Instant Pot Cornbread

Are you looking for a sweet cornbread laced with honey and dotted with corn kernels? This easy Instant Pot cornbread stays moist while being cooked in the pressure cooker. Soon to become your new favorite!

overhead shot of sliced instant pot cornbread


 

Do you have one yet? You know what I am talking about… everyone is talking about it. The Instant Pot, of course!

I honestly didn’t think I needed another small appliance and then I got one and realized that I love it. The only items I use more are my mini food processor and KitchenAid Stand Mixer.

I’ve heard about baking bread in the Instant Pot (like Instant Pot banana bread.) It helps keep it moist… but on the other hand since none of the moisture emits, so it is also hard to get it to bake properly.

Of all my Instant Pot Recipes, Instant Pot Cornbread was one of the most difficult to master. I wanted something delicious, but also similar to Cornbread Pudding and Fried Hush Puppies.

overhead shot of instant pot cornbread on cutting board with butter and honey

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Cornbread Recipe

Classic cornbread that’s simplified with jiffy corn muffin mix and a pressure cooker pot- what’s not to love about this homemade cornbread?

  • Easy recipe – While cornbread isn’t especially difficult to make, this one is super simple because of the minimal ingredients and use of the Instant Pot.
  • Serve with anything – Whether pairing with a nice bowl or chili or serving with Thanksgiving dinner, this cornbread will be a winner.
  • Perfect texture – While each cornbread recipe has a different texture, this one is a tender cornbread that is sure to make your mouth water.

Ingredients

You can easily find the ingredients to this instant pot cornbread either in your pantry or at the grocery store. 

  • Jiffy Cornbread mix – You can either buy the box at the store or use my homemade jiffy cornbread mix. It simplifies the need for dry ingredients. 
  • Unsalted butter – You will want this to be melted. A fat that adds flavor, richness, and moisture to baked goods. I use unsalted so I can control the saltiness.
  • Heavy cream – Rather than using milk, I like to use heavy cream. It’s has lots of milk fats and adds a great amount of moisture to your cornbread.
  • Egg – Always assume a recipe is calling for large eggs. You’ll want this to be lightly beaten.
  • Honey – Rather than use sugar,  like the flavor that honey adds to the cornbread batter. 
  • Corn – You can either use fresh, frozen or canned. It adds the perfect texture and crunch to this instant pot  cornbread recipe.
overhead shot of instant pot cornbread ingredients

How to Make Instant Pot Cornbread

You are going to love how easy it is to make this pressure cooker cornbread.

  1. Combine ingredients. Combine cornbread mix, melted butter, heavy cream, egg, honey and corn in a medium mixing bowl. Fold together until just mixed and wet. Too much mixing will result in tough bread.
  2. Add batter to pan. Coat a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray or vegetable shortening. Wrap the bottom of the pan TWICE in aluminum foil to prevent batter from leaking out or water getting in. Pour prepared batter into pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  3. Prepare Instant Pot. Place trivet in the inner pot. Pour in 1 cup water into the pot. Gently place the springform pan on the trivet.
  4. Manual high pressure. Lock lid in place, set vent to “sealed” and place on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
  5. Natural release. Use natural release method and carefully remove from inner pot. Remove aluminum foil and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Cornbread

I like to serve Instant Pot Cornbread with Cinnamon Honey Butter or Molasses Butter and then a drizzle of honey, maple syrup or even agave nectar. Doing it that way makes a wonderful breakfast for a crowd or sweet treat alongside a spicy chili or BBQ pulled pork. Here are a few of our favorites:

Leftover cornbread also makes for an excellent stuffing base and can even be cut in half and used in my Chicken Enchilada Pie, the perfect way to hide veggies from kids!

Also use it to make cornbread croutons, cornbread salad or can be used as the base for a cornbread casserole!

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this easy instant pot cornbread your own!

  • Make it cheesy – Add some freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese into the cornbread batter. 
  • Spice it up – Try adding some jalapeño peppers or even some red pepper flakes into the moist cornbread for some extra spice.
  • Different pans – Any pan that serves as an Instant Pot insert will work. Try using egg bite molds for Instant Pot cornbread muffins.

Storage and Freezing

This best Instant Pot Cornbread both stores and freezes well.

How to Store Cornbread

For best results, eat fresh or within 1 day. Do reheat it lightly to revive.

