Tex-Mex Jalapeno Cornbread Recipe

The debate over where cornbread originated is still going strong.

Do a quick internet search and you will find there is no real pinpoint in time where cornbread originated. Was it 7,000 years ago in Mexico? Or was it created by British colonists? We will probably never know for sure.

We will believe it started in the south since it is a traditional southern bread. Southerners like it because it is a quick and simple bread that is servable all year.

One thing we do know is the origin of our Tex-Mex Jalapeno Cornbread recipe. It can be pinpointed back to the owner of TPJ, Craig Sharry.

His recipe is a tasty version. It is more on the cakelike side of cornbread recipes as opposed to the crumbly northern style. It gains a lot of its texture from the addition of the Apple Habanero Texas Pepper Jelly.

This recipe isn’t meant to blow your socks off with heat. It is a jalapeno cornbread recipe that is well-balanced. It has the perfected sweet and heat flavors Texas Pepper Jelly customers have come to know and love.

How to make Tex-Mex jalapeno cornbread?

There isn’t much to the prep work of this cornbread recipe. Dice up the jalapenos. If you happen to be short on time you can buy a container of pre-diced fresh jalapenos at the store. Or pick up a small can of them (just be sure to drain the liquid before use).

For our method of making jalapeno cornbread, we are baking it in the oven.

Start by preheating the oven to 350° F and buttering a 9×13 baking pan.

Tex-Mex jalapeno cornbread ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 Tbsp Texas Pepper Jelly Apple Habanero (or the flavor of your choice)
• 2 diced jalapeno peppers
• 1 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Recipe directions:

Mix together in a large bowl the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt (the first four ingredients).

In a medium bowl, stir the milk, mayonnaise, vanilla, sugar, and pepper jelly together. Add to the large bowl of dry ingredients. Mix the batter well.

Add 1 cup of the sharp cheddar cheese and the diced jalapenos to the mixture and fold together.

Pour the batter into the buttered baking pan.

Bake at 350° F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. Set your timer for about 25 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese on top of the cornbread.

Return the pan to the oven and bake the remainder of the time. Be sure to start checking for doneness at about the 35-minute mark.

Remove from the oven. Cut into squares and serve hot.

Other ways to use cornbread

This jalapeno cornbread is an excellent choice for grandma’s famous stuffing. Instead of using a boxed cornbread mix like Jiffy as the base, use our recipe above. Just let it cool to room temperature and crumble it up or chop it up, whichever way you prefer. Then follow the rest of your grandma’s recipe.

Cornbread and milk is a popular southern breakfast or snack. To make it old-school use buttermilk. Pour a glass of your dairy delight (leave room for your cornbread) and drop in a slice of the jalapeno goodness! Enjoy!

Ways to simplify our recipe

Instead of using fresh or canned jalapenos, you can incorporate Craig’s Jalapeno Seasoning. You can use as much or as little as you want. We suggest about 1 -2 teaspoons.

If you choose to use our jalapeno seasoning be sure to remove the salt from the recipe. Or cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon since the seasoning already has salt in it.

You can make this recipe in any baking vessel you would like. If you prefer single servings, bake them in cornbread muffin tins.

Do you like a crispy crust? Butter up a cast iron skillet and bake your cornbread in the oven or on a smoker (adjust the time accordingly). You can even fry it up in a hot skillet.

There are so many options when it comes to cornbread. Use your culinary creativity and make it your own.