Honey Whole Wheat Cornbread

My dad was something of a cornbread aficionado, and as a devoted daddy's girl I've taken up the mantle. This honey whole wheat cornbread is a recipe I make when I'm missing him. It brings back memories of Sunday football afternoons when he'd make a big pot of chili or baked beans and pair it with one of several cornbread recipes from his favorite American Heritage Cookbook. I know he'd appreciate this perfectly dense, lightly-sweet, and healthy recipe for one of his favorite foods.

There are some meals that, for me, are just not complete without a side of cornbread. Chili is the obvious one, plus ribs, barbecue, bean dishes, soups, and more. Cornbread stuffing is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish, and I've been known to eat more than my share of cornbread for breakfast. This honey whole wheat cornbread works for all of them, with more fiber, less fat, and less sugar than you might find in other cornbread recipes.

Crumbly or soft cornbread? It's up to you!

Mr. Parsley & Parm has a pretty discerning palate, so I value his opinion about my recipes when he offers it. With this cornbread recipe, however, we had to agree to disagree. He prefers his cornbread dense, grainy, and crumbly, while I like mine to hold together and have a softer crumb.

When deciding which version of this recipe to post, I was in a quandry until I stumbled upon a simple solution that could give me both with the same recipe. It makes perfect sense, too, because the difference between having grainy cornbread and cakey cornbread depends on how hydrated your grains are.

Option 1: Dense, chewy cornbread

Whole wheat and cornmeal both take more time to soak in moisture than refined wheat flour, meaning they stay much chewier in most baking recipes. When you are using both cornmeal and whole wheat flour together without any white flour, this results in a very grainy, crumbly situation that is closer to the original cornbread or corn pone made by people native to the Americas with no wheat flour at all.

I do enjoy cornbread this way sometimes, especially when I want to crumble it over the top of my chili or make cornbread stuffing at Thanksgiving. If you like your cornbread this way, then there's no need to modify the recipe; just mix the ingredients together and throw it in the oven. If you like your cornbread even more dense, you can eliminate the baking powder as well.

Option 2: Soft, cakey cornbread

Most of the time, I like a softer cornbread that holds together when I use it to scoop my chili out of the bowl or eat it smothered with honey with breakfast. To accomplish this cakier texture, we need to get more moisture into the whole wheat and cornmeal grains to soften them.

This is simple to accomplish: add a little more moisture and to allow the grains to hydrate for about 20 minutes before finishing off the batter and baking it. We're going to add a little more moisture in the form of applesauce, and allow the batter to sit for a bit before adding the eggs and butter or oil. This will give you a honey whole wheat cornbread with a soft crumb that is more cakelike and doesn't fall apart as easily.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cornmeal: Any cornmeal will work with this recipe, but I prefer fine cornmeal. I have not tested it with polenta.

Whole wheat flour: I typically use Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Flour. I'm a big fan of Bob's Red Mill, so it's a slam dunk for me to use it here.

Baking soda: Whatever you typically use is fine.

Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is less than a year old. It loses its efficacy over time. For a denser cornbread, leave out the baking powder.

Salt: I bake with table salt.

Greek yogurt: I use a thick Greek yogurt cut with water to achieve a buttermilk-like consistency. Yogurt became my go-to dairy in cornbread because I couldn't find buttermilk at the store one year, and it worked great. You can also just substitute 1 cup of buttermilk for the yogurt and the water.

Applesauce: Applesauce with no added sugar is my preference. If you can't find one you like, check the baby food aisle.

Honey: I buy most of my honey from Golden Girls Honey and Hives here in Woodinville, WA. Whatever honey you use, make sure it's 100% honey, and raw if possible (note: do not serve raw honey to babies or people with compromised immune systems).

Eggs: Large free-range eggs are preferable if you can find them at a reasonable price.

Avocado oil - you can also use canola oil, or if you want a rich, buttery cornbread, you can substitute butter. Olive oil will work, but will also add a distinct olive oil flavor to your cornbread.

Tips for the best honey whole wheat cornbread

Make sure your cornmeal and whole wheat flour aren't expired - As whole grains, cornmeal and whole wheat flour have more oils and compounds in them that can go rancid over time. Cornmeal, in particular, is only really good for 12-18 months. It won't make you sick, but it will loose some of it's flavor and possibly give your cornbread an "off" taste.

Try different add-ins for variety in texture and flavor - There are so many things you can add to cornbread for a little variety and I encourage you to try some of them! My personal favorite is blueberries, and blackberries are delicious too. On the savory front, you can add a small can of fire roasted green chilis or a cup of fresh or frozen corn. Diced apples are also delicious baked into cornbread. Whatever you choose to add, fold it in gently at the end just before baking.

Pair with apple butter for a low-fat spread option - We all know cornbread is really yummy with butter and honey, but have you tried it with apple butter? It is soooo good. It's a great low-fat option for topping your cornbread. It can also be made without added sugar, as it is in this healthy apple butter recipe from Eating Bird Food.

Prep ahead and storage

Honey whole wheat cornbread will keep for about three days at room temperature. I recommend sealing it in an airtight container. It may keep a little longer in the refrigerator, but cold cornbread is pretty blah...zap it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm it up.