East Coast Grill’s Cornbread Recipe (2024)

Recipe from East Coast Grill

Adapted by Sam Sifton

East Coast Grill’s Cornbread Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(1,792)
Notes
Read community notes

This cornbread, adapted from the one developed by Chris Schlesinger and served at his East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Mass., is lofty and sweet, crusty and cakelike, moist and ethereal. As Sam Sifton said in the 2012 article that accompanied the recipe, it is "the cornbread to become a child’s favorite, to become the only cornbread that matters. All else is not cornbread." —Sam Sifton

Featured in: The Corn Bread Matters Most

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 1cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¾cup white sugar
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • 1tablespoon baking powder
  • 2large eggs
  • cups whole milk
  • tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ¼cup melted butter
  • 2cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

426 calories; 12 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 70 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 323 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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East Coast Grill’s Cornbread Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 9-inch cast-iron skillet and put it in the oven to heat up.

  2. Step

    2

    In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and oil. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, add the melted butter and the corn and stir together until just mixed.

  3. Remove the hot cast-iron pan from the oven and pour into it the batter, then give the pan a smack on the countertop to even it out. Return pan to oven and bake, approximately 1 hour, until the corn bread is browned on top and a toothpick or a thin knife inserted into the top comes out clean.

Ratings

5

out of 5

1,792

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

steven

since this is suppose to be Corn Bread and not a cake I omitted the sugar and it turned out very good. I figure there Is enough sugar in our daily life. I need to have the real thing and taste the corn. I used creamy corn instead of kernel. very good...... thank you

MaryMcC

Used buttermilk instead of milk, then it was done 10 min. early. Probably not a coincidence....

Bill F

I also used buttermilk, and yes, it was done ten minutes earlier. The cornbread was very good, the only change I'd make would be to reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup instead of the 3/4 cup as called for in the recipe. It was rather sweet (approaching too sweet) with the 3.4 cup.

LH

There's nothing better than cornbread, and this is a good one.

Tweaks:

Cut the sugar by 30 to 40% – – it'll still be sweet, but less desserty.

I like to use corn kernels I have blackened on one side in a lightly oiled skillet.

Also, consider using 2 teaspoons of melted, strained bacon grease in place of 2 teaspoons of the oil or butter in the recipe – – adds delightful smokey flavor note!

Finally, who would complain if you added two coarsely chopped green onions to the batter?

Jay

Traditional cornbread shouldn't have flour:Mary Daniel's cornbread (from a pioneer recipe - circe 1860's, Texas)3 Tbs oil heated to 425 in an iron skilletMix 1 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sodaIn a separate bowl mix 1 c buttermilk with 2 eggsPour into hot oil in skillet and bake 20 minutes (keep an eye on it)Mary Daniels lived in Weatherford, TX. Was near 100 in the 1990's when she died. This was her grandmother's recipe.

Roni Jordan

Well this is from the East Coast Grill in Cambridge, MA, and that's the way we Yankees like it up here.

Heidi Mayer

I thought I had found my perfect cornbread recipe, until I made this one. I adore the added texture and flavor of the corn kernels and the crusty top. The cornbread has just the right amount of sweetness and the consistency is heavenly. It will be a long time before I try another recipe.

John

I wonder what all the people commenting that you cannot call cornbread with sugar added "bread" call their sweetbreads, banana breads, etc. It is very common to add sugar to cornbread in the north, and thank goodness it is, because it is delicious sweetened with sugar. I wouldn't make it any other way.

Nonorexia

It's wicked with maple syrup instead of sugar, or canela from the Dominican Republic!

Betsy

This has been my go-to cornbread recipe since it was published four years ago, but usually with buttermilk instead of whole milk, and sometimes without the corn kernels. Yes, it always takes about 50 minutes instead of an hour with buttermilk. Don't forget to serve it with the honey and red pepper flake mixture (follow link to original recipe) on the side!

the mad hungarian

This was the most popular dish at a dinner of five that included one elderly person and one child. I thought I'd have leftovers but no such luck. A little extra salt might give it a little extra zing -- I might try it with an extra 1/4 teaspoon next time -- but it was awesome as is. Who cares if it's Yankee cornbread? It's delicious. So many critics; but only one Sam Sifton. Thank you, Sam.

Jim Cantrell

You should call this Corn Cake, it is way too sweet to be Cornbread.

Pauline C

This cornbread that's sweet and cake-like is what I think of as Yankee cornbread. The one that's all corn meal and unsweetened is what southerners prefer.

Deb B

After moving 20 years ago from NJ to NC, I was shocked to find that I hated southern-style cornbread. I am so pleased to find this recipe, adapted from a well-loved restaurant cornbread. For those who only like southern-style, don't make it. Pretty simple! I love it, and I am very, very happy that it works so well as written :)

John Koch

All-purpose flour and sugar in cornbread? You should call whatever this is something else.

Camille

I only have a 12-inch skillet, so I multiplied everything by 1.75. I’ve copied the measurements below if it's helpf:3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 3/4 cups cornmeal7/8 cup white sugar7/8 teaspoon salt1 3/4 tablespoon baking powder3 1/2 large eggs (for the half an egg, weigh out what the whole egg is, then whisk it and only use half of the weight).2 5/8 cups whole milk2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon + 5/8 teaspoon oil 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons butter3 1/2 cups cornBake longer!

Nora

I just took this out of the oven and cut myself a piece and it's good enough to send me to the computer to say - YUM. I used my frozen garden corn and since I'd minced a jalapeno for a different recipe I tossed it in too. I've made many kinds of corn bread but this is my new favorite.

Laura

Another thing for southerners to fight with northerners about. Sigh. Allow me to offer my perspective, as a person who grew up in the south but moved to Boston as a young adult and immediately felt at home. I used to eat at the East Coast Grill regularly and much prefer this cornbread (albeit with a nudge less sugar) to traditional southern style cornbread, which is like sawdust, imo.

