Sourdough Cornbread

Holidays are coming soon, and if you want to treat yourself and your family with a delicious sourdough cornbread made with sourdough discard, you will find the recipe below helpful.

This cornbread combines everything we love about traditional cornbread with the added flavor and tenderness that sourdough discard brings. The discard adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor that perfectly complements the natural sweetness of cornmeal, creating a loaf that is rich, moist, and incredibly satisfying. It’s one of my favorite ways to use extra discard, especially during the holiday season when comforting side dishes are always welcome on the table.

One of the best things about this recipe is its texture. The crumb is soft and tender while still maintaining that classic cornbread character. It’s moist without being heavy and has just the right balance between fluffy and hearty. Every bite is filled with warm corn flavor and a slight richness that makes it difficult to stop at just one slice.

This cornbread pairs beautifully with holiday meals, roasted meats, soups, stews, chili, and barbecue. It is especially wonderful served warm with butter melting into the crumb. If you enjoy a slightly sweet cornbread, a drizzle of honey on top makes it even more delicious. For a savory version, it can be paired with herbs, cheese, or served alongside hearty main dishes.

Another advantage of this recipe is how quick and approachable it is. Unlike traditional sourdough breads that require long fermentation schedules, this recipe comes together quickly while still benefiting from the flavor that sourdough discard provides. It’s a great option for busy holiday cooking when oven space and preparation time are limited.

Fresh from the oven, the cornbread develops a beautiful golden crust while staying soft and tender inside. The aroma of warm cornmeal, butter, and freshly baked bread instantly fills the kitchen and creates that cozy holiday feeling everyone loves.

The leftovers are just as enjoyable the next day. Cornbread can be lightly toasted, served with breakfast, used alongside soups, or even transformed into stuffing for future holiday meals. It keeps well and remains moist thanks to the addition of sourdough discard. I enjoy it with a glass of milk: a perfect combination on a hot summer day.

Whether you’re looking for a creative way to use discard or simply searching for a flavorful holiday side dish, this sourdough cornbread is a wonderful addition to your recipe collection. Simple, comforting, and packed with flavor, it brings together the best of traditional cornbread and sourdough baking in one delicious loaf that the entire family will enjoy.

Ingredients

Sourdough sponge from discard

• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup buttermilk 

Dough

• All sponge
• 1 cup of corn flour
• 1 egg
• 5 tbs sugar
• 40g melted butter or oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• Pickled Jalapeño peppers, sliced (optional)

Directions 

Sponge

Night before 

• Mix sourdough discard, flour, milk and buttermilk, cover, let it ferment till next morning (12 hours).

Next morning 

• Your sponge should become bubbly.

• Add an egg, melted butter or oil and mix.
• Then add all the dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, baking soda. The batter will bubble.

• Mix with spoon, so there are no lumps.
• Add sliced pickled jalapeño peppers (optional).

• Cover, let it rest 10 minutes.
• Line your 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper and pour the batter inside. I used two 8×4 inch dishes.

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Bake cornbread for 30-35 min, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve your sourdough cornbread warm 🙏

Sourdough Cornbread (Overnight Discard Sponge)

860kcal

No ratings yet

Pinterest Facebook Share on X

Share Print

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 35 minutes mins

Overnight Sponge Fermentation 12 hours hrs

Total 12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Traditional cornbread meets the complex, subtle tang of sourdough. By fermenting the discard, flour, milk, and buttermilk overnight, this recipe locks in exceptional moisture, yielding a tender crumb with a golden crust.

Servings 2 Loaves

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Overnight Sourdough Sponge (Night Before)

• ▢ ½ cup Sourdough discard
• ▢ 1 cup All-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup Milk
• ▢ ½ cup Buttermilk

Final Dough Batter (Next Morning)

• ▢ All reserved sponge (from above)
• ▢ 1 cup Yellow cornmeal / corn flour
• ▢ 1 Large Egg
• ▢ 5 tbsp Sugar
• ▢ 40 g Melted butter (or vegetable oil)
• ▢ ½ tsp Salt
• ▢ ½ tsp Baking soda
• ▢ Pickled Jalapeño peppers (sliced, optional)

Equipment

• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Mixing Bowl & Wooden Spoon
• ▢
  8×8 Inch Baking Dish (or two 8×4-inch loaf pans)
• ▢
  Parchment Paper

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Night Before: Build the Sponge (8:00 PM)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup sourdough discard, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup milk, and ½ cup buttermilk.
2. Stir thoroughly, cover loosely, and let ferment at room temperature overnight (12 hours) until bubbly.

Next Morning: Mix Batter & Bake (8:00 AM)

1. Add 1 egg and 40 g melted butter (or oil) into the bubbly sponge; whisk until combined.
2. Add 1 cup corn flour, 5 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp baking soda. Stir gently with a spoon until no flour lumps remain (the batter will begin to bubble as the baking soda reacts with the acidic sponge).
3. Fold in sliced pickled jalapeños, if using.
4. Cover batter and rest for 10 minutes.
5. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish (or two 8×4-inch pans) with parchment paper and pour the batter inside.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter or honey!

Nutrition

Calories860kcalCarbohydrates140gProtein20gFat25gSaturated Fat14gPolyunsaturated Fat2gMonounsaturated Fat7gTrans Fat1gCholesterol139mgSodium1106mgPotassium428mgFiber6gSugar37gVitamin A819IUCalcium250mgIron4mg

Notes

• The Flavor Chemistry of Sourdough Discard Quick-Breads: Because this recipe relies on baking powder and baking soda to achieve its immediate, fluffy volume expansion in the oven, you do not need to wait hours for wild yeast fermentation. The sourdough discard is utilized strictly as a flavor and texture powerhouse. Its natural lactic acids soften the wheat flour proteins to yield a wonderfully tender, moist crumb, while providing a spectacular flavor contrast to the sweet cornmeal.
• Why Buttermilk is a Phenomenal Alternative: If you want an even lighter, taller cornbread with an amplified tangy profile, swap out the 120g of regular whole milk for an equal weight of commercial buttermilk. The extra acid in the buttermilk will react aggressively with the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in the dry mix, creating an influx of tiny air bubbles that pushes the crumb structure to maximum fluffiness.
• Choosing the Right Cornmeal Texture: For a classic, soft, and uniform American sandwich-style cornbread, stick to a fine-grind yellow cornmeal. If you prefer a rustic, old-world southern texture with a distinct, satisfying toothsome crunch throughout the interior crumb, look for a medium-grind or stone-ground yellow cornmeal brand instead. Avoid coarse-grind polenta grits, as they will remain hard and gritty after the quick 25-minute bake.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.