Quick Answer
Yes, you can use flour instead of cornmeal in cornbread, but the texture and flavor will be different. Cornmeal gives cornbread its distinctive gritty texture and corn flavor. Replacing it entirely with flour will result in cornbread that is lighter and less grainy, more like a traditional cake or quick bread. For best results, substitute only part of the cornmeal with flour.
Explaining Cornbread Basics
Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, milk or buttermilk, eggs, and sometimes sugar or honey. It has a coarser texture and heartier flavor than traditional breads due to the use of cornmeal.
There are a few different styles of cornbread:
Southern or Traditional Cornbread
Southern-style cornbread is made without sugar or flour and uses a higher ratio of cornmeal to flour. It has a gritty, dense, and crumbly texture. Buttermilk or bacon grease are often used for more cornbread flavor.
Northern or Yankee Cornbread
Northern cornbread is a little sweeter and uses more flour than cornmeal, making it lighter and cake-like. Sugar, milk, and sometimes eggs are used. This style is popular in New England.
Hush Puppies
Hush puppies are a deep fried batter version of cornbread made with cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, baking powder, egg, and minced onion. They have a crispy exterior and moist interior.
Cornmeal vs Flour in Cornbread
Cornmeal and flour each contribute different qualities to cornbread:
Cornmeal
– Coarse texture – The corn kernels are ground to a gritty meal that gives cornbread a rustic, crunchy texture.
– Corn flavor – Cornmeal provides a sweet and earthy corn taste.
– Crumbly texture – Cornmeal doesn’t contain gluten, so it makes cornbread crumble apart more easily.
– Moistness – The grits absorb liquid and help keep cornbread moist.
– Nutrition – Cornmeal provides fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, selenium, copper, and B vitamins.
Flour
– Binders – Gluten in the flour acts as a binder to help hold cornbread together.
– Lightness – Flour lightens the texture and makes cornbread less dense.
– Mild flavor – Wheat flour has a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower other ingredients.
– Softness – More flour makes cornbread softer in texture.
– Nutrition – Flour provides protein, iron, B vitamins, and trace minerals.
As you can see, cornmeal and flour balance each other out by providing different assets to cornbread. That’s why most recipes use a combination of the two.
Substituting Flour for Cornmeal
It is possible to use 100% flour instead of cornmeal in cornbread, but the taste and texture will change significantly. Here’s what happens:
Texture
Using all flour makes cornbread lighter and more cake-like. It loses that signature coarse, crumbly texture that cornmeal provides. The interior will be soft and uniform instead of sandy.
Flavor
You miss out on the sweet, earthy corn flavor that cornmeal contributes. It will taste more like a plain wheat bread or biscuit.
Appearance
Cornbread made with only flour will be paler in color since it lacks the yellow cornmeal flecks. It may appear closer to white or wheat bread.
Nutrition
The nutrition profile changes without the fiber, minerals, and antioxidants from cornmeal. It will be lower in fiber, magnesium, zinc, manganese, and selenium.
Crumb
Since there is no cornmeal to crumble apart, the cornbread will hold together more. Crumbs are less likely to fall off.
Moistness
It may lose some moisture without the cornmeal to absorb liquid. A soft and dry texture is more likely.
| 100% Cornmeal | 100% Flour |
|---|---|
| Gritty, sandy texture | Soft, uniform crumb |
| Corn flavor | Mild wheat flavor |
| Crumbly | Holds together |
| Yellow/golden color | Pale beige |
| Higher in magnesium, zinc, etc. | Higher in gluten protein |
| Absorbs more moisture | Can be drier |
The Best Flour to Cornmeal Ratios
Most cornbread recipes use a ratio of 1 part flour to 2 or 3 parts cornmeal. This provides the best balance of corn flavor, hearty yet tender texture, nutrition, and binding.
Some common ratios include:
– 1:2 – Produces very grainy cornbread closer to southern style. The high cornmeal content gives it intense corn flavor and dry, crumbly texture.
– 1:3 – Also produces traditional cornbread with lots of cornmeal taste and coarse texture. This is a very common ratio.
– 1:1 – Has a more even balance of flavors and textures from the cornmeal and flour. The texture is still a bit gritty.
– 2:1 – The higher flour content lightens the cornbread and makes it more cake-like. The corn flavor is milder.