Anna

Mine came out very dense and heavy. What did I do wrong?

amazing builds

Added 1/4 # crisped, diced baconCan of creamed cornFollowed rest of recipeMoist and delicious

Catherine

Reduce sugar by half. Use extra melted butter instead of oil.

Drey

I miss the East Coast Grill so finding this recipe was a treat! Made 100% as written and yes it's sweet, but it's true to what was served at the restaurant as delivers on the promise of, "...lofty and sweet, crusty and cakelike, moist and ethereal..." Thank you NY Times!

JohnEpdx

Love Sam Sifton. This? Flavorless. Going back to southern style. Only change I made was 1/2 cup sugar instead of 3/4.

Cam

This is the perfect recipe for me! It turns out beautifully every time. I don’t change anything. I use frozen blackened corn from Trader Joe’s. Everyone loves it!

JoCo

Made to serve with leftover chili - amazing! Golden brown, fluffy, delicious by itself or with chili, butter, or honey. Used a couple Tbsp of polenta with the cornmeal, 1/2c sugar, 2% milk, a few shakes of Everything but the Elote, and about 1/2c cottage cheese (didn't have kernels or would add). Used removable bottom cake tin, cooked 50 min, cooled in pan 10 min, perfect.

Hannah

This recipe was seriously so good. Perfectly tender and really easy to make. I did cut out 2 tbsp of the sugar based on some of the comments, and it was still sweet enough for my liking. I'd remake this for sure and it passes the I'd-make-this-for-company benchmark. As for the comments saying they didn't like it because it's not savory: it says right in the recipe description that it's sweet...if you don't like it sweet or want a savory bread, I'd just try a different recipe lol.

Christine VB

Aside from the fact that I cut down the butter to 1/2 cup and baked it for 50 minutes instead of an hour, I made it as written. Delicious! But it does make a huge loaf, so maybe next time I’ll make half a batch in a loaf pan.

Christine VB

I goofed, this should say that I reduced the sugar, not the butter.

MishaX

This is my all time favorite cornbread recipe, exactly as written. Okay, I just recently made a modification. I subbed two cups of chopped fresh cranberries for the corn kernels. The sweet sour contrast was amazingly good. It was a big hit at the Thanksgiving table.

Marie

Perfect without the sugar. Used this recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing. Worked well with vegan substitutes for butter and milk. (oat milk and earth balance)

JCM

Maureen highly recommends

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East Coast Grill’s Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why isn't the middle of my cornbread cooking? ›

The oven temperature is off: Usually it's running too hot, and the outside looks brown before the center is baked through. But a low oven temperature can fool you too– you think you've baked long enough, but it's actually running 50 degrees too cool.

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Adding about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra butter or vegetable oil can increase the moistness of your cornbread. You can do this even if your recipe doesn't call for butter or oil. Replace milk or water with creamed corn. If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn.

What's the difference between southern cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

Why does my cornbread always sink in the middle? ›

While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.

Should cornbread batter sit before baking? ›

Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter.

How do I make sure my cornbread is done? ›

Spread the thick batter in your prepared pan, and bake the cornbread for 20 to 25 minutes, checking it at 20 minutes. When done, the edges will be lightly browned and just beginning to pull away from the pan. A toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

Will an extra egg make cornbread less crumbly? ›

Yes, but we recommend using an egg substitute, like applesauce. Eggs, or egg substitutes help add structure to the cornbread. Without an egg or substitute, the cornbread may crumble and fall apart easily.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

Cornbread Best Practices:
  1. LET the batter sit for 15-20 minutes before baking. ...
  2. BE gentle!! ...
  3. START preheating your oven as soon as you set aside the batter to rise, by the time it's preheated, your batter should be ready to go in.
  4. HEAT your skillet. ...
  5. SUBSTITUTE regular salt for this amazing Smoked Salt.
Jul 7, 2019

What is the best cornmeal for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

What did cornbread used to be called? ›

The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake. Because cornbread traveled well, some began calling it journey cake, which evolved into the name Johnny cake. But whatever it was called, it was all cornbread.

Why do people put sugar in cornbread? ›

The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar. They eliminated the germ so it kept longer, but it had less corn flavor. And they ground it finer. You had to add a little flour to help it rise and sugar to add flavor.

Which is healthier bread or cornbread? ›

White bread is rich in calories, whereas cornbread is 60% lower in calories — white bread has 238 calories per 100 grams, while cornbread has 96 calories. Therefore, cornbread has more nutrients than white bread. Consequently, you can consider it to be healthier.

Should I use milk or water for cornbread? ›

You can just use water instead which is what most cornbread mixes ask for in the first. I've used both before and it normally turns out good either way. If you don't want to use water though some other milk substitutes are usually other dairy products like yogurt, sour cream, or half and half.

How do you keep cornbread from sticking to the bottom of the pan? ›

Preheat your pan

A hot, greasy skillet will prevent your cornbread from sticking and give your cornbread the right texture. You want your batter to start baking as soon as it hits the pan. Hear that sizzle? You WANT some sizzle here.

Can you overcook cornbread? ›

Cornbread has a doneness temperature. That's the first bit of news to cover. If you undercook it it will be doughy, obviously, and if you overcook it it will be too dry.

Why is my cake burning on the outside but not cooked inside? ›

There's a few things that could be wrong.
  • As others have said, the oven could be too hot. The top can overcook before the middle even gets started.
  • The cake pan could be overfull. ...
  • You maybe didn't preheat the oven before putting the cake in.
Aug 7, 2021

Why is my cake not getting cooked in the middle? ›

The most common reasons a cake sinks in the middle include the following: The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking.

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