What are thanksgivings without the delicious smell of cornbread!
Cornbread is baked across the states with over five different ways to make it.
When you’re preparing for a big family meal, like Thanksgiving, you’d sometimes want to prepare as many dishes as possible ahead of time.
But can you make cornbread ahead of time? We’re here to tell you how you can do that and more!
Let’s take a look.
How Can You Make Cornbread Ahead of Time?
Cornbread is best served right out of the oven!
But if you want to make time for other dishes too, then you need to follow the steps below for it to be good as fresh.
Make-Ahead Cornbread Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to prepare your make-ahead cornbread.
- One cup of self-rising cornmeal
- One tablespoon oil
- One cup of flour
- Half tablespoon baking soda
- One-quarter cup of buttermilk
- Half a cup of melted butter
Make-Ahead Cornbread Recipe Instructions
Follow the below instructions to prepare your make-ahead cornbread.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Leave your cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat with one tablespoon of oil
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl
- The dry ingredients can be made in bulk, to save time in the future, and they don’t spoil
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until they blend
- The wet ingredients must be mixed on the day of baking because they spoil quickly
- Next step is to stir the wet and dry ingredients together in the large bowl until you reach some thickness
- Remove your skillet from the oven carefully and add the mix
- Right after that, put the skillet back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes
- Use a toothpick to check if your cornbread baked before 30 minutes
How Far Ahead Can You Make Cornbread?
The reason everybody loves cornbread is its irresistible smell and taste.
It also contains a lot of wet ingredients. If it starts to dry, it loses most of its taste.
How to Store Cornbread
Whichever way you use to store cornbread, the point is to prevent any evaporation as much as possible.
Here are three ways to store your cornbread for up to three months!
Cornbread Stored in the Pantry
Your cornbread can keep its unique taste if left at room temperature.
You can store cornbread in your pantry for up to two days and still enjoy the same experience!
Check out the tips below for when you store cornbread in the pantry.
- Keep in an airtight container so that air and moist don’t get in
- Try to keep it whole and not cut it to protect it from drying
- You don’t need to thaw or reheat it, you can enjoy it right away!
Cornbread Stored in the Fridge
If you wish to store cornbread or prepare it further ahead than two days, your fridge is a great option.
Storing cornbread in your fridge can keep the delicious taste and crunchy texture for up to a week!
Check out the tips below for when you store cornbread in the fridge.
- Wrap the cornbread in plastic cling wrap to keep air and moisture from getting to it
Here are some efficient plastic cling wraps.
- When you get the cornbread off the oven, leave it to cool for a bit before you put it in the fridge
- You can reheat it before served
Cornbread Stored in the Freezer
Cornbread freezes well due to all the wet ingredients used like butter and buttermilk.
When you store cornbread in the freezer it can last for up to three months!
Check out the tips below for when you store cornbread in the freezer.
- Before storing in the freezer, wrap in aluminum foil and inside a plastic container
- The cornbread needs to cool down first before storing in the freezer
- When frozen, cornbread needs to be thawed and may be reheated before eating
Here is how you can thaw or reheat your cornbread.
Can You Make Cornbread Dressing Ahead of Time?
Cornbread dressing is still cornbread.
It can also be stored as long as cornbread without changing its delicious taste.
Here are the steps.
- Bake the cornbread and biscuits
- Let them cool down
- Process both together into crumbs
- The crumbs can last up to two days at room temperature
- They can last for a week or more if kept in the fridge or freezer
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I leave cornbread to cool after baking?
You should leave the cornbread to cool down for around 15 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
How do I keep cornbread moist?
Right after you remove the cornbread from the oven, spread butter on top of it until it melts. This will act as a layer to prevent the loss of moisture.
How can I tell if cornbread has gone bad?
Cornbread will grow mold and change in texture. You’ll also smell a sour odor.
Should I let the cornbread batter rest first before putting it in the oven?
Yes, the batter needs to be left for around 15 to 20 minutes before baking. This allows air to get inside and make it even fluffier when it’s ready.
How can I stop overmixing?
Make sure you sift the flour before you mix it with the dry ingredients. You can do that by using a metal sieve and tapping the flour through it.
Should I soak cornmeal before I make cornbread?
Cornmeal grains are relatively large. Soaking cornmeal in buttermilk for a couple of hours or overnight will tenderize those grains and make the cornbread moist.
Final Thoughts
Cornbread and cornbread dressing are seen on almost every Thanksgiving table.
Though they’re essential, sometimes we want to make some time to prepare the rest of the meal.
Preparing and storing your cornbread ahead of time can help a lot on the day you cook everything else.
By now, you know all about how you can make cornbread ahead of time.
You’re ready to start baking your own right now!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.