Blue Corn Cornbread using Blue Cornmeal
Don’t know why it’s taken us this long to write about our blue corn cornbread recipe. It’s been our favorite way of sharing our love of this special Indigenous blue corn in the form of cornbread. Everytime we share it, everyone asks for the recipe. Perhaps it’s because it’s so special looking and tasting that we wanted to save it as our little secret. But we realize it’s too good to not tell the world about this wonderful way of enjoying blue cornmeal.
What is Blue Cornmeal?
Blue corn is a variety of old world corn that is understood to have been developed from Indigenous tribes, specifically the Hopi and used by other Native American tribes around the surrounding regions of Mexico, New Mexico and the American Southwest. This gorgeous blue cornmeal is a whole grain that is ground up and is prized for its robust earthy flavor, high in fiber and antioxidants. It’s high in dietary fiber and is believed to control blood sugar due to its low glycemic level properties. We’re still trying to understand more about the history of this staple and if you have some insight please share with us in the comments below!
Blue Corn Cornbread Taste and Flavors: Fine Blue Cornmeal vs Coarse Blue Cornmeal
We absolutely love the hearty texture of our blue corn cornbread. The stone ground blue corn flavors are robust with a natural whole grain flavor that is subtly sweet and earthy. There’s different textures depending on how the grain is milled so there’s different brands that vary alot in texture.
- Fine blue cornmeal is more like a fine flour texture. When cooked, the cornbread has a fine crumb similar to what you would expect from a traditional cornbread.
- More coarse blue cornmeal has more of a gritty texture. When it’s baked, you’ll taste a light “crunch” from the bigger textures of corn. We don’t mind the more coarse texture and don’t mind it but some of you might not like the fine bits of blue corn. It can sometimes taste like bits of “dirt” when you crunch on the corn. So finding a finer ground cornmeal might be best.
Video: Blue Corn Cornbread
Where to Buy Blue Cornmeal or Purple Cornmeal
Some local amazing grocers will carry blue cornmeal, so call up your local stores if you think they might have it. Otherwise, there is always online. Here are a few options:
Blue Corn Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (240 g) blue corn cornmeal (fine grind)
- 1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2-2/3 cup (100-133 g) sugar , depending on sweetness preference
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt , or to taste
- 14.75 oz. (418 g) creamed corn , about 1 1/3 cups (not regular canned corn)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) butter , for buttering the baking dish
Equipment
- 8”x8” baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Butter a 8”x8” baking dish (about 2.5 quart size) with the 1 Tablespoon of butter.
- In a large bowl, combine the blue cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix to evenly combine.
- Add the creamed corn, beaten egg, and oil. Stir until just combined.
- Spread the batter into the buttered baking dish.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cornbread.
- Allow it to cool in the pan. It will release easier from the pan when cooled. Serve with honey, butter, and/or jam.
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Is Blue Masa the same as Blue Cornmeal?
Not, it’s not the same. Usually blue masa harina is used for tortillas and tamales and the blue corn is processed with an alkaline solution. It’s also more fine than the most fine of blue cornmeal. Every manufacturer of blue masa harina has a different process, particularly more sustainable brands that might be conscientious about less processing. But can you use blue masa? We haven’t tried it yet but don’t see why the blue masa wouldn’t work. The blue masa should work ok in the cornbread recipe. Because masa is more fine, the cornbread might end up more soft and crumbly. The blue cornmeal has a higher hydration and absorption because it’s typically more coarse and less processed. But if you try it with blue masa harina please let us know!
How Sweet is Blue Cornbread?
It can be as sweet as you want. We give you a suggested range of sugar to add. Everyone likes a different level of sweetness in their cornbread. Adding extra butter or drizzle of honey on top of cornbread is common and if you enjoy honey, then maybe use a little less sugar in the batter. Our preference is to use about 1/2 cup of sugar because the creamed corn already has sugar.
This was such a cool recipe. I really loved the flavor.