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Cornbread Pudding is a delicious way to use up leftover skillet cornbread! Cubes of leftover cornbread are spread in a baking dish, sprinkled with green onions, fresh herbs and cheese, then covered in a mixture of eggs and milk and baked until bubbly and lightly browned on the outside, delicate and custard-like in the center.
This versatile dish works for any meal of the day. I often swap in different cheeses (smoked mozzarella is next on my list), add crispy bacon, or toss in fresh corn kernels during summer for extra sweetness and crunch. Sometimes for our Thanksgiving or Christmas feasts, I’ll add fresh sage, roasted chestnuts, and sausage for a creative alternative to traditional Cornbread Dressing. Sometimes I serve it as a side dish, but it’s hearty enough for a light meal, especially topped with a fried egg for breakfast or paired with a crisp salad for lunch.
“I had leftover cornbread from our dinner last night and I am so glad I found this recipe! I was pressed for time so I skipped the herbs. Everything else was the same. I used extra sharp cheddar. My husband and four kids couldn’t stop raving about it!!! Thank you for such a simple (and delicious) recipe!”
lisa
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Cornbread Pudding
- Leftover Cornbread: I typically use my homemade skillet cornbread, but any sturdy cornbread works well here. Day-old is perfect as it holds its shape better when cubed.
- Whole Milk: The base of our custard mixture. I find whole milk gives the best texture – it’s rich enough to create that custardy center without being too heavy.
- Eggs: Large eggs are ideal. They should be at room temperature for the most even custard.
- Green Onions: Look for bright, crisp stalks. I use both the white and green parts for different layers of onion flavor.
- Fresh Parsley: Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is what I prefer here – it has more flavor than curly parsley and chops more easily.
- Fresh Rosemary: Just a little goes a long way. Choose sprigs that are bright green and fragrant, with no brown spots.
- Fresh Thyme: I love using fresh for its subtle flavor, but dried thyme works in a pinch – just use half the amount.
- Sharp Cheddar: I prefer sharp for its bold flavor that stands up to the herbs. It should be freshly shredded as pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly.
- Butter: Just a little for greasing the dish – either salted or unsalted works fine.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance all the other flavors.
4 Recipe Tips
- Work with day-old cornbread: Fresh cornbread is too soft and will turn mushy. Let your cornbread sit out overnight or use leftover cornbread that’s 1-2 days old – it will better absorb the custard while keeping its shape.
- Don’t skip the soaking step: That 10-minute rest after pouring the custard over the cornbread is crucial – it allows the bread to absorb the liquid evenly so you’ll get that perfect pudding texture.
- Check for doneness: The top should be golden brown and slightly puffed. Give the baking dish a gentle shake – the center should be set but might have a slight jiggle, like a cheesecake.
- Serve it hot: This pudding is at its best straight from the oven when the edges are crispy and the center is custardy. If you need to make it ahead, reheat individual portions briefly in the microwave.
Delicious Options for Leftover Cornbread
This savory pudding, inspired by the one served at Etta’s restaurant in Seattle but lightened up a bit, transforms leftover cornbread into something similar to a Southern spoonbread. Here are some of my favorite ways to vary it:
- Use different cornbreads as your base – I love using my Skillet Cornbread (made with whole grain cornmeal and sweet corn for extra texture) or Mexican Cornbread (with jalapeños and cheddar) for a spicier kick.
- Switch up the cheese – try smoked mozzarella, Gruyere, or pepper jack
- Add mix-ins based on the season – fresh corn kernels in summer, crumbled bacon any time, or sage and sausage during the holidays
Next time you’re staring at leftover cornbread, remember this pudding. It’s one of those low-effort, high-reward dishes that has saved many of my brunches and dinner parties over the years. Plus, the leftovers (if you have any) might be even better reheated the next day.
How to Make Cornbread Pudding
Heat your oven to 425°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cut leftover cornbread into uniform 1-inch cubes. Whisk together your custard base – milk, eggs, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Arrange cornbread cubes in a single layer in the dish, leaving space between pieces. Sprinkle with green onions, fresh herbs, and shredded cheese.
Pour custard evenly over everything and let stand for 10 minutes to absorb.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown with crispy edges and a slightly custardy center.
Cornbread Pudding
Video
Ingredients
- 10 ounces leftover Skillet Cornbread or other leftover cornbread, ~3 1/2 cups
- butter for greasing baking dish
- 2 cups whole milk (see recipe note)
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Cut leftover cornbread into 1-inch cubes and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with green onions, parsley, rosemary, thyme and cheese. Pour milk mixture evenly over and let stand 10 minutes to soak into cornbread.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and set. Serve hot.
Notes
- For an even more decadent version, substitute half and half or heavy cream for some of the milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you recommend a plant based milk?
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t tested this with plant based milk, but I’d go with one that’s rich with a neutral flavor. I hope that helps!
How would this be if I added a can of corn to mixture? Would cream corn work or be better?
Hi Ada! Though I haven’t tested this recipe with added corn, I think it would be fine to add some drained canned corn – my best guess is 1/2 cup to a full cup wouldn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. If you use cream corn, you’ll want to reduce the milk so that you don’t end up with too much liquid in the final dish. I hope that helps!
This was brilliant. I had some leftover cheddar-jalapeno cornbread in the freezer from last Thanksgiving that I had made and finally looked into a way to re-purpose it. Found your recipe and I couldn’t be happier. Easy and came out like a dream. Beautiful texture and flavor. I just added some pickled jalapeno pieces to it to add some zing. Served it with some sauteed garlic green beans for a perfect veggie meal. Thank you!
I love to hear this, Lawrence! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Yummy!!! I did switch it slightly, with what I had on hand and needed to use, and wow!
Added some roasted red peppers and sun died tomatoes, used Gruyère cheese. Also, my cornbread is always on the sweet side. To us, this helped balance the sun dried tomatoes and strong cheese. Fresh rosemary is a must, but I used dried parsley and thyme.
Perfect!! The smell of this cooking is to die for!!
Thanks so much for the recipe!!
My pleasure, Patricia! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe and making it your own!
I added bacon and sausage to make a substantial breakfast, delish. Thanks for an easy and lovely recipe.
Sounds delicious, Caroline! So glad you enjoyed this.