Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
I’m here to bring you a HOT DEBATE today! Who would win between Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix? I’m sure even as you read that sentence you’ve already made up your mind. And I’m sure that your opinion of the two will depend a lot on how you were raised. For us Southerners, cornbread is a staple food in our houses and for this reason, we all have a pretty strong opinion about it!
We are going to compare a made-from-scratch cast iron skillet cornbread with America’s favorite boxed cornbread mix to see which one is better. We will be looking at 3 criteria:
- Cost – In today’s economy, this certainly matters. If I’m going to spend extra money on a product, it needs to be GREAT. Some things are worth the splurge, while other things aren’t.
- Taste/Texture – This is a big deal to me. I don’t like to sacrifice flavor or texture when it comes to my food and cooking. So, in our comparisons, this will be the biggest deciding factor for me.
- Convenience – Let’s face it, the main reason that boxed products exist in the first place, is because we need to save time. Everyone is incredibly busy and companies have recognized that people are willing to pay someone else to do the prep work.
On our journey into the land of cornbread, I hope that I’m able to shed light on which cornbread is the best bread and the better choice for your lifestyle.
INFORMATION FOR CORNBREAD BEGINNERS:
- Cornbread doesn’t require a bread machine, bread maker, or a stand mixer. All you need to make this bread is a mixing bowl and a spoon.
- Cornbread is one of my favorite bread recipes because of its versatility. It is great with soups and vegetables and can also be stuffed with meats and cheeses to make a complete meal! I’ve also seen cornbread used to make sandwiches for a truly unique experience. The sky is truly the limit.
- The list of ingredients for cornbread is affordable pantry staples.
Now it’s time to compare Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix!
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Have you ever wondered if the made-from-scratch ideas in cooking are worth it? Is making your own bread, really that important? What about your own sandwich bread, pizza dough, yeast rolls, and hamburger buns? (All of these items were made in my Mamaw’s house regularly.)
As I was growing up, I found that ingredients from a box were very frowned upon and meals that took hours to prepare seemed to reign supreme. Homemade versions of everything were always deemed superior and trips to the local grocery store were just to restock the pantry with ingredients of high nutritional value, not to find shortcuts that would be full of artificial ingredients.
Now, I’m not here to dispute that idea completely.
I certainly think there is a place for healthy homemade bread in our homes and something is rewarding about making something from nothing with your own hands. There is a level of complete control over the ingredients and the outcome. But when I became a mother, full-time teacher, and homeowner, time became a precious commodity that I had to manage carefully.
What I realized was that people really took great pride in saying that they had made things from scratch. Home-baked bread was greeted with honor but a pre-made loaf of bread was a shame. It didn’t take me a long time to realize that there was guilt associated with the admission of using a little help from the store and people who did this got a bad rap.
This bothered me. Why would we be shaming people who are working full time, trying to raise families, keeping their homes clean and organized, and on rare occasions are taking the “easy way out” and grabbing a pre-packaged meal or product? Everyone wants to eat and feed their family good food. But not everyone has access to the same amount of time, a lot of money, and unlimited resources.
I have the perfect example of this. My mom always had to work and came home hours after we were home from school. She had 5 children to feed, bathe, etc.… and was expected to have a meal on the table to nourish her family. My mom took help from the store. But she always made sure to pair every meal with a pan of homemade cornbread or biscuits.
Now my grandmothers were a different story.
But you have to remember that my grandmothers didn’t work outside of the home. Their sole responsibility was to cook 3 meals a day and keep their homes tidy and organized and that’s exactly what they did. They had quite a bit of “spare time”. Now, I don’t want that comment of “spare time” to be taken out of context. They worked hard and they worked ALL DAY. But their work was in the home.
One of my grandmothers loved making bread while the other one loved to make sweets. You could always find a container of homemade fudge on my Grandma Andrews’s counter, and she didn’t wait for special occasions. You could be at her house on a random Tuesday, and that glass jar of fudge would be sitting there waiting to be enjoyed by family or any random visitor that would come by. She also cooked amazing steaks from the cows that she had butchered every year. They were so fresh, tender, and delicious, and that meat was way better than anything you could find at the local stores.
I attribute my love of cooking to them because they truly enjoyed every minute of it and were both excellent cooks!
So let’s talk about what we discovered in our little cornbread experiment: (My opinion of course)
Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-Bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: Let’s take a closer look!
*Cost – When you see the amount of cornbread that is made with each of these recipes, you will see that cost-wise, homemade wins. The box of Jiffy doesn’t make much bread if we are being honest. The ingredients that are used to make cornbread are pantry staples that cost pennies. Jiffy isn’t an expensive product but to feed the same amount of people as the home-made pan of cornbread, you would have to buy 3 boxes of Jiffy.
Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-Bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix :
This surprised me and I’ve been eating both of these cornbreads for YEARS. But I had never compared them side by side. The Jiffy cornbread was light and fluffy. And of course, it had the perfect balance of sweetness. I was just truly surprised with how “light” it was. Whenever I think of cornbread, that’s not the first word I usually use to describe it. But that’s what describes this cornbread perfectly.
