Cornbread is a type of bread made primarily from cornmeal, the coarsely ground flour of dried corn kernels. Unlike wheat-based breads that rise tall and fluffy, cornbread has a denser, crumblier texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that tastes distinctly of corn.

Cornbread became a staple food in North America because corn grew abundantly here long before wheat did. Native Americans had been making corn-based breads for thousands of years, and European settlers adapted these techniques, creating what we now call cornbread. In the Southern United States, cornbread remains especially popular, often served alongside meals like chili, barbecue, or beans.

You can bake cornbread in different ways: as a flat cake in a cast-iron skillet (which gives it a crispy, golden crust), as muffins in a muffin tin, or as corn sticks in special pans shaped like ears of corn. Some recipes add sugar for sweetness, while traditional Southern versions use little or no sugar. Some cooks mix in jalapeños, cheese, or bacon. Cornbread is typically served warm with butter melting into its crumbly surface, and it's particularly good for soaking up the juices from stews or the sauce from barbecue.