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Y’all. I healthified our family cornbread recipe. Until this recipe, I hadn’t had cornbread in years. I forgot how much I used to like it! This sour cream cornbread has a real corn flavor and is perfect with sausage gravy, mashed up in soups, in an egg and ham breakfast sandwich, crumbled up with some unsweetened almond milk in the morning…the possibilities are endless. Skillet cornbread stuffing is next on my list. This cornbread is – dare I say it? – life-changing.
At least where my tummy is concerned.
The inspiration for this cornbread and its “secret ingredient” comes from Gwen over at Gwen’s Nest. When she posted her “In a Jiffy Corn Muffin” recipe, I was intrigued! It was from Gwen’s post that I first heard about nixtamalization – the process by which masa flour is made – and was inspired to do some research of my own.
Turns out that nixtamalization is the long term used to describe the process in which dried maize is soaked in an alkaline solution such as limewater. This process breaks the corn down, causing it to a) be able to form a dough, and b) release its nutrients to the human body more easily. Trim Healthy Mamas, you’re familiar with the concept that grains are supposed to be fermented or sprouted in order to be better absorbed by the body and not spike the blood sugar so readily. Well, nixtamalization is a similar process using corn! To find out more about nixtamalization and its benefits, you can read articles here and here.
Although it is broken down somewhat by the nixtamalization process, masa flour is still primarily a carbohydrate fuel and should be used only sparingly in a THM:S setting so as not to create a fuel collision. You’ll want to use it sparingly in a Fuel Pull setting as well, but since you’re not adding a lot of fats along with it, the danger of tandem-fueling isn’t as great. Keep in mind your 10 gram net carb limit for your meal or snack and you’ll be fine. Thankfully masa flour carries a pretty good punch of flavor, so not much is needed in this cornbread to give it a definite corn taste!
While corn is not highly recommended for weight loss on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, it’s OK to use small amounts in an E setting (as evidenced in several recipes in the new Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook). Since in this case the corn is partially broken down by the nixtamalization process, I am personally OK with using some masa flour as part of my carb fuel in an E meal. In fact, I have an E version of this cornbread to share with you soon; it uses masa flour and oat flour together for an extremely budget-friendly cornbread that’s still kind to the waistline!
My serving size suggestions (since I know people are going to ask): I cut my batch of cornbread into 10 pieces. I recommend sticking to 1-2 pieces in an S or FP setting (and watch how many other small carb sources you add to your meal), and 3 would be acceptable in an E setting if you just have a huge craving for cornbread (although you’d still need to add another carb source and some lean protein to complete your E meal).
So what does this masa flour look like and where do I get it? Good news: I got a huge bag at Walmart for less than $3. Mine is Maseca brand, which is a fairly common brand, I believe. You want to make sure your masa flour says something about lime in the ingredients. Literally the only ingredient in Maseca masa flour is “selected corn treated with lime”. You can see it on Amazon here.
Is all this THM lingo Greek to you? Check out my “Starting Trim Healthy Mama” page for a quick synopsis of the plan and other helpful links!
Stay tuned for my E(nergizing) cornbread recipe coming soon!
You can find this recipe in my cookbook, Necessary Food.
- ¾ cup oat fiber (use gluten free if necessary)
- ⅓ cup Briana's Baking Mix
- ⅓ cup masa flour (I used Maseca brand)
- 2 tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend (or more for a sweet cornbread)
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- Scant tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. turmeric (optional, for color)
- ⅔ cup low-fat sour cream
- ½ cup egg whites
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or carton coconut milk for a nut free version)
- ¼ cup water
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into a greased 7x11 inch glass baking dish and smooth out the top with an offset spatula. I do not recommend making this recipe in an 8x8 inch pan as it will be wet in the middle. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly and the cornbread is not soggy in the center. It will be moist, though. Let the cornbread sit for a few minutes before cutting into 10 pieces. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Click here for Briana’s Baking Mix recipe.
Suggested products:
- Oat Fiber
- Gluten free oat fiber and THM Super Sweet Blend can both be purchased from the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
Hello,
what is the difference between instant Masa, blue and yellow? What kind do I need to purchase for your cornbread recipe please.
I use instant masa from Walmart – Maseca brand. I’m afraid I haven’t tried anything else and don’t know how it would affect this recipe.
Could this be made with full fat sour cream?
Sure, it just might become a THM S. 🙂
I tried this recipe tonight and substituted psyllium husk for the oat fiber. It came out super dense. Any better ideas for the oat fiber substitute? I’m unable to find any in my local stores. Thankbyou!
