It’s normal to want to make some type of side dish to go along with dinner or lunch. Often, people enjoy having some type of bread-based food that goes well with many different foods.
For example, you might make cornbread when you’re making certain meals. It could be a good accompaniment to barbecued dishes, chili, and many others.
Other times, you might prefer to make biscuits. Biscuits go well with many dishes and can be rather versatile overall.
Which of these options is the best, though? Keep reading to compare them side by side.
You’ll learn about the characteristics of these foods. It’ll also give you a better idea of when you should make biscuits to go along with a meal instead of cornbread.
Biscuits Are More Versatile
You could make the argument that biscuits are more versatile than cornbread, and there are more circumstances where you might want to make them.
Biscuits can easily be served with other types of food at any time of the day. You might make them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
There are more types of meals that you might want to enjoy biscuits with as well. Since you’ll have more chances to eat them than cornbread, you could crown biscuits as the winner of this debate.
However, there’s more to consider than just versatility. You want to look at this topic from all angles to arrive at the best conclusion that you can.
Biscuits Are Easier to Make
It’s significantly easier to make biscuits than it is to make cornbread. Biscuits can be made using just a few ingredients.
You can make them using flour, milk, butter, and some type of leavening agent. There are different recipes recipes out there that will use specific types of milk to get different results.
Buttermilk biscuits are among the most popular types that people regularly make. Different types of biscuits will appeal to different people.
Cornbread isn’t necessarily difficult to make, but it is a bit more complex than making biscuits. Some enthusiasts say that it’s a bit tough to make it perfectly.
True cornbread connoisseurs say that you have to make it in a very specific way for it to be truly “good.” Your definition of what makes cornbread good might vary depending on your personal tastes.
However, most seem to agree that even average biscuits are pretty good. It’s easy to make them, and you can even enjoy them by themselves as a snack or light meal.
Cornbread might not be as enjoyable for most people when it isn’t made to perfection. Therefore, biscuits might have more mass appeal.
Cornbread and Sugar
Many staunchly traditional people think that putting sugar in cornbread is blasphemous. This means that the cornbread that some people enjoy wouldn’t even be considered true cornbread by many.
Cornbread might taste a bit bland to you if it doesn’t have sugar in it. It has a grainy texture that not everyone can get behind.
In the American South, cornbread is a staple food. People who were born and raised in the southern regions of the United States are very likely to have an affinity for it.
People who live further north often enjoy cornbread that has sugar in it. Some people refer to this type of cornbread as “Johnny cakes.”
There might be a rift in your family depending on your stance on cornbread. People seem to take cornbread rather seriously in many regions of America.
What is or is not true cornbread is something you can decide for yourself. Just know that biscuits are far less complicated when it comes to prevailing opinions.
People simply enjoy biscuits because they’re easy to make and they go well with many meals. There isn’t so much in-fighting in families based on biscuit preferences.
Pick Based on What Meal You’re Making
You might want to make either cornbread or biscuits depending on what you’re making. This will ensure that you have a great experience.
Cornbread is commonly served with many types of BBQ dishes. It’d be unusual to get BBQ ribs or something similar without being offered cornbread on the side.
You’ll also commonly see cornbread being served alongside chili, meatloaf, and many other beef-based meals. It’s also great to enjoy it with jambalaya or even just a simple glass of milk.
People commonly put broken pieces of cornbread in buttermilk and eat it that way. There are many ways to enjoy it if you’re someone who likes the taste.
Biscuits are versatile and can go with so many different types of meals. You could serve them alongside breakfast foods such as eggs and bacon.
It’s normal to enjoy them on the side when you’re eating chicken noodle soup. Any meal that utilizes gravy is going to be a perfect opportunity to eat biscuits, too.
People love eating them with beef stroganoff, beef stew, fried chicken, casserole dishes, and so much more. You have many options when you’re planning to make them.
One Isn’t Better Than the Other
One isn’t truly better than the other when it comes to the biscuits vs. cornbread debate. You don’t even have to choose if you don’t want to.
Enjoy both if you want. There’s no rule saying you can’t make both biscuits and cornbread if you wish to have more options.
Sometimes you might be in the mood for cornbread. Perhaps it’s the perfect addition to the meal that you’re planning to make tonight.
Other times, it might be more practical to make biscuits to go along with dinner. Simply make whatever feels right to you at the time.
Final Thoughts
Now you know a lot more about both biscuits and cornbread. Both are delicious, but some might prefer one option over the other.
Depending on what you’re eating, you might find that either biscuits or cornbread will be preferable. It makes sense to choose based on the meal that you’re eating.
Cornbread is a bit of a complex topic in certain ways, and some people have strong opinions about it.
What type of cornbread is your favorite to enjoy? Do you prefer cornbread or biscuits?
No matter which you enjoy more, it’s easy to see that they add a lot to the meals that they accompany. Simply make the right decisions based on your preferences and enjoy.
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.