Learn how to cook cornbread in air fryer oven! Get the air fryer cornbread cooking time, temp, nutrition info and more. My jalapeno cheddar air fryer corn bread is great with BBQ or chili, and will be your new favorite side dish, snack, or appetizer. This easy cornbread recipe is small batch, perfect for a family of four. You’ll love the possibilities that open up when you start air frying baked goods.
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, a great use for that countertop convection oven we call the air fryer.
Air frying is good for so much more than protein and veggies! If you enjoy cornbread with a little heat from jalapenos, a lovely crumbly texture, and just a hint of cheese flavor, you’ll like this. I can’t get enough of it!
Jump to:
- 👨🍳 Make Easy Airfryer Corn Bread
- ⭐ Benefits of Making Air Fryer Corn Bread
- 🥘 Mexican Cornbread Air Fryer Ingredients
- 🍽 Equipment
- 🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Cornbread
- ️⏲️ Cooking Time and Temperature
- 🌡️ Leftovers
- 🌽 What to Serve with Cornbread
- 📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- 💡 Tips to Make Corn Bread in the Air Fryer
- FAQs
- 👩🏻🍳 Other Air Fryer Recipes
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
👨🍳 Make Easy Airfryer Corn Bread
I seriously can’t believe I’ve been baking corn bread in the oven. Instead, I could have been making this easy air fried corn bread all along.
I love it spread with just a little softened butter. YUM!
A few weeks ago, I made a jalapeno-cheddar corn bread recipe created by a famous chef. Sticks of butter and tons of white sugar were involved. Unfortunately, despite all of the indulgences, I wasn’t overly impressed with the recipe.
First of all, I thought the table sugar was out of place in a savory jalapeno corn bread recipe. My air fryer corn bread has no added sugar, and I think it’s delicious without it.
Second, the chef’s corn bread recipe made a huge amount; 12 very generous servings. The bread along the outer edges had finished baking, but the pieces in the middle remained doughy. Disappointing!
My air fryer southern cornbread recipe makes a small loaf of corn bread that's four servings. Because the loaf is small, it cooks evenly. You’ll get a perfectly crumbly (not doughy!) piece of cornbread, regardless of whether you cut from the ends or the middle.
So, let’s get to making some golden brown air fried cornbread, shall we?
⭐ Benefits of Making Air Fryer Corn Bread
Why make corn bread in the air fryer? Here are some benefits of this easy air fryer recipe:
- Moist and tender: This air fried Mexican cornbread is moist, not dry. Air fryers cook with dry heat, but I have some tips to prevent dry cornbread below.
- Fast cornbread recipe: You can cook a loaf of cornbread in an air fryer in only 12-14 minutes. You don’t even need to preheat the air fryer!
- Vegetarian: This is a no lard cornbread, so it’s vegetarian friendly. I have tips on making vegan cornbread in the FAQs.
- Uses less energy: Using the air fryer for baked goods is perfect for summertime cooking. You can bake to your heart’s content without heating up the house with the oven. Air frying uses less energy.
- Versatile: Corn bread is great with so many dishes and it works as a side, snack, or appetizer. Grilled burgers, barbecue chicken, ribs, and more are even better IMVHO with some corn bread as a side dish.
- Delicious crowd pleaser: Bread is a carbohydrate rich food that is typically inexpensive to make and well liked. If you’re feeding a large number of people, putting some cornbread on the table tends to please even picky eaters.
🥘 Mexican Cornbread Air Fryer Ingredients
Here is your shopping list for this air fryer cornbread recipe:
- Whole milk
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cornmeal (not coarse ground cornmeal)
- Spelt flour
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Melted butter
- Egg
- Jalapeno pepper (small pepper or half a large one)
- Shredded pepper jack cheese
- Cooking oil spray
Specific quantities of ingredients are located in the recipe card at the bottom of the article!
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.
What’s the difference between white corn meal and yellow corn meal? White corn meal is made with white corn kernels and yellow cornmeal is made with yellow corn kernels. I like using yellow cornmeal in cornbread for the color, but either can be used.
I usually use whole grain spelt flour in recipes because I like how it tastes. Whole wheat flour is typically less expensive than spelt and can be substituted if desired.
Using a mix of white flour and spelt keeps things from tasting too “healthy.“ You are welcome to skip the AP flour and use all spelt for more fiber.
IMVHO, melted butter is better for cornbread than oil because it adds more flavor. Adequate fat keeps the cornbread from becoming too dry, so be sure to use whole milk. You’ll also want to use full-fat cheese.
🍽 Equipment
There are a few things to gather before you begin this recipe, including a good knife and a kitchen scale. Most importantly, you need a small pan that fits on the lower rack in your air fryer. (Note: put the pan on a rack, not the drip pan at the very bottom of the oven!)
I am using an 8.5x4.5-inch small metal loaf pan (21.6 by 11.4 cm) for this recipe. If this pan doesn’t fit in your air fryer oven, you’ll need to find a pan that works. If you’re using a different sized pan than I am using, that can impact the air frying time.
