I cook a ton of things in my air fryer, but many things like cakes and casseroles require you to have a pan. When it came to making some cornbread, I decided to step out of the box and accept the challenge of not using one. Thus, this recipe for air fryer cornbread without a pan was created.
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Why You Need This Recipe
This cornbread recipe is made perfectly in your air fryer without a pan! Of course, if you do happen to have a pan or some muffin liners you can cook it that way as well. I really wanted to find a solution that made it easy if you don’t have those available, though.
Starting with Jiffy cornbread mix gives you a great base to work with, and you can add in your favorite seasonings and flavors to make the bread your own. I like to add some green chiles for heat and honey for sweetness, but it’s very adjustable!
You’re also going to need some foil! While we’re not using a pan, we are still going to need some way to contain the batter in its liquid state. I recommend nonstick foil, but you can also spray regular foil with a nonstick spray instead.
I tested a lot of different methods and this was hands down the best way to make air fryer cornbread without a pan.
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
8.5 ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix (any flavor)
1 large egg
⅓ cup milk
⅓ cup creamed corn
2 Tbsp honey
2 ounces diced green chiles, drained
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You can use Jiffy honey cornbread mix and omit the additional honey, or use the jalapeno mix and omit additional peppers if you like
Creamed corn may be swapped for corn kernels, but you’ll want to add some sour cream or similar in there to replace the creaminess and moisture
The honey and chiles are entirely optional and based on your personal taste preferences. Other great additions are cooked bacon, diced jalapeno, maple syrup, cheddar cheese, or fresh berries
How to Cook Cornbread in the Air Fryer Without a Pan
Cut a piece of foil that will fit in your air fryer basket, with at least an inch of excess (more is fine too)
Roll or fold the excess over to create sides to your square or circle of foil, making sure to end up with a smaller vessel than the actual size of the air fryer basket once you’re done. You should have at least 1” of air space around the foil in the basket, as otherwise you’ll block air flow and it won’t cook
Preheat your air fryer to 310°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has – 315°F is also fine)
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir to incorporate, making sure all lumps are dissolved but not overmixing
Pour the batter into the foil basin in the air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 25-35 minutes at 310°F, or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cooking times will vary based on the size and shape of your foil and air fryer’s basket
Lift the foil out by the edges to bring the cornbread with it, or slide a spatula underneath it
Cut into wedges or squares, top with butter, and serve!
Yes, you can make Jiffy mix in the air fryer. It cooks much the same as a traditional convection oven, but in less overall time.
Just like the standard preparation, you can make both a full pan or muffins with the mix.
Can You Make Cornbread in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can make cornbread in an air fryer. Your air fryer will cook the bread and give it a nice, golden crust just like the oven.
While traditionally cooked in a pan or muffin cups, you can also cook it directly in the base of the air fryer with a solid basket model.
How Long to Cook Cornbread in an Air Fryer?
On average, it takes between 20-30 minutes to cook cornbread in an air fryer. It largely depends on the size of your pan and your air fryer’s power level.
For muffins, the average time is around 10-15 minutes due to the smaller size.
What Temperature Do You Cook Cornbread in an Air Fryer?
Typically, cornbread is cooked at a temperature between 310°F – 350°F depending on your air fryer’s settings. Higher temperatures cook faster, but create a more brown top. For a blonder crust, use a lower temperature for longer.
Make sure not to overcook your cornbread either, as it can dry out.
The secret to moist cornbread is sufficient liquids and fats. Ingredients like milk, buttermilk, eggs, sour cream, oil, and butter are common ingredients used for these purposes.
You’ll also want to avoid overbaking it, removing your cornbread when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Can I Put Wet Batter in the Bottom of My Air Fryer?
While you can technically put wet batter in the bottom of the air fryer from a safety perspective, you do not want to. Without the ability for air to flow underneath it, the batter will not cook on the bottom.
You’ll end up with a burned top and raw bottom on your baked items, and a big mess to clean up.
