Air Fryer Cornbread Recipe

Whether or not you're looking for the perfect side dish or just want a slice of something comforting, this Air Fryer Cornbread Recipe is it! Soft and crumbly with just a bit of sweetness and saltiness and a nice crust. It is perfect with butter and honey drizzled on top!

Homemade cornbread is always such a treat. Even though it's an easy recipe, making it is usually an afterthought. I always seem to base it around another recipe, usually the main course, and make it right before serving dishes such as our favorite chili, Homemade Chicken and Dumplings or soup. But this recipe is worthy of a dish being made to accompany it or just to enjoy as an afternoon snack! It so delicious that the likelihood of any leftover cornbread is small. 

With this air fry cornbread recipe, you can skip the Jiffy cornbread mix and make it homemade in about the same amount of time. Pour a touch of maple syrup on top to make it a little bit sweet or add some diced jalapeño pepper for a spicy version, but either way it makes a great side dish! We love it with a batch of these Crockpot Cowboy Beans!

Can You Really Bake In The Air Fryer?

The answer is yes! Air fryers can be used for more than just frying foods. In fact, they are a great tool for baking cakes, brownies, and even bread. We've even made a delicious Blueberry Crumble and Apple Hand Pies in the air fryer!

Just remember to use cooking spray or oil before placing your batter in the air fryer baking pan. And don't forget to adjust the temperature and change setting to baking mode if your air fryer has that function. Baking in the air fryer takes less time than in the oven, this is because the air fryer is smaller therefore it heats up quickly and holds the heat better than the oven.

Give it a try the next time you want a quick and easy dessert or bread option. You might be surprised at how delicious your baked Air fryer recipes turns out! I made Air Fryer Blueberry Apple Crumble and Air Fryer Caramel Apple Hand Pies and they came out perfectly delicious.

What You Will Love About This Air-Fried Cornbread

• It's moist and fluffy
• Easy to get ingredients- once you have all the ingredients, you can make multiple batches making this option much cheaper than the store-bought boxes.
• Overloaded with deliciousness
• Bakes quicker in the air fryer than in the traditional oven.

Ingredients To Make This Recipe

Detailed measurements of ingredients are on the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

All-purpose flour: This will help in balancing the texture of your cornbread. If you were to use cornmeal alone your cornbread may come out so dense.

Baking powder: This is the leavening agent to help our cornbread to rise, if you don't have you may use baking soda or alternatively skip it by using self-rising flour.

Salted butter: Your butter has to be at room temperature but not melted, just soft. Cold butter can be hard to work with while melted butter can make your batter runny.

Granulated sugar: some people don't add sugar to their cornbread but I do. Just tastes better when it's sweet, it's a treat for the little ones.

Cornmeal: What is a cornbread without cornmeal right? Just half a cup to add texture and flavor. We typically use yellow corn meal but you can also use white cornmeal or corn flour. 

Eggs: We need eggs at room temperature for accurate consistency. We also use eggs to bind the dry ingredients together.

Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and helps to tenderize the bread, making it extra moist and fluffy. However, you can also use regular whole milk in this recipe if that's all you have on hand. 

Canola oil: Canola oil helps to give the cornbread a light and fluffy texture. It can also be substituted with vegetable oil or melted coconut oil if preferred.

Salt: Helps to enhance the flavors in the cornbread and balances out any sweetness. Just be careful since we are using salted butter, you don't want to ruin your cornbread with too much salt

How To Bake Cornbread In The Air Fryer

1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and mix until light in color and fluffy. Add in the oil and white or yellow cornmeal, and mix until smooth.
3. Add in half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add in the other half of the flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
4. Slowly pour in the mix while mixing until the mixture is smooth and lump free.
5. Prepare a 7-inch round baking pan or spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Pour in the cornbread mixture and cover with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F and cook for 30-35 minutes until fluffy and lightly browned on top. Check the doneness of the cornbread by inserting a toothpick into the middle. If it comes out clean it is done.
8. Serve warm with butter and honey, and enjoy!

Tips For Baking Cornbread In The Air Fryer

• Don't crowd your air fryer baking pan because it will overflow creating a mess. Cleaning the air fryer can be an unpleasant chore sometimes.
• Regularly check for doneness on your cornbread, a clean toothpick indicates doneness when inserted in the middle.
• Grease your baking pan with butter or canola oil to avoid the cornbread sticking to the pan.
• Use a thin metal or silicone pan to help the air circulate. The thicker (better quality pans) will result in an uneven cooking.

Recipe substitutes and variations

• All-purpose flour can be replaced with cake flour, your cornbread will still have a light and fluffy texture.
• Buttermilk can be substituted with regular milk, if you want the tangy flavor then you can squeeze in fresh lemon juice.
• You can also use Vegetable oil instead of canola oil, or olive oil; they all produce great results.
• Spice things up and make a perfect side dish of cornbread by adding jalapeno peppers. This is a perfect combination of sweet and spicy.
• Make it your own cornbread recipe; you can add corn kernels to the batter and a little bit of cayenne pepper. Let your creativity take over.
• Pumpkin cornbread is also a delicious variation for the fall and winter months. Simply add some pumpkin puree and spice to your batter before cooking in the air fryer. The possibilities are endless with this easy and tasty recipe!
• Don't have an air fryer? You can make this recipe in the traditional oven, Preheat to 350℉, cover with foil, and bake for 35-40 minutes. If by the end of the cooking time it's not as golden brown as you would like it to be, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Instead of a baking pan, you can use a cast iron skillet greased with melted butter or nonstick cooking spray.

Serving Suggestions

I love this air fryer cornbread because it is versatile, top it with butter and honey or maple syrup then you have a sweet dessert treat.

It will also go well with savory dishes like: 

• Butternut Squash Stew
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Crumble it into Jalapeño White Chicken Chili
• Roasted Turkey with Gravy

Air Fryer Cornbread Recipe FAQs

Can I use this batter for muffins?

Absolutely! Use the silicone muffin cups, they are air fryer friendly and reduce the cooking time. Even if there is some leftover batter you can squeeze a muffin or two with what's left, and you will get delicious air fryer cornbread muffins. 

Can I make this ahead of time?

While this sweet cornbread freezes well, the batter doesn't. When thawed the cornbread batter turns to produce dense cakey cornbread. You can make and freeze the cornbread for up to three months if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or wax paper and stored in an airtight container.

How can I make the top of my cornbread golden brown?

To achieve a more intense golden brown on top you can remove the foil a few minutes before the cooking process ends.

Can I use Jiffy Cornbread Mix in the air fryer?

I know we all have a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix in the back of the pantry waiting to be used. While we prefer homemade this would also work in the air fryer, if you need it in a jiffy! Simply follow the directions on the back of the Jiffy box and bake it in the air fryer, at 320 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Storage Tips

This cornbread Can be stored at room temperature in a zip-top bag or in plastic wrap for up to 3 days in the fridge. Keeping it in an airtight container will also do the trick.

To store for a longer period can be frozen for up to 3 months and wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Defrost and bring to room temperature before serving.