose flour to the cornbread batter.
The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make your own by adding 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 ½ cup measuring cup and filling it with milk. Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the milk to sour.
You’ll need 6 tablespoons of melted butter and you'll want to make sure it's melted so it mixes into the batter easily and helps create a moist texture.
The bread isn’t overly sweet, but a little brown sugar and honey adds a touch of sweetness. If you like it sweeter, don’t worry, you can serve it with extra honey!
Step by step instructions
We'll be using the pot-in-pot method of cooking in the Instant Pot, so you'll need a trivet and a round dish that fits inside your Instant Pot insert.
STEP 1: Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
STEP 2: In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, melted butter, honey and eggs.
STEP 3: Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture, being careful not to over mix. (Over mixing can cause the cornbread to be too dense and tough).
STEP 4: Grease a 7x3" round cake pan (or choose one that fits in your Instant Pot) with butter or oil.
STEP 5: Pour the mixture into the pan. Cover the top of the pan with foil, making sure to seal around the edges, leaving room for the bread to rise slightly.
The photo above doesn't have foil on it so you can see how the batter looks in the cake pan and how the pan is positioned inside the Instant Pot insert.
STEP 6: Put one cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
STEP 7: Place the pan on the trivet and slowly lower it into the Instant Pot.
STEP 8: Cook on high pressure for 55 minutes and let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
STEP 9: Use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
STEP 10: Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.
Slice and serve drizzled with honey and butter.
Serving Options
I am a huge fan of devouring this warm, straight out of the pan drizzled with honey and salted butter. here are some other favorite ways to serve it:
- Use leftovers to make Mexican cornbread stuffing, Oyster dressing or Cajun cornbread dressing (it works so great for these!1).
- Who doesn't adore cornbread served alongside chili? Try this Instant Pot beef chili or turkey chili.
- And don't for get ribs...All the ribs like these sous vide pork ribs, Instant Pot BBQ Ribs, or sous vide beef ribs.
- And of course it's amazing dunked in this prawn bisque, crawfish gumbo or veal stew.
Expert tips
- Avoid over mixing the batter as it can cause the cornbread to turn out tough.
- Don’t cook the cornbread batter directly in the Instant Pot insert. Using the pot-in-pot method is essential for this recipe to work.
- Make sure you use a trivet. It keeps the cake pan off the bottom of the Instant Pot insert and out of the water. It also makes it easier to lift the cornbread out of the Instant Pot when it’s finished cooking.
- Don’t forget to add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert or you may get a burn message.
- The Instant Pot doesn’t brown the cornbread like baking it in the oven or in the air fryer. The edges will still get a little crispy, but it won’t brown as much on top. If you’d like it golden brown, you can broil it in the oven for a few minutes (but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or over bake).
- While the cook time is 55 minutes in the Instant Pot, you’ll also need to factor in time for pressure to build and release, as well as time for the bread to cool.
- Use leftover cornbread to make stuffing like this Mexican cornbread stuffing or this Cajun cornbread dressing.
Common questions
The foil is placed on top to prevent any condensation from forming on top of the cornbread. When covering the cornbread, make sure you leave enough space for it to rise in the pan while it cooks.
It depends on the size of your Instant Pot. I have a 6 quart Instant Pot and I used a 7x3 inch round cake pan. Just make sure you choose a pan that fits your Instant Pot.
Cornbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can also store it in the fridge for up to a week. Just let it cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap and a layer of foil or place it inside an airtight container.
Yes, just let it cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container or wrap it in foil. If stored properly, it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, let it sit at room temperature in the plastic wrap.
Cornbread variations and mix-ins
The variations and add-ins for cornbread are almost endless! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Add meat like bacon, ham or crumbled sausage.
- Throw in some chopped roasted jalapeños, green onions or chives.
- Cheese is always a good addition and we love cheddar, parmesan or pepper jack.
- Sprinkle in some dried herbs and spices like Italian seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
- Add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage.
- For a little heat, add some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Turn it into a sweet cornbread by adding blueberries or raspberries.
- Serve it with maple syrup or homemade bacon onion jam.
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Instant Pot Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ cup honey
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, melted butter, honey and eggs.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture, being careful not to over mix.
- Grease a 7x3" round cake pan (choose one that fits in your Instant Pot) with butter or oil.
- Pour the mixture into the pan. Cover the top of the pan with foil, making sure to seal around the edges and leave room for the bread to rise slightly.
- Put one cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Place the pan on the trivet and slowly lower it into the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 55 minutes and let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.
- Slice and serve drizzled with honey and butter.
Expert Tips:
- Avoid over mixing the batter as it can cause the cornbread to turn out tough.
- Don’t cook the cornbread batter directly in the Instant Pot insert. Using the pot-in-pot method is essential for this recipe to work.
- Make sure you use a trivet. It keeps the cake pan off the bottom of the Instant Pot insert and out of the water. It also makes it easier to lift the cornbread out of the Instant Pot when it’s finished cooking.
- Don’t forget to add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert or you may get a burn message.
- The Instant Pot doesn’t brown the cornbread like baking it in the oven or in the air fryer. The edges will still get a little crispy, but it won’t brown as much on top. If you’d like it golden brown, you can broil it in the oven for a few minutes (but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or over bake).
- While the cook time is 55 minutes in the Instant Pot, you’ll also need to factor in time for pressure to build and release, as well as time for the bread to cool.
Nutrition
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