Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread with Sugar Crust by Xena’s Kitchen

Name: Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread with Sugar Crust
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: Mix: 4 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (8.5 oz each); Binder: 4 large eggs; Kick: 1/2 to 1 whole seeded jalapeño or a good handful of pickled jalapeños (can leave out if desired); The Crust: 2 to 3 tbsp turbinado sugar (raw sugar coarse crystals)

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Xena’s Kitchen

Hey, I'm Xena! I cook the kind of food that makes people wander into the kitchen asking, "What smells so good?" Around here, you'll find easy dinners, comfort-food favorites, and recipes that don't require a culinary degree or a 47-step process. Xena's Kitchen is where I share the meals I actually crave: bold flavors, cozy vibes, and dishes that make you want to lick the plate (no judgment here.)
I love food that feels like a warm hug - simple, flavorful, and made for real life. If you're into meals that make you smile, you're in the right place. So, Grab a fork - let's make dinner the best part of the day.

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This cornbread is built around Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, buttermilk, jalapeños, and a layer of turbinado sugar across the top. It can be made with a seeded fresh jalapeño or pickled jalapeños, and the peppers can be left out when a milder pan is wanted.

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Thick yellow batter being poured from a bowl into a greased glass baking dish.

The batter rests briefly before baking, then cools for 10 minutes before slicing. A 9×13-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet both work for the recipe.

A hand sprinkles seasoning over a yellow corn casserole in a glass baking dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The jalapeño amount is flexible, ranging from half of a seeded pepper to a whole one, or a good handful of pickled jalapeños. That choice lets the recipe stay close to the same batter while using the pepper option on hand.

Turbinado sugar is sprinkled directly over the batter before it goes into the oven. The finished cornbread is baked until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

A hand holds a golden, crumbly wedge of cornbread above a baking dish.

Ingredients You'll Need

The batter starts with four 8.5-ounce boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, four large eggs, buttermilk, and a splash of jalapeño juice. The instructions call for stirring these ingredients only until combined, leaving a lumpy batter before the jalapeños are folded in.

For the peppers, use finely diced seeded jalapeño or pickled jalapeños. Turbinado sugar, also called raw sugar with coarse crystals, is the topping that goes over the entire surface just before baking.

Milk being poured into a bowl containing flour and cracked raw eggs.

Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet with butter or cooking spray. Mix the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the 4 boxes of Jiffy mix, 1 ⅓ cups of buttermilk, a splash of jalapeño juice, and 4 eggs.

Stir until just combined.

Three raw eggs cracked into a bowl of dry flour.

Fold in the Peppers

Gently fold in the finely diced jalapeños so they are evenly distributed throughout the lumpy batter. Rest the Batter: Let the batter rest for 3 to 5 minutes. The combination of buttermilk and the splash of jalapeño juice creates an acidic environment that activates the leavening agents, making the heavy batter rise beautifully.

Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared dish. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Because of the extra moisture from the jalapeños and juice, keep an eye on it around the 25-minute mark and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

A mixing bowl containing cornmeal, a cracked egg, milk, and chopped green jalapeños.

The Sugar Topping: Pour the batter into your prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly across the entire surface of the batter right before putting it in the oven. Cool and Serve: Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

How To Make It

Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet with butter or cooking spray. Mix the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the 4 boxes of Jiffy mix, 1 ⅓ cups of buttermilk, a splash of jalapeño juice, and 4 eggs. Stir until just combined.

Fold in the Peppers: Gently fold in the finely diced jalapeños so they are evenly distributed throughout the lumpy batter. Rest the Batter: Let the batter rest for 3 to 5 minutes. The combination of buttermilk and the splash of jalapeño juice creates an acidic environment that activates the leavening agents, making the heavy batter rise beautifully.

Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared dish. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Because of the extra moisture from the jalapeños and juice, keep an eye on it around the 25-minute mark and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. The Sugar Topping: Pour the batter into your prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly across the entire surface of the batter right before putting it in the oven. Cool and Serve: Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I leave out the jalapeños?

Yes. The seeded jalapeño or pickled jalapeños can be left out if desired.

What size pan should I use?

Use a generously greased 9x13-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet.

How long should the batter rest before baking?

Let the batter rest for 3 to 5 minutes before baking.

How do I know when the cornbread is done?

Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Start keeping an eye on it around the 25-minute mark.

When do I add the turbinado sugar topping?

Smooth the batter in the prepared dish, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the surface right before putting it in the oven.

Wrapping Up

This recipe keeps the jalapeño choice flexible while finishing the pan with its turbinado sugar topping.

Recipe created by Xena’s Kitchen for Trust Me Try It.

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