Cornbread’s flavor is the perfect level of sweet. It’s soft and airy texture makes it the most compatible partner for any stew, chili, soup, macaroni and cheese, and pretty much everything else.
You can bake a full loaf, a round cornbread cake, or in the shape of cupcakes.
Stick cornbread on the side of any meal or eat it as a snack. Smear it with butter, jam, or crumble it on top.
The options are endless:
Whichever way you do it, it’s delicious.
While we’d love to say we can’t get enough of cornbread, it can fill us up. We also don’t usually just make a small 1-2 serving recipe of it.
We always end up with some leftovers.
The issue is it can end up getting stale quickly and losing it’s magic.
(If it does, check out our list of leftover bread recipes!).
But really, it doesn’t have to!
You can reheat this delicious food, and it’ll be the star during its second performance on the table.
Let’s talk about how to reheat cornbread and some of the essential steps to take in the process.
We want this dish to be fluffy and savory as ever!
Is Cornbread Even Reheatable?
Everyone knows how amazing freshly baked cornbread tastes right out of the oven! Like reheating quiche or the like, can be hard to recapture that incredible flavor and perfect moisture during the reheating process.
It can be a little bit tricky to reheat.
You’ll want to make sure that it is the right balance between too dry and too moist.
Depending on which reheat method you use, you may need to adjust the amount of butter (or other fat) that you add.
You’ll also have to change the temperature and the duration that it is heating.
If the cornbread is frozen, you should make sure to thaw it. If not, the cornbread may end up getting soggy.
In the next section, we’ll go over some of the tips and tricks. By keeping these in mind, you won’t be able to tell the difference between these leftovers and a fresh batch out of the oven.
Let’s get started.
How to Reheat Cornbread: Reheating Cornbread in the…
Oven
The oven is by far the best way to reheat cornbread available. If you have a dependable countertop oven, you’re in great shape. A large oven is fine of course, too.
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature will ensure that the cake maintains its moistness.
Place on a cookie sheet or into the baking dish that it was cooked in.
Cover leftover cornbread with aluminum foil so that the top doesn’t burn. You’ll want the top to keep its golden yellow color.
Set the timer for ten to fifteen minutes. Any longer than 15 minutes will result in dry bread.
Once you take it out of the oven, brush butter over the top to add some extra rich, delicious flavor.
We know you won’t be able to wait, but try to give it some time to cool off before tossing a bit into your mouth!
To keep it warm?
If you aren’t ready to serve and are wondering how to keep cornbread warm, you can use this option on a much lower heat. Around 200 degrees Fahrenheit will do.
Microwave
If you don’t have access to an oven, or if you’re short on time, a good microwave is a method for how to warm up cornbread.
You’ll want to place the cornbread into a microwaveable container and cover it with a lid, paper towel, plastic wrap, or a glass plate.
Most people think that you can’t use plastic wrap in the microwave.
The truth is:
Most plastic wraps these days are completely safe to use in the microwave. Check the label and you will likely find a label that says it’s microwave safe.
Just make sure it doesn’t rest on the food directly, and you’re good to go.
Open your microwave and place it on a reheat setting.
Twenty to thirty seconds should do the trick, depending on the size of the leftovers.
An expert tip: wrap the cornbread with a moist paper towel. This will make sure that it doesn’t get too hard or lose its perfect texture.
If it’s not hot, you can set your timer for longer, but make sure it’s not too extended, or your cake will dry up fast.
This method is effective and quick. When it’s warm, feel free to add some butter on top for extra goodness.
Stove-top
Fry it up!
This may not be the healthiest way to reheat cornbread, but it sure is the yummiest!
This method is perfect for those lazy days where you’re not counting calories or taking the time to preheat an oven. Turn to your trusty gas or electric range!
It’s super easy.
Slap some butter or other fat on a skillet, and you can create a fried cornbread concoction.
Make sure you’re generous with the amount of fat on the bottom of the pan. This can be butter, vegetable oil, or coconut oil.
We recommend butter, of course.
You’ll want to reheat it on medium-low heat so that the bottom doesn’t burn.
If your slice is thin, you can flip it and make sure each side is golden brown. Cut your cornbread and heat it on all four sides.
Heating it on a skillet will make the cornbread taste more like a french toast.
When you’re heating a slice on the stove-top, there’s a chance that it may start to crumble; if so, just keep an eye that the small bits don’t burn.
Are you cooking up some barbecue meat?
Buttery crisp will fit in perfectly with the rest of your colorful, cheat-day plate.
Air Fryer
Preheat the fryer for five to second minutes. Then, wrap the cornbread in a silicone, non-stick mold and leave it in for 15 minutes maximum.
Keep in mind that air fryers don’t work well with syrup or any liquid topping.
So, if your cornbread was previously drizzled in syrup, reheat it in the oven or microwave instead.
P.S.: If it’s frozen cornbread you’re planning to reheat, allow it to thaw for about 10 to 15 minutes before reheating it.
