These soft, fluffy cornbread pancakes are packed with flavor and crisp at the edges, made from cornmeal and real sweet corn blended into the batter. Serve them as a sweet or savory breakfast with your favorite pancake toppings!
These cornbread pancakes put a fun, easy spin on classic buttermilk pancakes. I love them topped with sour cream, similar to my savory French toast! They’re just as delicious smothered with maple syrup, too.
I make a LOT of pancakes. Especially during the colder months when pajamas are the weekend uniform and a cozy, feel-good breakfast is a must. These cornbread pancakes were inspired by a recent batch of cornbread that I paired with my beef chili. While chomping down (inhaling) cornbread squares, I imagined a stack of thick, steamy, flavorful pancakes with a similarly crispy texture. Say no more! Next thing, these cornmeal pancakes were born, baptized with butter and drizzled with honey.
Why I Love These Cornbread Pancakes
- Sweet or savory. I’m a sucker for “brinner”, or breakfast for dinner, so the next time I made my cornbread pancakes I topped them with sour cream flavored with lemon and dill for a savory version. Love! If that’s your jam, I’ve included the simple sauce recipe in this post.
- Authentic texture. I did my best to channel cornbread into a pancake, and this recipe succeeded! The texture is unreal. These pancakes are soft and fluffy, moist inside, and buttery and crisp outside with irresistible cornmeal crunch.
- Easy to make. With cornmeal and real whole corn kernels in the mix, the ingredients are a bit different, but the pancake-making process doesn’t change. This recipe is super easy, and you can have a fat stack of soft cornbread pancakes out of the skillet in 30 minutes or less.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This cornmeal pancake recipe uses a few key ingredients to pack each bite with delicious cornbread flavor and texture. I go over these below, along with some notes. You’ll find the full ingredients list, amounts, and recipe details in the printable recipe card after the post.
- Cornmeal – I use steel-ground yellow cornmeal. This type of cornmeal is coarser and grittier than corn flour, and it’s the kind you’d use in classic cornbread. You’ll find it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- Flour – I go half and half with the cornmeal and all-purpose flour in this pancake recipe. This way, the pancakes still have the flavor of cornbread with that lighter, fluffy texture we know and love. If needed, you can replace regular flour with a gluten-free alternative, like almond flour (see my almond flour pancakes).
- Sugar – To sweeten things up just a little. You can use granulated sugar, brown sugar, or another sweetener, like honey.
- Baking Soda – Make sure to check the expiration date on your baking soda, so you know it’s fresh.
- Salt and Pepper – Ever since I went the savory route when serving, I’ve added a few cracks of black pepper to my cornmeal pancake batter. You can add as much as you’d like, or leave it out if you prefer.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk in the fridge, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute from regular milk and vinegar. It takes 5 minutes and it’s super handy when I forget to buy buttermilk for other recipes, like cornflake chicken.
- Corn Kernels – I blend real corn kernels into the pancake batter for added moisture and flavor. You can shave the kernels from leftover corn on the cob, or use canned sweet corn. Be sure to drain and rinse canned corn before adding it to the batter.
- Butter and Egg – For flavor and structure. Melt the butter in the microwave before you start. It also helps to bring the egg to room temperature.
Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
I almost always serve these cornbread pancakes as a savory meal. Instead of dressing them with honey or maple syrup, I whip together a quick and creamy lemon dill sauce to dollop over the warm pancakes. It’s super easy: Combine ¼ cup of sour cream with 1 teaspoon each fresh dill and lemon juice. Stir, and serve!
How to Make Cornbread Pancakes
If you have 30 minutes to spare on a Sunday morning, this cornbread pancakes recipe is about to become your new BFF. It’s quick, easy, and a little something different from your usual stack of flapjacks! Let’s get started.
- Mix the dry ingredients. First, whisk together the cornmeal and flour with the sugar, baking soda, salt, and pepper.
- Blend the rest of the ingredients. Next, add your buttermilk, corn kernels, melted butter, and egg to a food processor. Blend until that’s nice and smooth.
- Combine. Fold the corn and buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients to make the batter.
- Cook. Now, drop portions of batter onto your preheated skillet. Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to come to the surface, flip, and cook for another minute or so until browned. Set the finished cornbread pancakes aside (I like to wrap them in a clean dishcloth to keep warm). Once your pancakes are done, it’s time to serve.
Recipe Tips
- How to tell when they’re ready to flip. Watch the pancakes as they cook. Once they’re set at the edges and bubbles start to burst on top of the pancakes, that’s the sign that they’re ready to turn.
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing the pancake batter can lead to heavy, chewy pancakes. I like to fold the blended wet ingredients into the dry ingredients by hand until they just come together. It’s fine if there are a few flour flecks left over.
- Use the right pan. I love my cast iron skillet for making pancakes, and I can’t recommend it enough. Otherwise, use a non-stick griddle so that the heat is distributed evenly.
- Get the temperature right. If your skillet or griddle is too hot, the outside of the pancakes will burn while the inside stays raw. If it’s not hot enough, they’ll take longer to cook and become dry. Be sure to preheat the pan, and sprinkle it with a few drops of water. If the water drops sizzle right away, the pan is ready for your pancakes!
- For extra insurance against sticking, lightly grease the pan with oil or cooking spray before you add the pancake batter. Avoid using butter here, as it burns at high temperatures.
- Use a measuring cup. This is an easy way to portion and pour the batter. I prefer smaller pancakes, so I usually budget about 3 tablespoons per pancake (between ⅛ and ¼ cup).
What to Serve With Cornmeal Pancakes
Whether you enjoy them sweet or savory, cornbread pancakes are delicious at breakfast or brunch. They’re great smothered with butter, honey, or syrup, dolloped with plain yogurt, or topped with my favorite lemon dill sauce (see above). Serve them with crispy air fryer bacon and a fluffy egg white frittata. You can sweeten up the breakfast table with a batch of cinnamon scones, and wash it all down with mimosas!
I’m also a BIG fan of these cornbread pancakes at lunch or dinner. We’ll dunk them in a cozy bowl of pumpkin chili, just like you would traditional cornbread, or serve them topped with crumbled feta and ajvar, Macedonia’s most famous red pepper relish.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. If you have leftover cornbread pancakes, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. These pancakes reheat well in the oven, or you can use the toaster oven.
- Freeze. I recommend pre-freezing the pancakes on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes before transferring them to a freezer bag to freeze. Thaw and reheat the pancakes within 3 months.
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For the Lemon Dill Sauce (Optional)
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Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined and set aside.
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Blend the remaining ingredients. In a blender, combine the buttermilk, corn kernels, melted butter, and egg; process until smooth.
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Combine. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine them.
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Cook. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour about 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles appear and edges are lightly browned. Turn the pancakes over and continue to cook them for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Transfer the pancakes to serving plates and set aside.
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Make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, dill, and lemon juice; mix them until thoroughly incorporated.
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Serve. Transfer the sour cream herb sauce to a serving bowl and serve with the prepared cornbread pancakes.
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
