Easy Sourdough Discard Cornbread

ByLaRee Colburn

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This easy sourdough discard cornbread recipe is fluffy, delicious and flavorful.  It’s the perfect side dish for cheeseburger soup or creamy sausage sauerkraut soup.  My kids also love leftover cornbread for breakfast with milk and honey on it.  Made with sourdough discard, this cornbread is not only healthy, but it can also be mixed up ahead of time and long-fermented, which will increase the sourdough health benefits.  I love having simple recipes like this in my kitchen arsenal that help me round out any meal, any time of year.

sourdough cornbread served

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Delicious – the perfect combination of savory and sweet with a slight sourdough tang, this cornbread has a delicious fluffy texture, along with a moist and tender crumb that everyone will love
  • Healthy – if you mix this batter up ahead of time and allow it to long ferment, you’ll have all the health benefits of the phytic acid and gluten in the flour being broken down, making it easier to digest.
  • Sourdough discard – since this recipe typically uses sourdough discard (although active starter works fine too), it’s quick and easy to mix up at the last minute for a meal.  It’s also a great way to use up leftover sourdough starter that you have stored in your refrigerator (also known as sourdough starter discard).
  • Simple ingredients – there is no fancy ingredients in this recipe, just simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
  • Quick – if you need a last minute side dish for dinner, you can mix this cornbread up and have it on the table in less than 30 minutes.

To learn how to make your own sourdough starter, click here.

Ingredients

  • Flour – all-purpose flour is fine for this quick bread recipe
  • Yellow cornmeal – I like to keep cornmeal in stock in my homestead pantry.  I purchase it in bulk from Azure Standard
  • Sugar or honey – you can also use cane sugar.  Any of this can be purchased in bulk from Azure Standard.  Get 15% off your first order of $100 or more using my link and the code NEW15.
  • Sourdough discard – I usually keep plenty of sourdough discard in my refrigerator at all times so I can easily whip up recipes like this or sourdough crackers.
  • Baking powder – this is the leavening agent that will help the cornbread to rise.
  • Salt
  • Milk
  • Tallow, butter or coconut oil
  • Eggs

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here

Tools

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Danish dough whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9 x 13 inch pan

Favorite Sourdough Recipes:

How to Make This Simple Sourdough Discard Cornbread Recipe

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix with the danish dough whisk.

Add the wet ingredients right on top of the dry ingredients in the same mixing bowl and mix well.

adding eggs to sourdough cornbread

Long Fermented Option:

Allow the batter to sit out at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.  This will allow the sourdough discard to fully react with the flour and other ingredients, breaking down the gluten and the phytic acid, which will make this cornbread easier to digest.  This option is especially good for those that are gluten intolerant or diabetic.  You could also leave this batter in your refrigerator for several days if you are making things way ahead for an event or something.

mixing up sourdough cornbread

Quick Bake Option:

Mix up your batter and bake right away.

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Baking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Grease your cast-iron skillet or baking pan.

Pour in your batter and spread it out evenly.

adding sourdough cornbread to skillet

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve with some fresh butter and a drizzle of honey alongside your favorite soup or stew, and you’ll have the perfect meal on a winter’s evening.

drizzling honey over sourdough cornbread
sourdough cornbread with cheeseburger soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

If you make this recipe, be sure to come back and give a 5-star rating so others will know to try it too.  Happy baking friends!

Tips For This Easy Sourdough Cornbread

Use a cast iron pan for baking in if possible.  Sourdough loves to baked in cast iron, and to me, there’s nothing more old fashioned or nostalgic than fresh hot cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet.

To make sourdough cornbread muffins, just add paper muffin cups to a muffin tin.  Fill each cup 2/3 full with cornbread batter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

To make mexican cornbread, add 1/2 cup corn, 1 jalapeno and 1 cup shredded cheese to the batter before baking.

This batter can be mixed up ahead of time, and allowed to ferment on the counter or in the refrigerator.  This will increase the health benefits by allowing the sourdough starter to fully break down the phytic acid and gluten in the recipe.

For a more moist sourdough cornbread, use buttermilk in place of the milk in this simple cornbread recipe.

To make a really sweet cornbread, feel free to increase the amount of sweetener in this recipe.

If you’re new to baking with sourdough, this is a great recipe to start with.

Serve leftover cornbread for breakfast with some honey or maple syrup and raw milk.  It is absolutely delicious!

skillet of sourdough cornbread

More Recipes Like This

piece of sourdough cornbread

Easy Sourdough Discard Cornbread

This easy sourdough discard cornbread recipe is fluffy, delicious and flavorful.  It's the perfect side dish for cheeseburger soup or creamy sausage sauerkraut soup.  My kids also love leftover cornbread for breakfast with milk and honey on it.  Made with sourdough discard, this cornbread is not only healthy, but it can also be mixed up ahead of time and long-fermented, which will increase the sourdough health benefits.  I love having simple recipes like this in my kitchen arsenal that help me round out any meal, any time of year.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Optional fermentation time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Serving Size 8 people

Want to save this post?

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes and homesteading tips from us every week!

Equipment

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Danish Dough Whisk
  • 1 measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9 x 13 inch pan

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbl. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup melted butter, beef tallow or coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix with the danish dough whisk.
  • Add the wet ingredients right on top of the dry ingredients in the same mixing bowl and mix well.

Long Fermented Option:

  • Allow the batter to sit out at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.  This will allow the sourdough discard to fully react with the flour and other ingredients, breaking down the gluten and the phytic acid, which will make this cornbread easier to digest.  This option is especially good for those that are gluten intolerant or diabetic.  You could also leave this batter in your refrigerator for several days if you are making things way ahead for an event or something.

Quick Bake Option:

  • Mix up your batter and bake right away.

Baking Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  • Grease your cast-iron skillet or baking pan.
  • Pour in your batter and spread it out evenly.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  • Serve with some fresh butter and a drizzle of honey alongside your favorite soup or stew, and you'll have the perfect meal on a winter's evening.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
  • If you make this recipe, be sure to come back and give a 5-star rating so others will know to try it too.  Happy baking friends!

Notes

Use a cast iron pan for baking in if possible.  Sourdough loves to baked in cast iron, and to me, there’s nothing more old fashioned or nostalgic than fresh hot cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet.
To make sourdough cornbread muffins, just add paper muffin cups to a muffin tin.  Fill each cup 2/3 full with cornbread batter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
To make mexican cornbread, add 1/2 cup corn, 1 jalapeno and 1 cup shredded cheese to the batter before baking.
This batter can be mixed up ahead of time, and allowed to ferment on the counter or in the refrigerator.  This will increase the health benefits by allowing the sourdough starter to fully break down the phytic acid and gluten in the recipe.
For a more moist sourdough cornbread, use buttermilk in place of the milk in this simple cornbread recipe.
To make a really sweet cornbread, feel free to increase the amount of sweetener in this recipe.
If you’re new to baking with sourdough, this is a great recipe to start with.
Serve leftover cornbread for breakfast with some honey or maple syrup and raw milk.  It is absolutely delicious!

I'm a homeschool Mom of 5, living out my dreams of growing a simple, sustainable life on our Nebraska homestead. I'm passionate about gardening, preserving, cooking from scratch and baking with sourdough. I enjoy milking Jersey cows and making our own dairy products. Come along with me as I share with you the skills you'll need to be successful at homesteading and frugal living.

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