I’m afraid oat fiber is something you usually have to find online, and I’m not aware of any great subs for it. I know some people use psyllium husks, but I don’t think it works in every recipe. I’ve never tried it myself.
I found this recipe when looking for a FP cornbread so i could enjoy it with my S stew and E chili meals that I had planned for the week. My husband and I both like it. I didn’t have the right size pan so it ended up REALLY thin and had stuck badly to the dish. I’m considering doubling the recipe and maybe lining the dish with parchment paper. Would that work?
I’m not sure – worth a try! I typically use a glass pan and give it a good spray with nonstick olive oil cooking spray and that does the trick. I’ve heard that coconut oil spray doesn’t work quite as well as olive oil for nonstick purposes, so if that’s what you’re using maybe that’s the culprit. 🙂
I only have THM baking blend. How would I sub this (in this recipe)for your blend ?
Hi there! My mix is a little drier than THM Baking Blend, so general rule of thumb is to use 1 cup of THM Baking Blend for every 3/4 cup of my baking mix called for in a recipe (and vice versa), then adjust as needed from there. In small amounts they can often be interchanged 1:1. 🙂
I love your corn bread! Have you ever made this in cast iron molds?
I’m so glad you like it! No, I haven’t.
Hi, I tried to make this, and it tasted nice, but only the edges cooked, the rest went stodgy.
My pan was the right size – any idea what I’m doing wrong?!
Uh – could you please clarify what “went stodgy” means? I’m afraid I haven’t heard that one before. 😛
If you mean that it’s not baking all the way through, I’m afraid I don’t know! Did you make substitutions for any of the flours in the recipe? (Oat fiber and oat flour are not the same thing; sometimes people try to interchange the two but they have very different properties.) Is your oven temperature calibrated correctly? If everything’s good on that end, I would try baking in a larger pan and/or at a lower heat for longer next time. I’m sorry you had trouble with it!
Hi Briana, I have been making this recipe weekly ever since purchasing your cookbook last fall. I found that 40 minutes baking is way too long. I bake it for 22 minutes and it is perfect. My husband and I have a piece almost every night with our supper. Thanks for the awesome recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoy it! Maybe your oven runs hotter than mine. 🙂 If you bake it in a larger pan, that helps it bake faster as well. Thanks for sharing!
Maseca was found to have Glyphosate in it. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. I wouldn’t trust any type of corn product.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maseca-corn-flours-test-positive-for-toxic-residues-of-monsanto-weedkiller-300727992.html
I’m very new to THM and do not have any baking mixes as of yet. I have smaller packages of almond, coconut and oat flours… how can I substitute the baking mix??
Hi Dorcas! You can try using a combination of your flours in this recipe, but the texture won’t be the same, I’m afraid, and you’ll probably need to adjust the liquids. The oat fiber is pretty important for the texture in this recipe (and isn’t the same thing as oat flour). My baking mix that I called for in this recipe is actually a recipe that can be found in my cookbook or here on my website >> https://www.briana-thomas.com/brianas-baking-mix/
In that post you’ll be able to find links to the products I use to make it. 🙂
Thanks! Like I said, I’m new-maybe 6 weeks. Starting over the holidays was kind of a trial by fire, lol but I love how I feel! I wanted to say tho, if I’m looking for a recipe I now I can rely on being great, informative and simple in regards to staying in guifldeline of THM, I head for your site?. God has blessed you with a great ministry in this area. Thanks for the time and attention to detail, so it’s so much easier for all of us! Thanks again!
Hang in there – it will all make sense sooner than you think! It can seem overwhelming at first, but if you just stick with it and stay relaxed about it, it can actually be a lot of fun. 😉 I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes!
Man, this was so good. By far the best THM cornbread I’ve had. Or just any THM bread for that matter. I don’t love most of the THM bread substitutes, but this was amazing. I did use 0% Greek yogurt because I didn’t have fat free sour cream. I also only had a 9×13 pan so I baked it a little less time.
I’m so glad to hear that, Jessica!
Hi! I adore this recipe! I’m out of oat fiber though and wondering what I could sub for that? I could swing it either S or E, just wondering what you’d recommend?
Oat fiber has a really unique texture and is a very dry flour, so I don’t know of any good 1:1 subs for it, I’m afraid. 🙁 You’re welcome to mess around with other flours like oat flour or my baking mix, but you’ll probably need to adjust the liquids.
I love this recipe! But out of low far sour cream. I do have 0% Greek Yogurt. Do you think that would work? Thanks for everything, Briana! 🙂
Yep, that should work!