I own a 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven. You can use your Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, or other air fryer.
However, keep in mind that all air fryer ovens cook a little differently. Don’t be afraid to experiment and check your food often the first time you make an air fryer recipe. You may find that you need a slightly shorter or longer cooking time than I did.
🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Cornbread
Begin by stirring the milk and lemon juice together and letting it sit for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, spelt flour, white flour, 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.
I always remove the seeds from the jalapeno when I make this recipe. However, if your family would prefer more heat, leave them in! You could also substitute jalapeno cheddar or cheddar cheese for the pepper jack cheese.
This cornbread is yours, so don’t be afraid to make it your own!
After the resting time, spray the aluminum pan with cooking spray. Pour the corn bread batter in the pan in an even layer. If you have an air fryer oven, place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.
️⏲️ Cooking 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 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190C). A toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread should come out clean (or with a few crumbs) when it is finished baking.
Let the cornbread cool before slicing. It’s wonderful spread with some whipped honey butter!
🌡️ Leftovers
This jalapeno cornbread is small batch. You may not have cornbread leftovers depending on the size of your family.
Leftover slices of cornbread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, place individually wrapped cornbread slices 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? I like to think about how a side dish fits into a meal as a whole. If you need ideas for this air fryer cornbread, how about serving it in place of crackers in my butcher block recipe?
You could also use this air fried bread 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 high protein main dishes that go with cornbread:
📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
How many calories in corn bread? One serving of Air Fryer Mexican Corn Bread has 226 calories, 23.2 grams net carbs, and 8.1 grams protein.
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). If you’re new here, all my recipes with flour get the bump to level 3. Flour-based foods tend to not be very filling and are easy to eat to excess. It can be easy to overeat even whole grain baked goods with no added sugar (like I’m offering here).
One strategy I use for baked goods is to bake (or air fry) only very small portions at a time. This air fryer corn bread recipe serves four. Small families with kids won’t have leftovers hanging around if this is used as a side dish.
Most baked good recipes make HUGE amounts of foods- often 8-12 servings. If you’re serving the baked good as a side dish, you’ll end up with tons of leftovers in the typical small family. Either that, or you’ll be like me, inclined to overeat all the extra bread simply because it is sitting around.
My spelt banana bread recipe serves one. You can’t eat an excessive amount of it unless you go to the trouble of making more. Corn bread is more often served as a dinner side; thus, this recipe makes just enough for a small family.
Air fryers, even large capacity air fryers, don’t tend to hold a lot of food. You don’t want the bread to rise above the pan, as it could stick to the top of the fryer. Air frying is a great way to make reasonably-sized baked goods.
💡 Tips to Make Corn Bread in the Air Fryer
Here is a summary of tips to successfully make air fryer cornbread:
- Weigh the dry ingredients instead of using measuring cups
- Don’t use low fat dairy in this recipe
- Make sure the loaf pan you use fits your air fryer
- Remember to let the batter rest before baking
- Spray the baking pan generously with cooking spray
- Let the cornbread loaf cool before slicing
FAQs
Yes, you can make Jiffy cornbread mix, Krusteaz, 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.
Yes, you can make air fryer cornbread without a pan by making air fryer cornbread muffins. You can make the corn muffins in these individual silicone muffin cups. The total air frying time may be shorter than when you air fry a loaf of cornbread.
To make vegan cornbread in the air fryer, you’ll need to experiment! Try swapping the butter for vegan butter, milk for calcium-fortified soymilk, and egg for flax egg replacer. You will also have to swap out the cheese, perhaps for a little nutritional yeast and more vegan butter.
To make air fryer cornbread gluten free, experiment with using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour in place of the spelt and white 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.
Martha Stewart has a no oven cast-iron skillet cornbread that you may enjoy.
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.
👩🏻🍳 Other Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for other recipes to make in the air fryer? After making this air fryer cornbread recipe, here are some other air fryer ideas:
- 101 Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- 20 Best Air Fryer Indian Recipes
- 20 Best Frozen Foods for the Air Fryer
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The 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 wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Mexican Cornbread (Easy AirFryer Corn Bread Recipe)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons whole milk (not low fat milk)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 53 grams cornmeal (about 6 tablespoons)
- 30 grams spelt 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)
- 2 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (56 grams; equals ½ cup)
- cooking oil spray
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, spelt flour, white flour, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a small 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.
- Mist an 8.5 x 4.5-inch (21.6x11.4 cm) metal loaf pan with cooking spray. (The pan must fit into your air fryer oven- be sure to check!)
- Remove the upper rack from your air fryer oven but leave the lower rack and drip pan in place. After the batter has rested, put it in the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Put the loaf pan on the rack in the middle of the air fryer oven.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12-14 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread should come out clean (or with a few crumbs) when it is finished baking.
- To serve, let it cool a bit and cut into 8 small pieces. A serving size for this jalapeno-cheddar cornbread is 2 pieces. Enjoy!
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Terrified Amateur says
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.
Summer Yule says
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.
Terrified Amateur says
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!
Summer Yule says
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.