It’s almost airy.
Also, with the addition of the hot oil and the cast iron skillet, the bottom of the Jiffy cornbread was VERY crunchy. And I do mean that in the BEST WAY. I think it’s because there isn’t as much product and so the mixture was able to spread out more and touch the surface of the hot skillet without the extra weight.
The Jiffy cornbread company has been around for years and they know what they are doing. It’s a delicious cornbread. There’s just not much of it. (Keep in mind that I have to feed a family of 5. This small box would be perfect for smaller families or singles.)
The homemade pan of cornbread was HUGE! It could most certainly feed my entire family of 5 plus some. This amount of cornbread also affected the bottom crust that I was trying to achieve. It was still nice and crunchy, but it wasn’t nearly as crisp as the Jiffy. I think this is due to the sheer weight and probably moisture. Now, don’t get me wrong. It was delicious. I’m just pointing out the differences between the two.
One of the MAJOR differences that I recognized with the homemade pan of cornbread was that it felt “richer”. I don’t know how cornbread can be “rich”, but that’s totally what happened with the homemade. It was very fluffy but I wouldn’t call it light. It was substantial and could be your meal. (HA)
As far as sweetness goes, I think they tied. My husband commented that the homemade cornbread seemed sweeter, but I think it’s because it was “richer”. And I don’t know how else to describe that. Maybe it’s because it was thicker? So there’s more cornbread in a bite.
In my opinion, the homemade cornbread wins this category!
Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-Bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix :
I know that it would seem that the store-bought item would always win this category, but I don’t think that’s the case. Let me tell you why.
If you cook to any degree, you will probably have flour, sugar, eggs, milk, etc… in your home. These are basic ingredients. So, it’s not like you will have to go out and buy these items, typically. For that reason, I’m going to say that the homemade cornbread and the Jiffy cornbread tie here. And as far as cooking these cornbreads, you are pouring wet ingredients into dry ingredients. So there aren’t any extra steps for either one.
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What’s the final verdict of Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-Bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix :
I will probably always have a place in my heart and my home for both of these cornbreads. On Saturdays in the Summer, I’m sure I will just whip up a pan of homemade cornbread with fresh veggies. And in the heart of winter, I know that my homemade cornbread will pair well with a big pot of hamburger vegetable soup.
But I also know that when my family is neck deep in basketball season and we seem to be at the gym more than we are at the house, Jiffy is a great option and will save the day. I can grab that little box (or 2), mix it quickly, throw it in the oven, and have fresh bread in just a “jiffy”. (HA HA…pun intended)
In the long run, it doesn’t matter which one you go with; I just want you to know that there’s no shame in taking help from the store. Because we all decide what we are willing to sacrifice in terms of cost, texture/flavor, and convenience. Find what fits into your lifestyle. Find what fits your family’s tastes. Any meal on the table is better than no meal at all!
Tips for the Home-made Sweet Cornbread Recipe:
- Getting the cast iron skillet hot with a little bit of oil in the bottom will give the cornbread a nice crispy texture on the outside while maintaining its tender fluffiness on the inside. This doesn’t take much time and it’s done while you are mixing up the ingredients for the cornbread. So, this “extra step” really isn’t that extra… if you know what I mean.
Check out my comparison of Home-made Cornbread Vs. Store-Bought Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix on YouTube!
Home-made Sweet Cornbread Recipe Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar (You can always adjust the sugar content to your liking. This is a sweet cornbread recipe.)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
Homemade Sweet Cornbread Recipe Instructions:
- First, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet and use a paper towel to spread it evenly on the bottom and the sides of the skillet and place into a pre-heated 400-degree oven.
- Second, add the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
- Third, add the milk, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, and eggs to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Then, take your hot skillet out of the oven and pour your cornbread into it.
- Place the skillet of cornbread into the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until browned on top.
- Finally, enjoy with your favorite soups, veggies, or simply with butter!
Storage for the Home-made Sweet Cornbread:
- Cornbread can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziplock bags for 2-3 days.
- Leftover cornbread can also be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week.
- Cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let’s Learn Something New Here!
Click Here for the History of JIFFY MIX
FAQ:
Do I have to use a cast iron skillet?
- No, you can use any baking dish that you have. I prefer a cast iron skillet for its ability to give me that crispy texture.
Check out some of my other homemade bread recipes!
Simple Cinnamon Rolls with Sourdough Starter
The BEST Chicken and Dumplings EVER!
Let me show you a great way to incorporate store-bought shortcuts into excellent recipes here!
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
Quick and Easy Cheesy Corn Casserole
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Home-Made Sweet Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- First, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet and use a paper towel to spread it evenly on the bottom and the sides of the skillet and place into a pre-heated 400 degree oven.
- Second, add the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
- Third, add the milk, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, and eggs to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Next, take your hot skillet out of the oven and pour your cornbread into it.
- Then, place the skillet of cornbread into the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until browned on top.
- Finally, enjoy with your favorite soups, veggies, or simply with butter!
