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Can you cook cornbread in an air fryer? Absolutely! Learn how to cook air fryer cornbread without a pan with cooking time, temperature, nutrition info and more. My jalapeno cheddar air fryer corn bread recipe is great with BBQ or chili, and will be your new favorite side dish or snack. I’m giving directions here to cook Martha White, Krusteaz, or Jiffy cornbread batter too!

This air fryer Mexican cornbread is going to make you so happy you own an air fryer. It’s the easiest and best cornbread around, with a lovely crumbly texture and just a hint of cheese flavor. Spread with butter and drizzled with honey, I can’t get enough of this fast vegetarian recipe!
🌽 Air Fryer Cornbread Ingredients
Here is your shopping list for this air fryer cornbread recipe:
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 53 grams cornmeal (about 6 tablespoons; not coarse ground cornmeal)
- 30 grams whole wheat flour (about ¼ cup)
- 30 grams all-purpose flour (about ¼ cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 small jalapeno pepper
- 56 grams shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces or about ½ cup; can also use pepper jack)
- Cooking oil spray
- Softened butter and honey, for serving
Specific quantities of ingredients are located in the recipe card at the bottom of the article!
Air fryer cornbread without buttermilk: Milk with a little lemon juice is my favorite easy buttermilk substitution. If you happen to have buttermilk on hand, you can use that instead.
Please don’t try to substitute corn masa or corn starch for the corn meal. They are not the same things.
Using a mix of white flour and whole wheat flour keeps things from tasting too “healthy.“ You are welcome to skip the AP flour and use all whole grain flour for more fiber.
Adequate fat keeps the cornbread from becoming too dry, so be sure to use full-fat cheese. IMVHO, melted butter is better for cornbread than oil because it adds more flavor.
Keep in mind that all air fryer ovens cook a little differently. You can use your Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, Power XL, or other air fryer. However, you may find that you need a slightly shorter or longer cooking time than I did.
Air Fryer Cornbread without a Pan
You can make air fryer cornbread without a baking pan by making air fryer cornbread muffins. I make corn muffins in these air fryer muffin tins. The total air frying time is shorter than when I air fry a loaf of cornbread.
Can you cook cornbread on foil?
Yes, sturdy foil muffin cups or aluminum foil molded into a muffin liner shape should work. Make sure to spray the foil well with cooking spray before adding the cornbread batter. You can also experiment with silicone muffin cups.
If you want to make an air fryer cornbread loaf, use a 8.5×4.5-inch small metal loaf pan (21.6 by 11.4 cm) for this recipe. I’ll provide the air fryer time and temperature below. If this pan doesn’t fit in your air fryer oven, you’ll need to find a pan that works.
⭐ How to Make Air Fryer Cornbread without a Pan
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to cook cornbread in an air fryer oven:
- Stir the milk and lemon juice together and let it sit for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flours, and baking powder. In a second bowl, stir together the milk mixture, melted butter, and egg.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in the finely chopped jalapeno and shredded cheese. Let the cornbread batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Hot tip: I always remove the seeds from the jalapeno when I make this recipe. However, if your family would prefer more heat, leave them in!
- After the resting time, spray the muffin pan well with cooking spray. Divide the corn bread batter into six muffin compartments. (Unless you have a very large air fryer, you’ll need to cook the cornbread in two batches.)
️⏲️ Air Fryer Time and Temperature
How long to cook cornbread in air fryer? What temperature to air fry cornbread? Air fry Mexican cornbread for a total of 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163C). If you have an air fryer oven, place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.
After air frying, let the homemade cornbread rest in the hot air fryer basket for 3 minutes so it can firm up more. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread should come out clean (or with a few golden brown crumbs) when it is finished baking. It’s wonderful spread with some whipped honey butter!
To make an air fryer cornbread loaf, pour batter into an oil-sprayed loaf pan and cook for 12-14 minutes at 375F (190C). Let the cornbread cool before slicing.
Leftover cornbread pieces can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, place individually wrapped cornbread slices or muffins in a freezer bag and press the air out before storing in the freezer.
You can reheat leftover cornbread in the air fryer. Air fry chilled, cooked cornbread slices for 2-3 minutes at 350F (177C). Use the top rack if you have an air fryer oven.
➕ What to Serve with Cornbread
What goes with cornbread? Serve it in place of crackers in MyPlate meals, or use it as a side to any of my soups or salads. I think the Instant Pot Italian sausage soup would be perfect with a side of corn bread.
Here are a few more main dishes that go with cornbread:
- Air Fried Chicken Wings
- Keto Cincinnati Chili
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast
- St Louis Ribs in Oven
- Beef Chuck Riblets Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Sausage Casserole Recipe
Watch How to Make It!
Air Fryer Cornbread without a Pan Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 53 grams cornmeal (about 6 tablespoons)
- 30 grams whole wheat flour (about 4 tablespoons)
- 30 grams all-purpose flour (about 4 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded, finely chopped (or keep seeds for more heat)
- 56 grams cheddar cheese, shredded (2 ounces; equals ½ cup)
- cooking oil spray
- softened butter and honey for serving
Instructions
- Mix the milk and lemon juice together. Set aside for 5 minutes while you work on other parts of the recipe.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, white flour, and baking powder. Set aside. In a second bowl, whisk the milk mixture, melted butter, and egg.
- Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix with a spoon. Gently stir in the chopped jalapeno and cheese. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes at room temperature. This gives the cornmeal time to absorb the liquid.
- After the resting time, spray the muffin pan well with cooking spray. Divide the corn bread batter into six muffin compartments. (Unless you have a very large air fryer, you’ll need to cook the cornbread in two batches.) If you have an air fryer oven, place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 8-10 minutes. After air frying, let the homemade cornbread rest in the hot air fryer basket for 3 minutes so it can firm up more. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread should come out clean (or with a few crumbs) when it is finished baking.
- Let it cool a bit and served spread with softened butter and a drizzle of honey.
- For air fryer cornbread loaf: Pour batter into an oil-sprayed 8½x4½-inch metal loaf pan and air fry for 12-14 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Let the cornbread cool before slicing.
Notes
💡 Air Fryer Cornbread Tips
Here is a summary of tips to successfully make this air fryer cornbread recipe:- Weigh the dry ingredients instead of using measuring cups
- Don’t use low fat dairy in this recipe
- Make sure the muffin tin or pan you use fits your air fryer
- Remember to let the batter rest before baking
- Spray the baking tin generously with cooking spray
- Let the cornbread cool before slicing if making a loaf
- Don’t forget the honey if you prefer sweet cornbread. (Southern cornbread isn’t usually sweetened, but IMHO this recipe really benefits from a touch of added sugar from honey or maple syrup on top!)
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
FAQs
Can you make Jiffy Cornbread in air fryer?
Yes, you can make Jiffy cornbread mix, Krusteaz, Martha White, or Pillsbury cornbread from a mix in an air fryer. The Jiffy site recommends cooking cornbread in an air fryer preheated to 310F (154C) for 15-20 minutes.
How do I make gluten-free air fryer cornbread?
To make air fryer cornbread gluten free, experiment with using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour in place of the flours. Cornmeal is naturally gluten free. Make sure the cornmeal is certified gluten free if you have celiac disease, as it may have contacted gluten-containing grains during processing.
How do I make cornbread on the stove?
Martha Stewart has a no oven cast-iron skillet cornbread that you may enjoy.
How do you moisten dry cornbread?
You can try reviving dry cornbread by microwaving for a short time with a damp paper towel on top. Another option is to cut it into cubes and use it in a casserole meal with a sauce or gravy. If it’s only a little dry, just try spreading butter on it before eating.
How do you get cornbread out of a pan?
Cornbread should release easily after cooling if the pan was well-oiled. If it’s sticking, gently loosen it around the edges with a butterknife.
What keeps cornbread from falling apart?
The egg acts as a binder in cornbread to help it stick together. Don’t skip it!
👩🏻🍳 More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
After making my air fryer cornbread recipe, here are some other air fryer ideas to try:
- Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
- Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
- Best Air Fryer Indian Recipes
- Best Frozen Foods for the Air Fryer
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
Most definitely, Summer. Nearly all the recipes out there load up cornbread with way too much sugar, paying no attention to the reality cornbread is, just by itself, already on the sweet side.
Not so with your creation. Instead, you provide the perfect canvas on which the pepper paints its vibrant colors. From the Northeast, a beautifully Southwestern bread!
Besides, if sweetening cornbread remains a misdirected priority for some, why not use honey? That would bump up the sweetness while preserving the corn’s savory profile.
Much better than that, though, is your invention. You allow the pepper to speak, and in a voice providing much more complexity than mere heat.
Thanks! Honestly, I was kind of sad about the failed recipe. If I’m going to be having something that indulgent, I really want it to be worth it! Maybe most like a sweeter cornbread than I do, I’m not sure. I agree honey probably would have been better than the white sugar that was used. Offering some honey butter for spreading might be a solution for households where some prefer their cornbread with more sweetness while others don’t.
Most people are so accustomed to blunt-force sweetness, they think that’s what makes the dish, unfortunately.
When you were a kid, did you ever have Kool-Aid prepared by the canister instructions? Yuck! In our house, we added sugar sparingly, but any time I tried the mix at friends’ houses they seemed to tip in 50-pound bags of sugar. Once again, bleh.
The same principle applies to cornbread. Really, it seems what most people are after is yellow cake. All those wonderful flavors, out the window. Not so with your creation. For the moment, our voices are lonely ones. Summer v. The World. I like those odds!
I didn’t drink Kool-Aid because it gave me a rash but we had those 15-cent Teeni drinks and powdered lemonade. They’re all pretty much sugar water with color; I’m not sure why I reacted to Kool-Aid specifically. When we’d mix the lemonade powder for lemonade stands as kids, we’d add extra powder! I definitely don’t think I’d like it anymore. lol Real lemonade would have been so much better but it would have been difficult to make a profit.