If you’re wondering why you can’t just pour the batter in the bottom of the basket, the answer is simply that it won’t cook – I tried it so you don’t have to. Since the air fryer uses hot air circulation to cook, when something is in the base there’s no circulation under it, so you get a cooked top and raw bottom
This is the same concept behind why you don’t want your foil to cover the entire grate in the basket: you need air to be able to get underneath and circulate or your cornbread won’t cook. The alternative would be to somehow flip the bread over during cooking, but that just isn’t feasible with the liquid batter
Foil is the choice here because it holds shape so you can both contain the batter and mold it to fit your air fryer basket, whereas something like parchment isn’t rigid enough to work. The edges won’t be “perfect” like a pan, but who cares as long as it tastes good?
Make sure to seal the corners of the foil to prevent batter leaking out. I bring the sides to a point together, then fold them over the side and top to secure, but you can also roll and crimp them
Smooth the interior edges before adding the batter to get a more even edge on your cooked cornbread
This amount of batter was perfect for my foil vessel that was about 7” long x 5” wide x 2” tall which fit in one basket of my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer. Feel free to double the recipe if you have a bigger basket and want to make more
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftover cornbread completely, then wrap in foil, plastic wrap, or an airtight container for storage up to 1 week in the refrigerator. It may also be frozen for 2-3 months
Reheat leftover cornbread in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30-60 seconds on high. The air fryer may also be used for about 5 minutes at 350°F, but will dry out the cornbread more
This air fryer Jiffy cornbread is so simple to make, even without a pan! I love using the air fryer to make cornbread as it doesn’t heat up the whole house like turning on the oven.
Even when it’s chilly outside, it still frees up my oven for a larger dish, allowing me to cook my sides simply and easily. It’s really no more prep work than the traditional preparation and equally delicious!
You can make it as basic as following the 3-ingredient recipe on the box, or get a little fancier with the addition of creamed corn, honey, chiles, and whatever you like. This is my favorite combination for moist, flavorful cornbread!
Jiffy mix serves as the base for this easy air fryer cornbread with honey and chiles. By using foil you can skip the pan, making this recipe work for nearly any air fryer.
Cut a piece of foil that will fit in your air fryer basket, with at least an inch of excess (more is fine too)
Roll or fold the excess over to create sides to your square or circle of foil, making sure to end up with a smaller vessel than the actual size of the air fryer basket once you’re done. You should have at least 1” of air space around the foil in the basket, as otherwise you’ll block air flow and it won’t cook
Preheat your air fryer to 310°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has – 315°F is also fine)
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir to incorporate, making sure all lumps are dissolved but not overmixing
8.5 Ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix, 1 Large egg, ⅓ Cup milk, ⅓ Cup creamed corn, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 Ounces diced green chiles
Pour the batter into the foil basin in the air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 25-35 minutes at 310°F, or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cooking times will vary based on the size and shape of your foil and air fryer’s basket
Lift the foil out by the edges to bring the cornbread with it, or slide a spatula underneath it
Cut into wedges or squares, top with butter, and serve!
Notes
You can use Jiffy honey cornbread mix and omit the additional honey, or use the jalapeno mix and omit additional peppers if you like
Creamed corn may be swapped for corn kernels, but you’ll want to add some sour cream or similar in there to replace the creaminess and moisture
The honey and chiles are entirely optional and based on your personal taste preferences. Other great additions are cooked bacon, diced jalapeno, maple syrup, cheddar cheese, or fresh berries
If you’re wondering why you can’t just pour the batter in the bottom of the basket, the answer is simply that it won’t cook. I’ve tried it and it does not work. Since the air fryer uses hot air circulation to cook, when something is in the base there’s no circulation under it, so you get a cooked top and raw bottom
This is the same reason you don’t want your foil to cover the entire grate in the basket: you need air to be able to get underneath and circulate or your cornbread won’t cook. The alternative would be to somehow flip the bread over during cooking, but that just isn’t feasible with the liquid batter
Foil is the choice here because it holds shape so you can both contain the batter and mold it to fit your air fryer basket, whereas something like parchment isn’t rigid enough to work. The edges won’t be as perfect as a pan, but it gets the job done
Make sure to seal the corners of the foil to prevent batter leaking out. I bring the sides to a point together, then fold them over the side and top to secure, but you can also roll and crimp them
Smooth the interior edges before adding the batter to get a more even edge on your cooked cornbread
This amount of batter was perfect for my foil vessel that was about 7” long x 5” wide x 2” tall in my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer. Feel free to double the recipe if you have a bigger basket and want to make more
Cool leftover cornbread completely, then wrap in foil, plastic wrap, or an airtight container for storage up to 1 week in the refrigerator. It may also be frozen for 2-3 months
Reheat leftover cornbread in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30-60 seconds on high. The air fryer may also be used for about 5 minutes at 350°F, but will dry out the cornbread more
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any substitutions, additions, or toppings, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Keyword air fryer cornbread, air fryer cornbread jiffy, air fryer cornbread no buttermilk, air fryer cornbread recipe, air fryer cornbread without a pan, cornbread, cornbread in air fryer, ninja air fryer cornbread
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
The cast iron retains heat while baking which is what gives you the dark, golden crust and crisp edges. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, an ovenproof skillet, baking dish or even a pie dish will work.
