Add Sour Cream To Upgrade The Flavor Of Store-Bought Cornbread Mix

You don't have to make cornbread from scratch for it to be delicious because the varieties of store-bought mixes can turn out just as good — if you make them the right way. Sure, you could simply follow the directions on the box and combine the cornmeal mix with milk or water, then top it with spoonfuls of butter after it comes out of the oven. But we're all about elevating foods to the next delicious level, so we've got a secret ingredient for you to stir into your cornbread batter: sour cream.

Tangy sour cream is typically used to top dishes like chili, enchiladas, or nachos, but it also works as a fat to give cornbread a slightly sharp bite along with deeper, richer flavors. Sour cream will also make the cornbread more moist, which is very important considering dried, crumbly cornbread is barely worth eating. It won't take too much sour cream to make a difference, so you don't have to worry about the consistency of the batter turning out thin or the cornbread tasting too tangy. You'll want to use full-fat sour cream, because reduced fat or nonfat might turn the cornbread mixture watery.

To incorporate sour cream into store-bought cornbread, you have a couple of options. You can keep it simple and follow the instructions on the box then stir a couple of tablespoons of sour cream into the batter before baking it in the oven. To really bump things up a notch, use two boxes and mix it with 1 cup of sour cream plus milk, eggs, melted butter, and a bit of sugar. To temper the richness of the sour cream, squirt a little honey into the batter for sweetness. No matter how much sour cream you add, don't forget to combine it well so you don't end up biting into pockets of it throughout the bread.

Using sour cream is an easy way to upgrade your store-bought cornbread, but it's not the only way. If the box says to use vegetable oil, swap it for melted butter, rendered bacon grease, or truffle oil to achieve more flavor. Skip the sour cream and use mayonnaise instead for a similar effect. Canned corn kernels or creamed corn will enhance the cornbread's texture. And while you're at it, why not add crumbled bacon, breakfast sausage, shredded cheese, or sliced jalapeños? They'll make the moist sour cream even more flavorful and ready to pair with a bowl of chili or a plate of fried chicken.