If you don’t, it’ll become all soggy and moist after you’ve reheated it.
Instant Pot
Is it true?
Can your Instant Pot help you kick your microwave out of your kitchen for good?
A lot of people wonder if it can live up to the level of convenience. Can an instant pot even reheat food?
You bet it can!
Everyone talks about how fantastic of a pressure cooker it is, but one of the things we love to use it for is to reheat foods.
With your favorite “instapot”, you can reap all the benefits of a microwave. For example, it’s fast, simple, and you can reheat multiple dishes at the same time without having to mix them!
Ready to learn how to use it for reheating cornbread?
First thing’s first. Use the “pot-in-pot” method. This is when you put a heat-resistant container inside of the Instant Pot.
The appliance has a variety of settings. Each has its purposes. In this case, you’ll want to use the “Slow Cook” function. You want to make sure that the bread is in a container or wrapped in foil.
This will take some time, even more so if the cornbread is frozen.
Reheating Cornbread: Reinvent it Into Something Spectacular
You don’t have to reheat cornbread alone. By adding a few simple ingredients, you can make some meals that will blow away any crowd.
Trust me:
The best thing about most of these recipe ideas is that the cornbread will stay moist and delicious.
Whether you want to eat it as a side dish, dessert, or breakfast, we’ve got something for you.
Make Dressing (Stuffing)
Is your leftover cornbread stale?
Don’t throw it away!
As Thanksgiving superheroes know, stale cornbread is a crucial ingredient in any stuffing!
Okay, we guess, in this case, the technical name is “cornbread dressing.” What’s the difference?
Basically, for the fluffy amazing bread mush to be considered “stuffing,” it has to be cooked inside of a bird. If not, it’s called “dressing.”
You can make this dish either way, and you can even make it vegetarian.
It doesn’t have to be the holidays for you to feature this delicious side on your table! It’s a staple comfort and will add an excellent substance to your dinner.
This informative video will put you on the right track, so check it out.
Delicious Dessert
One way to use up any leftover bread is to make a dessert pudding. With cornbread, this bread pudding is even sweeter. Here’s a simple recipe from Martha Stewart.
- Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees
- In a large bowl, whisk together four eggs, three cups half-and-half, half a cup of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt.
- Stir in leftover cornbread (cut in cubes)
- Toss the ingredients a bit, and let them sit for five minutes, or until the cornbread has absorbed the liquid
- Pour the new mixture into an eight-inch baking dish and flatten it out
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of pudding comes out clean, this should take up to an hour to one hour fifteen minutes.
- Let the cornbread pudding cool for an additional ten minutes.
You can add some apples, berries, nuts, and whatever else you please to this incredible after-meal delight. Serve hot with a side of some ice-cream.
Yum.
Just thinking about this is making our mouth’s water.
We want more.
Cornbread for Breakfast
If you can eat cornbread for breakfast and lunch, why shouldn’t you be able to eat it for breakfast?
Now we have the perfect recipe that you can throw together right after you clean up the dinner table. The best part is, you’ll have brunch cooking as you sleep.
Mexican Sausage and cornbread strata is a delicious overnight breakfast dish. You will throw together the cornbread and other ingredients in a baking pan and cover it with an egg mixture.
You may be thinking, “what other ingredients.” Well, you could pretty much throw anything in.
If you have any leftover vegetables or meat, add them into this breakfast casserole.
The cold mixture will stay in your refrigerator overnight. In the morning, you’ll preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake it for an hour.
This is an excellent recipe for any weekend brunch.
Cornbread Breadcrumbs
If you only have a little bit of cornbread left, you can crumble it up and turn it into delicious bread crumbs.
The next time you want to make chicken nuggets, or something else that is breaded, use these instead of Panko.
Leftover cornbread makes easy homemade breadcrumbs. All you have to do is place the pieces onto a baking sheet and bake them 350 degrees until they are dry and crunchy.
If your crumbs end up more like cubes or just are bigger than you expected, we have an easy solution.
Whirl them up in a food processor or blender. Once you have these breadcrumbs, you’ll want to store them in an airtight container. The only extra ingredient you need for this recipe is salt!
If you want more ideas, check out our big list of what to do with cornbread leftovers. Enjoy!
How to Reheat Cornbread: Summing It up
Reheating cornbread is not easy!
It can be a challenge to find the perfect temperature and duration of heating that will keep the loaf moist and delicious.
The good thing is, even if your cornbread ends up being hard and dry, it doesn’t need to go to waste.
You can turn hard cubes into delicious bread pudding, breadcrumbs for the future, or even stuffing.
Whether you’re cooking up some fried chicken and a summer barbecue or a hearty winter chili, it’s always the right call to make a massive batch of cornbread.
Chances are, your family and friends will eat up in a jiffy, but if not, you’re in luck!
You can heat it up the next day, top it with some butter and have it as a snack.
You can even transform it and make it into a completely different meal. Now you know how to reheat cornbread, you’re welcome!