When looking for alternatives to the grain component of your meal, cornbread is an excellent option. Cornbread is a versatile food item. It can serve as a side dish or be consumed as the main attraction; and if you are in the mood, it can be given a glamorous makeover and presented as dessert.
When time is short and you need to pull a meal together, the cornbread mix in your cupboard has your back. Cornbread is rich in nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.to just name a few reasons why you should have this food item in your diet. Prepare yourself for the rave reviews that is bound to come your way after the delicious but simple meal you have put together for yourself, your family, or for company.
In this article, we review some of the best cornbread mixes available in the market to make your baking experience a breeze.Best Pick
Our best pick is the sweet and savory Krusteaz Southern Cornbread and Muffin Mix that is easy to make and which you will find to be thicker than most traditional cornbreads.
Budget Pick
Our budget pick is the Famous Dave’s Corn Bread Mix, which is created to meet restaurant quality and can be used to bake muffins as well.
Quick Comparison: Top 8 Best Cornbread Mix
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1. Krusteaz Southern Cornbread and Muffin Mix
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Thicker and denser than traditional cornbread recipes, the Krusteaz Southern Cornbread and Muffin Mix come in a pack of 12. It is a sweet and savory Southern classic that can even be eaten on its own. Alternatively, you can also serve it as a side dish when hosting a barbeque.
All you have to do is to whisk the cornbread mix together with eggs, melted butter, and milk. You can easily switch the butter with olive or vegetable oil. The Krusteaz Southern Cornbread and Muffin Mix is not fussy as you can make it in both a muffin tin or a skillet.
Pop the cornbread mix in your preheated oven and it will be ready within anything from 24 to 28 minutes. This cornbread mix should make 12 regular sized muffins.Pros
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2. Famous Dave’s Corn Bread Mix
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If you want to recreate the corn muffins served at the legendary Famous Dave’s restaurants in your home kitchen, then Famous Dave’s Corn Bread Mix is the one for you. It goes just as well with baked beans, steak, or barbeque. When baked as per instructions, this cornbread will be both crunchy and moist, and will not crumble into little pieces.
Simply prepare the Famous Dave’s Corn Bread Mix with milk, water, and egg. If muffins are your thing, then with the Famous Dave’s Corn Bread Mix you can bake 12 regular sized muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.Pros
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3. Marie Callender’s Original Cornbread Mix
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In business for more than 70 years, you know you are getting a quality product with Marie Callender. Guaranteed to taste better than when baking from scratch and healthier than some of the cornbread mixes out there, the Marie Callender’s Original Cornbread Mix only requires you to add 1 ½ cups of water to the cornbread mix. Once you are satisfied that there are no lumps in the batter, bake the mix in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will additionally be able to bake 12 scrumptious cornbread muffins. The Marie Callender’s Original Cornbread Mix is also microwaveable and will be ready to be served within approximately 9 ½ minutes.
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4. Betty Crocker Authentic Cornbread & Muffin Mix
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Neither too sweet nor too salty, Betty Crocker Authentic Cornbread and Muffin Mix will get the job done if you are in a hurry and want something quick and healthy from the kitchen. All you need is ⅓ cup milk, 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, and 1 egg. Expect the batter to be lumpy.
You can top the batter with fruit or butter, but your cornbread will be ready in 16 to 18 minutes. Don’t forget to remove the cornbread immediately after baking. If you’re running out of ideas to serve cornbread, then head to Betty Crocker’s website for more mouthwatering recipes.
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5. Gluten Free by Glutino Pantry, Baking Mix, Yankee Cornbread, Classic Taste
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If you are on the search for a gluten-free cornbread, then look no further than the Gluten Free by Glutino Pantry, Baking Mix, Yankee Cornbread, Classic Taste. Available as a single 12 oz box of cornbread mix, your final baked cornbread will have a golden, soft, crusty top that you can munch on on its own, or dip is chili or soup.
With the Gluten Free by Glutino Pantry, Baking Mix, Yankee Cornbread, Classic Taste, you will not be compromising on taste. While this cornbread is not sweet, it is more dense and, therefore, not cake-like at all. Your cornbread muffins will be ready to be served within 15 to 17 minutes of baking.
