Cornbread belongs on the Thanksgiving table. It goes with turkey and gravy, it soaks up cranberry sauce, and leftovers become stuffing. These ten Fork To Spoon recipes include copycat restaurant favorites, quick boxed-mix shortcuts, and two cornbread-based sides. Most are made in the air fryer, which leaves your oven free for the turkey.
1. Boston Market Cornbread
This copycat of the restaurant classic is soft, buttery, and golden, and works alongside nearly any meal. It’s made from scratch with cornmeal, flour, and a little sugar. The batter goes into a greased pan about two-thirds full, and the pan cooks in the air fryer basket. forktospoonforktospoon
2. White Lily Cornbread
This is a Southern-style option. It uses White Lily self-rising cornmeal mix and buttermilk for a light, tender, slightly tangy cornbread, and the sugar is optional depending on whether you like it sweet or savory. It bakes in a hot cast-iron skillet.
3. Golden Corral Cornbread
This copycat is moist and slightly sweet, made with Jiffy mix, corn, and sour cream. To make it even more tender, add a bit more sour cream or an extra tablespoon of melted butter.
4. Marie Callender’s Famous Golden Cornbread with Honey Butter
This one is for guests who like sweet cornbread. The restaurant version is generally considered a sweet cornbread, and the recipe notes you can swap in all-purpose gluten-free flour for an easy gluten-free version.
5. Famous Dave’s Corn Muffin Copycat
Muffins are easy to pass around a crowded table. These are golden, fluffy, and slightly sweet like the restaurant original, with a touch of vanilla in the batter, and they cook at 350°F in about 9 to 12 minutes.
6. Jiffy Cornbread in the Air Fryer
For the busiest cooking day of the year, this one needs only a box of Jiffy, one egg, and milk, air fried at 310°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Air Fryer Pillsbury Cornbread Swirls
This is the fastest recipe in the roundup. The refrigerated swirls cook at 320°F for 5 to 7 minutes, and you may want to flip them halfway depending on your air fryer.
8. Air Fryer Trader Joe’s Cornbread
If you’re a Trader Joe’s fan, this boxed mix goes into a greased pan in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 340°F. Check on it often, since timing depends on your air fryer and dish size.
9. Air Fryer Corn Casserole
This is a holiday favorite, sometimes called cornbread pudding. Jiffy mix, creamed corn, whole corn, honey, butter, heavy cream, and eggs make a rich, sweet, creamy side. It cooks covered with foil at 320°F for 50 to 55 minutes, until the center is set with just a slight jiggle.
10. Ina Garten’s Cornbread Stuffing
Use any of the cornbreads above in this stuffing. You cube the cornbread and let it dry for a few hours or overnight, which keeps the stuffing from turning mushy, then bake it covered at 375°F before uncovering so the top turns golden and crisp. forktospoon
Thanksgiving planning tip: Make the cornbread for #10 a day or two ahead so it has time to dry out. Then make one of the quick air fryer cornbreads (#6 or #7) fresh on Thanksgiving Day for the bread basket.