“JIFFY” mixes can also be prepared with water or plant-based milk alternatives like soy, almond or coconut milk. Pineapple or orange juice may be substituted for flavor variation in the corn and fruit muffins.
Spritz the cornbread with a small amount of water or top it with a pat of butter, if desired. Set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or select the reheat setting. Reheat the cornbread for 4-5 minutes or until fully warmed through.
Recipes that use a wet batter, including fried chicken, will end up being very messy if cooked in an air fryer. This is because there won't be enough hot oil to set the batter, and it will likely drip everywhere rather than forming a crunchy coating. The puddle of batter may also burn the base of your air fryer basket.
You can just use water instead which is what most cornbread mixes ask for in the first. I've used both before and it normally turns out good either way. If you don't want to use water though some other milk substitutes are usually other dairy products like yogurt, sour cream, or half and half.
Can you use mayonnaise instead of eggs in cornbread? Jiffy cornbread with mayo and no eggs is super simple. Mayonnaise would go in at about three tablespoons to work just as well as an egg, but you may need a pinch of extra baking powder for extra lift in your cornbread.
Sour Cream can be substituted for milk in cornbread but will need to be thinned. I recommend using 75% sour cream and 25% water. Sour Cream will also change the taste of the cornbread and will add a slight tangy flavor which can be counteracted by using a small amount of vanilla extract.
The black specks are simply naturally dark pieces of the pericarp (skin) of the corn, where the tip of the kernel attaches to the cob. The color of the specks will vary by crop and year. They are the same as those commonly seen in hard taco shells, corn or tortilla chips, cornmeal, and natural whole corn products.
Mayonnaise. If you have a jar of mayo in the fridge, you can use 3 tablespoons in place of one egg. "Mayonnaise has been used as an egg substitute because of its moistening properties and is best suited for cakes with strong flavors, like spice cakes and chocolate cakes," Tutunjian says.
When done, the edges will be lightly browned and just beginning to pull away from the pan. A toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Place the pan on a rack to cool. Slice and serve the cornbread.
A hot, greasy skillet will prevent your cornbread from sticking and give your cornbread the right texture. You want your batter to start baking as soon as it hits the pan. Hear that sizzle? You WANT some sizzle here.
Then, immediately pour the prepared batter into the hot skillet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 23 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve with whipped butter and a drizzle of honey.
While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.
Why Is Jiffy Mix So Crumbly? The recipe on the box doesn't give the batter as much moisture as I like in my cornbread, which is why it can sometimes turn out crumbly. Adding in the sour cream and vegetable oil makes a huge difference and makes the best moist cornbread.
Yes, you can! I love using my airfryer as a healthier option for making battered fish or chicken. Many websites will tell you that you have to use a dry coating (I have a method for that too) but with a few tricks, you can make a wet batter that is super crispy and keeps the meat moist.
Yes, you can cook wet food in an air fryer, but there are some considerations and techniques to ensure the best results. Wet foods, such as marinated meats, battered items, or dishes with sauces, can be challenging because the high-speed air circulation in the fryer can cause splattering or uneven cooking.
It's generally not recommended to put liquid directly into an air fryer due to the risk of steam, splattering, and potential damage to the appliance. But you can still make yummy dishes by using a small amount of liquid alongside other ingredients.
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