Cranberry cornbread is a moist savory quick bread with bursts of tart cranberry in every bite. You need this on your Thanksgiving table!

cranberry cornbread
This vibrant cornbread treads that delicious line between cake and quick bread. The tart crimson berries brighten up a meal both visually and flavor-wise and it’s sort of hard to go back to your old standby once you’ve tried this. Trust me, your holiday table needs a basket of cranberry cornbread, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!
what you’ll need
I based this recipe off of my new favorite cornbread recipe. It’s got the best flavor and texture, so I stick with it. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand…
- cornmeal
- I used regular yellow cornmeal. I think yellow cornmeal has a ‘cornier’ flavor than white. You could use stone ground if you prefer that texture.
- all purpose flour
- butter
- sugar
- sour cream
- the secret ingredient that takes this cornbread over the top.
- buttermilk
- I love the tang of cultured buttermilk, but you can substitute whole milk.
- eggs
- baking powder, baking soda, salt
- fresh cranberries
- you can use frozen cranberries too.
cranberry cornbread method
- Whisk your wet ingredients together
- Fold in your dry ingredients
- Fold in the cranberries.
- Spread the batter into your pan. (Pop a few extra berries into the surface if yours look naked.)
- Bake until golden.
why we love it
Cornbread is the busy cook’s best friend. There’s only a bowl and a spoon to wash, and no planning involved except preheating the oven (because we always have the ingredients on hand.) It’s very satisfying to be able to whip up warm bread so fast. And the cranberries? They wake up plain cornbread like nothing else.
is cranberry cornbread sweet or savory?
I’d categorize it as a savory quick bread, meant to be served as a side dish, not a dessert. This recipe is no sweeter than a normal cornbread, and the berries are quite tart so it will play well with soups, chilis, and stews. It definitely belongs in your holiday bread baskets.
If you’re looking for a sweet cranberry bake check out my Cranberry Breakfast Cake or my Fresh Cranberry Muffins.
more quick breads
- 3 ingredient biscuits that will change your life
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Hatch Chile Cornbread
- Boston Market Style Cornbread Recipe
- Masa Harina Biscuits
- Apple, Cheddar and Sage Biscuits
Cranberry Cornbread
Equipment
- 9×9 baking dish
- parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or substitute whole milk)
dry ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
cranberries
- 1 cup heaped, fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9×9 baking pan and line with a sheet of parchment paper if you like, for easy removal and slicing later.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk all the wet ingredients together until smooth.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add them to the wet ingredients and fold in. When you are about halfway finished folding, drop in the cranberries and finish mixing just until everything is well combined, but don't over beat your cornbread batter.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan, evening out with an offset spatula.
- Slide the cornbread into your preheated oven and bake for about 25-28 minutes or until risen, golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.)
- Let cool for about 15 minutes, then lift the cornbread out using the parchment paper handles. You can continue cooling it on a rack, or slice it while warm, your call. If you don't plan on serving it right away, wait until you are ready to serve before slicing.
This was excellent! The cornbread had the perfect amount of sweetness to go with the tartness of the cranberries. The texture was substantial, but light, and the cornbread bakes up beautifully. I served it along side a hearty soup. Perfect!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Em ๐