The Only Ingredient You Need To Make Jiffy Cornbread Way Better

Chances are if you're making a pot of chili or serving up some Southern-style barbecue, you're also mixing up some Jiffy cornbread to go along with it. It's easy to make — only requiring milk and an egg — and even easier on the pocketbook, with an 8.5-ounce box clocking in at under a dollar. But if you want to step it up a notch and turn this box mix into a cornbread that tastes homemade, you need to start adding mayo to it. Yes, mayonnaise is one of the ingredients that will seriously upgrade your cornbread.

Jiffy cornbread mix already hits sweet and savory notes, but when you skip the milk and instead add mayonnaise to those pre-measured dried ingredients, it turns soft, fluffy, and tender, and it has a subtle tang that places it on the same playing field as cornbread made from scratch. To achieve the delicate crumb, use between ½ cup to 1 cup of your favorite brand of mayo. You may need to experiment to find just the right amount to suit your palate, but it is so worth it. Why does it work? Mayo is an emulsion made of oil and eggs. Its added moisture binds all of the ingredients together creating that moist, rich consistency.

But there is one thing you need to remember if you use this Jiffy cornbread hack: Skip the nonfat and reduced-fat mayos, and don't use Miracle Whip. Ain't nothing like the real thing and your mouth is going to taste and feel it. Spreads like Miracle Whip may contain fewer calories and taste pretty darn good on a sandwich, but you need full-fat mayo to get the benefit of this texture-enriching ingredient. Another note about using Miracle Whip, it tends to separate and can make a greasy mess of baked goods which is not optimal for your cornbread-making endeavors. 

If you don't have any mayo, you can also use sour cream for moist cornbread. Its creamy viscosity along with its tart taste will enhance your Jiffy cornbread in a similar manner as mayo. But again, go for full fat sour cream to get that tender consistency. Additionally, if you want to add some sweetness to the moisture-rich mayo, a couple of tablespoons of honey is a great go-to, and even some brown sugar will add a sweet, nutty taste. If you like things spicy, add some sliced jalapeño to your mayo enhanced Jiffy cornbread and transform your box mix into a cast-iron pan jalapeño cornbread made with mayo.