You can adjust the ratios based on your taste and texture preferences. More cornmeal makes it grittier and corn-flavored. More flour makes it softer and bread-like.
Tips for Making Cornbread with Flour
If you want to use flour instead of some or all of the cornmeal, here are some tips:
– For partial substitution, replace no more than 1/4 of the cornmeal with flour to retain decent texture.
– Sift the flour well to prevent dense spots from forming.
– Cut back slightly on liquid since flour absorbs less than cornmeal.
– Add corn kernels or use creamed corn for corn flavor.
– Increase sugar or honey to balance the lost sweetness from cornmeal.
– Add an extra egg for structural support since there is less cornmeal.
– Spray the pan well as flour cornbread sticks more than cornmeal versions.
– Bake at a slightly lower temperature, like 375°F vs. 400°F, since flour browns faster.
– Check bread early to avoid overbrowning on the outside edges.
Best Uses for Flour Cornbread
While flour cornbread won’t mimic the traditional corn flavor and grit, it can still be delicious and has some advantages:
– Good for those who can’t eat corn or prefer a milder flavor.
– Kids may enjoy the sweeter, softer texture.
– Works well for cornbread stuffing/dressing since a compact texture holds up better.
– Can be used for cornbread croutons in salads or soups.
– The lighter texture makes it good for cornbread trifle or pudding desserts.
– Pairs well with chili or barbecue as an accompaniment.
– Great base for breakfast sandwiches like bacon and egg.
So while flour cornbread is different than classic Southern-style, it can be delicious in its own right. Give it try when you’re out of cornmeal or want a sweet bakery-style bread.
Cornbread Recipes with Flour
Here are some tasty cornbread recipes using flour:
Basic Flour Cornbread
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| Sugar | 3 Tbsp |
| Baking powder | 2 tsp |
| Salt | 1⁄2 tsp |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| Vegetable oil | 1⁄4 cup |
| Egg | 1 large |
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the milk, oil and egg in another bowl.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
Honey Wheat Cornbread
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whole wheat flour | 1 1⁄4 cups |
| All-purpose flour | 3⁄4 cup |
| Baking powder | 4 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Honey | 1⁄4 cup |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| Butter, melted | 4 Tbsp |
| Egg | 1 large |
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2. Whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix the honey, milk, melted butter and egg.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined.
5. Pour into prepared baking dish.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly browned.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| Cornmeal | 1⁄2 cup |
| Sugar | 2 Tbsp |
| Baking powder | 4 tsp |
| Salt | 1⁄2 tsp |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| Butter, melted | 3 Tbsp |
| Egg | 1 large |
| Shredded cheddar | 1 cup |
| Diced jalapeño | 1-2 Tbsp |
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan.
2. Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix the milk, melted butter and egg.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined.
5. Fold in 3/4 cup cheddar and the jalapeños.
6. Pour into prepared pan and top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar.
7. Bake 18-20 minutes until browned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does flour make cornbread cakey?
Yes, using all or mostly flour can make cornbread lighter and more cake-like in texture. Flour contains gluten which gives cornbread a softer, finer crumb compared to coarse cornmeal.
Is flour cornbread healthy?
Flour cornbread can be healthy in moderation as part of a balanced diet. It provides beneficial nutrients like fiber, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. But it loses some of the antioxidants, zinc and selenium from cornmeal.
What’s a good flour to use?
All-purpose flour is most common. For variation, try whole wheat flour for nuttier flavor or cake flour for an ultra-light texture. White whole wheat flour provides added nutrition.
How do you keep flour cornbread moist?
Use an extra egg for moisture, don’t overbake, and store tightly wrapped. Adding extra butter or oil makes it moister too. Brushing melted butter on top after baking helps seal in moisture.
Why is my flour cornbread dense?
Overmixing can cause denseness. Gently fold wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Sift flour first to remove lumps. Check your baking powder is fresh. Finally, don’t overbake.
The Bottom Line
While flour cornbread won’t have the exact same taste or texture as classic cornmeal cornbread, it can still be delicious in its own right. The trick is using corn-flavored ingredients and a moderate amount of flour. For best results, replace only part of the cornmeal with flour and use a ratio around 1:2 or 1:3 flour to cornmeal. This provides enough corn flavor and grit while also benefiting from flour’s binding and softening effect. With the right techniques, flour can make tasty cornbread with a unique tender, cake-like quality.