The best cornbread mix makes cornbread that is fluffy, thick, and a little bit sweet. It should remind you of biting into an ear of buttered corn on a summer day. It should be perfect when eaten alone with butter or sensational at sopping up chili.
Luckily, there are tons of options for really good cornbread mix that makes it easy to bake up a pan when the craving strikes you. Different styles and flavors of cornbread mix line the shelves at most grocery stores. Because of that, it can be hard to decide which you should buy: homestyle, honey butter, gluten-free? It can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, you don’t need to worry. I spent two full days making every store-bought cornbread box mix I could find. I’m very tired, but here are my findings.
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- King Arthur Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix
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I literally cannot believe that King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix is gluten-free. I kept double-checking the box to make sure. This gluten-free cornbread mix stood up to all the gluten-full cornbread mixes we tried. And it was definitely way better than any other gluten-free cornbread mix we tasted. If you are gluten intolerant or sensitive, this is one of the best alternatives I’ve ever had for a bread-based product. Good job, King Arthur! But what did I expect? He is the king after all.
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- Zatarain’s Honey Butter Cornbread Mix
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I know Zatarain’s knows rice, but I’m just finding out they also know cornbread mix! Their honey butter cornbread mix is delicious. It bakes up really tender and light. The honey flavor is pronounced without being overpowering. It’s super buttery. It’s the best cornbread mix to pair with a box of Zatarain’s Jambalaya for a delicious, cheap, faux-Cajun meal. To be honest, this cornbread doesn’t even need butter. It’s that good.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Famous Dave’s Cornbread Mix
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Be warned: This cornbread mix is very, very sweet. It might not appeal to everyone. That being said, it definitely appealed to me. It’s so soft and tasty. If you’re from the South, your grandfather would think this was the best cornbread mix. He would love to eat a bowl of this cornbread soaking in buttermilk. If you’re not an old Southern person, you’d probably prefer this topped with hot honey or butter. I think all ways are correct!
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Famous Dave’s Jalapeno Cornbread Mix
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If you can handle a little heat, I recommend getting a box of Famous Dave’s Jalapeno Cornbread. It’s my personal favorite. It’s so soft and definitely packs a punch of jalapeno-y goodness. This would be so delicious with chili. Or topped with salted butter and a little bit of honey. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything you could do with this that wouldn’t be good. I don’t know Famous Dave, but I certainly would like to so I could thank him for making the best cornbread mix.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
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They might as well put a picture of this box of cornbread in the dictionary under the word “cornbread” (even though they call this corn muffin mix). Jiffy is the industry standard for cornbread mix. It bakes up moist and tender. The flavor is sweet, but not too sweet. It’s very mild and standard in the perfect way. That’s what makes it the best cornbread mix. Be warned, though: This is made with lard and is not suitable for vegetarians.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
Best Gluten-Free
Best Honey Butter
Best Sweet
Best Spicy
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: Bob’s Red Mill, Krusteaz Honey, Martha White, Jiffy Vegetarian, Fleischmann’s, Trader Joe’s
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Jiffy. does now make a vegetarian version of the classic corn muffin mix. Found it next to the other in the grocery store. No lard, just good taste!
I was in the store searching and crossing my fingers that you guys did cornbread mix! Thanks so much!
Famous Dave’s cornbread is far superior to Jiffy!!
Depends where in the South you are. In Georgia there’s a saying “the tea’s sweet, the cornbread ain’t”
Step 1) Buy your wholesale store of choice ten-pack of Jiffy. Step 2) Buy your favorite pickled jalapenos, and the sharpest cheddar you can find. Step 3) Mix all that together and bake. Step 4) Enjoy a slice of that at the bottom of a heaping pile of ham and beans with raw onion, and some hotsauce. Heaven is not too far away…
Jiffy Mix Honey cornbread is fabulous! Also, my family’s favorite is Krusteaz Honey Cornbread. (Reg). The fat free version is awful.
We never ate sweet cornbread. If anyone is looking for a mix that’s not sweet, they should find “Morrison’s Corn-Kits.” It make really great cornbread. We’d also use it for making cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. Love it!
To make the best cornbread – 2 boxes of Jiffy, 1 box of yellow cake mix, and add all the wet ingredients listed on both recipes.