  1. Allow the cornbread to cool completely at room temperature. If it is hot, the steam will make it mushy and rubbery when thawed.
  2. Wrap the cornbread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent moisture loss and to keep it fresh.
  3. Store the wrapped cornbread in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
  4. Keep the container or bag in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or bread box.
  5. Cornbread stored at room temperature is best consumed within 2-3 days to ensure optimal freshness. Since it has so much moisture, it can also start to develop unwanted mold.

How to Freeze Cornbread

Freezing is easy!

  1. To freeze cornbread, it’s best to do so before cutting it into slices. However, if you’ve already cut it, that’s fine too. The edges dry out so it if it is in one big piece, you’ll have less occurrence of this.
  2. Wrap the cornbread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn and maintain its moisture.
  3. Place the wrapped cornbread in a heavy-duty freezer-safe plastic bag or a vacuum-sealed bag, removing as much air as possible.
  4. Place the bag in the freezer, ensuring it lies flat to prevent the cornbread from getting squished.
  5. Frozen cornbread can be stored for about 2-3 months. While it might still be safe to eat after this period, the quality may begin to deteriorate.
collage of instant pot cornbread for pinterest

More Instant Pot Recipes

I can honestly tell you that I love my IP- here are a few more favorite Instant Pot Recipes.

A bowl of ground beef

Instant Pot Taco Meat

4.25 from 29 votes
Instant Pot Taco Meat is the perfect and fast way to make tender ground beef for tacos. Serve it immediately or freeze it!
See The Recipe!
bowl of chicken noodle soup

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

4.89 from 9 votes
Looking for a homemade chicken noodle soup recipe that you can enjoy all year round? This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is flavorful and SO easy to make!
See The Recipe!
overhead shot of instant pot with meatballs

Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

4.46 from 59 votes
Cranberry Chili Meatballs are always a party appetizer favorite, especially around the holidays. Party meatballs don’t get easier than these Instant Pot meatballs made with cranberry sauce and sweet chili sauce. Yum!
See The Recipe!
honey drizzling over cornbread slice with text overlay for pinterest
overhead shot of sliced instant pot cornbread

Instant Pot Cornbread Recipe

4.29 from 21 votes
Instant Pot Sweet Cornbread is an easy cornbread recipe made with honey making it both sweet and moist. Made in the Instant Pot, it cooks in half the time! 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Natural Release: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine cornbread mix, melted butter, heavy cream, egg, honey and corn in a medium mixing bowl. Fold together until just mixed and wet. Too much mixing will result in tough bread.
  • Coat a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Pour prepared batter into pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Place trivet in the inner pot. Pour in 1 cup water. Gently place the springform pan on the trivet.
  • Lock lid in place, set vent to "sealed" and place on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
  • Use natural release method and carefully remove from inner pot. Remove aluminum foil and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 245 kcal, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 42 mg, Sodium: 258 mg, Potassium: 77 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 18 g, Vitamin A: 325 IU, Vitamin C: 0.5 mg, Calcium: 27 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 245
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot cornbread
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 4 stars
    It was so yummy but, a little gummy on the bottom. Think next time I need to wrap entire springform pan like a envelope. Will try again.

    1. Thank you, Sandi! Glad you love it! Also jealous of where you are that you are still having cook outs (I have snow on the ground!)

  2. 4 stars
    I did not have luck with this RECIPE. After the initial cook time it was nowhere near done. I put it in for another 20. We will see. Not really worth it. Can cook it in the oven in less Time.

    1. Yikes, Michele, I am sorry to hear that. Out of curiosity… do you live at a higher altitude? I’m finding those who are having trouble do and need to use a conversion time table.

  3. 4 stars
    I did not have success with this RecipE. When it was finslly done, it did taste good. After the INITIAL cooking time, it was still liquidy. I put it back in another 10 minutes. It was beginning Cook. I did another 10 minutes. Then two more cooks for 5 minutes each. We verifIed that we used ofoper measurments. We did uss the box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix.

    1. Hi Judy, I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ll go back and make it again to double check, although we’ve made it several times with success from the homemade Jiffy mix. We love the feedback and aim to make sure everyone is happy!

  4. This took 25 minutes with natural release 10 min because of the altitude where I live. I adjusted for altitude 4,800 ft. the first time for 22 min, but the top was uncooked. people who write recipes should always refer to altitude chart for instant pot.

    1. Unfortunately, I only write what I can test and I can’t test for altitude. I’m sorry the top didn’t cook properly. Thank you for the feedback.

  5. How many cups of flour are in a “batch”? I am converting this idea to a GF and would like to know your ratios. Thank you!