If you are baking it in a pan, then it will take approximately 25 minutes.Pros
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6. Pamela’s Gluten Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix
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Dedicated to making baking for the family a breeze while also making it gluten free is Pamela’s Gluten Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix. This cornbread mix can be used to make a range of food items, like cornbread, muffins, as topping on baked bean casserole, or tart crust. While this delicious cornbread mix does not contain sugar, the instructions on the box tells you how to tweak it a bit to make it sweeter.
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7. Zatarains Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Mix
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If you are looking for a traditional, slightly sweet cornbread with a jalapeno kick, then the Zatarains Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Mix is perfect. All you need to make this sweet and savory cornbread is 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, ⅔ cup milk, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, and 1 egg. Pop the batter into a greased baking pan and into the middle rack of the oven, and bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
If you prefer muffins then the mix should make 12 regular sized cornbread muffins. The pepper and cheddar cheese really adds to the taste of the cornbread. If the cornbread comes out a bit crumbly then just add a bit of flour when preparing the batter.Pros
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8. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
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Although it is called a corn muffin mix, you can just as easily bake the Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix as a cornbread in a baking pan. This American favorite is not too sweet or savory. All you need in order to bake this are just ⅓ cup milk and an egg. Alternatively, add a bit more sugar to it to transform it into a simple but tasty dessert.
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Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Cornbread Mix
As one of the defining staples of Southern cuisine and African-American soul food, which has also been part of Native American staple diet for centuries, there is nothing more American than cornbread.
Apart from its great aroma and taste, cornbread is made differently in the northern and southern regions of the United States. In the north, it is more cake-like and sweet; in the south, cornbread will tend to have very little or no sugar.
What this means is that the type of cornbread you like or even know may differ significantly from others’ preferences. But the choice is endless from sweet-tasting cornbreads, to gluten free ones, to spicy jalapeno flavors, so you can try all of them or improve on the version that you have come to love by trying out cornbread mixes.
When baking in a skillet, as is typically done in the south, you can expect the cornbread to be more crunchy, crumbly, and dense at the same time. Cornbread is traditionally cooked in a baking pan, but it is a credit to the versatility of the recipe that you can also bake the cornbread as a muffin.
Most cornbread recipes will require you to have butter, milk, buttermilk, or water, and eggs in your kitchen stock. You can replace the butter with margarine or vegetable oil without compromising too much on the taste of the cornbread. Ultimately, it is a no brainer that the butter still tastes the best. Also, using buttermilk over the milk or water listed in the recipe will make the cornbread tender and moist. Another great addition to cornbread is grated cheese, which will add to the moistness of your baked cornbread.
If you are a minimalist then not to worry: some cornbread mixes have gone even further by way of convenience by only requiring you to add water.
For the additional issue of how to make the baked cornbread come off the pan without compromising on presentation, grease the baking utensil with cooking spray or vegetable oil and then proceed to bake the cornbread batter. Once the baked item has cooled, use a butter knife to separate the cornbread from the pan.
Some cornbread recipes will ask you to remove the baked cornbread from the baking pan immediately after it is done cooking as cornbread tastes best fresh from the oven, warm and moist. A good cornbread mix will allow you to freeze it. It will taste just as fresh and scrumptious when it is allowed to thaw and then reheated for chow time. A great idea is to brush a little butter on top of the cornbread when reheating so that it does not become too hard.
If gluten free is your preferred lifestyle choice, then there are still plenty of cornbread mix options for you. The gluten free cornbread mixes listed in this review will see to it that healthy food does not have to taste bland.
Conclusion
Whether you are crunched for time or just want to put together a hearty meal that reminds you of your childhood, cornbread mixes baked at home are just as good as homemade. Serve the golden brown, moist, and crumbly cornbread with chili and your loved ones’ faces will do the talking as the spicy taste of the chili complements the sweetness of the cornbread.
Cornbreads are a healthy and delicious option that will make you feel hungry for more even after you have already eaten. Your family members will be fighting over it to the last bite during each meal time. In this article we have reviewed the best cornbread mixes available and we hope you will be able to pick one or even try a few that will suit your family’s palate.