Yay, thanks! 🙂
Briana-I put this in a pan and baked for 20 minutes and then topped it with a mixture of cream cheese, green salsa and shredded chicken and more cheese. It was awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
Best FP bread I’ve tried, hands down! Love this recipe so much!!
Can I use buttermilk instead of almond milk?
I don’t believe that buttermilk is allowed in the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan that most of my readers follow, but if you don’t follow THM, that should work. 🙂
i’m wondering, if i eat this in an S setting, can i use whole eggs rather than whites? Thanks!
I think that should probably work.
So just use 1/2 c whole eggs instead of the eggwhites?
That’s what I would try.
I very much appreciate all the time and energy you put into coming up with THM versions of our favorite recipes! You and others like you are making this diet a total JOY! God bless!
Best cornbread I have tried on the thm plan. I used the masa four. Will use this one lots.
This was yummy! More cake-like in texture than regular cornbread, but the taste was fantastic! Thanks for another great recipe!
Just made this in a mini muffin tin—worked perfectly! I got 24 nice sized mini muffins from the recipe. I subbed greek yogurt for the sour cream and it worked perfectly. Scrumptious with butter in an s setting! Thank you!!
That’s a great idea!
this was good cornbread. i enjoyed a leftover piece the next morning for breakfast, like you shared in your post, with some almond milk on it. i also added two scoops of vanilla greek yogurt and a handful of blueberries. i wasn’t too sure i’d like it, but it was really good!
I can’t wait to try this! I have a jalapeño cheddar cornbread recipe that I’m going to merge with this one! Yummy!,
Is there any substitute for masa flour? Not sure I’d use it that much except for this recipe.
Not that I know of. It’s what gives this its true corn flavor. Masa flour is very cheap, and you can also use it (in a greater amount) in this E cornbread recipe: https://www.briana-thomas.com/budget-friendly-cornbread/
I also hope to be coming up with some more recipes that use it eventually. 🙂
Briana – could I sub fat free yogurt for the sour cream? Wanted to make this to go with the wicked white chili today.
Greek yogurt would be an acceptable sub. Regular yogurt would probably make this too moist.
Can I use THM Baking Blend in place of Briana’s Baking Blend?
My Baking Mix is drier than THM Baking Blend, so you’ll need to use more THM Baking Blend than my Baking Mix called for. Rule of thumb is to use 1 cup THM Baking Blend for every 3/4 cup of my Baking Mix called for in the recipe, then adjust as necessary.
I really suck at math… how much more THM BB would I need to use in this recipe? Lol! Thank you!
I would use approximately 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon of THM Baking Blend, then adjust from there as necessary.
Thank you! I did use 1/2 a cup, cause I was making the recipe then and didn’t wait for your answer. Ha! It was really dry on top, and super moist in the middle.. Like I was sure it wasn’t cooked all the way even though the top was getting Really brown! I added 3 Tbsp of chopped up canned corn, like the Sisters do in the cook book, to give it an extra corn taste, and my Super corn bread picky husband Really enjoyed it. My 5 yr old son was extrememly excited to see that there was Corn in his Cornbread! Lol. It was a hit with Pearl’s Chili.
Thank you again, Miss Briana!!!! <3
Great! I’m glad it worked out for you!
Yummy!! How long would you bake them in a muffin pan? I love crispy sides/tops on cornbread muffins and I don’t have 7X11 pan only 8×8.
I’ve never done that so I’m not sure. I’d just bake at the same temperature until the tops are nice and crispy and a toothpick comes out cleanly. Lightly press on the tops, and if they’re not too squishy, you should be good to go!
I am SO excited to see this! I love your recipes Briana!
This is awesome! Can’t wait to try it cuz we are a cornbread-lovin’ family! And I had this bag of Maseca flour sitting in my pantry to use up. Interesting about the nixtamalization process. That’s good to know. Thanks for all the recipe inspiration!
I’m on a no sugar challenge which includes no stevia. Can I eliminate THM sweet blend entirely?
That shouldn’t be a problem. 🙂 Probably won’t taste quite as good, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Is this corn bread sweet like the jiffy brand or is it just a plain corn bread without that sweet taste??
I’ve never had Jiffy corn bread, but I would say this is somewhere in the middle. It has a slightly sweet flavor, but if you want a really sweet cornbread I’d add more sweetener.
Can i use bobs red mill corn meal in place of masa?
No, I’m afraid that regular cornmeal has not been nixtamalized, so it doesn’t have the same reduced-glycemic properties as masa flour does.
THANK YOU! Yay for chili and cornbread! Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put in to coming up with recipes!