Do you remember Pillsbury's Cornbread Twists from the refrigerated dough aisle? They were a cross between cornbread and breadsticks, tender inside, golden outside, and just a little sweet. They were discontinued years ago, but this recipe brings them back to life! These Cornbread Breadsticks are made from scratch with your choice of yellow cornmeal or Jiffy Mix for slightly different flavor and texture.
The Jiffy Mix Version
The first time I made these, I was trying to use up a partial box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I swapped some of the bread flour for Jiffy, thinking it might be interesting to harness some of the leavenings, emulsifiers, and flavorings from the mix. The results were surprisingly good. The Cornbread Breadsticks were puffy, light, and just a touch sweet, almost like the old Pillsbury Cornbread Twists.
Cornmeal Without Jiffy Mix
The second time around, I used plain yellow cornmeal instead. The texture was slightly different. The sticks came out longer and thinner. Both versions are great, so you can use whichever you have on hand. If you keep boxes of Jiffy around, it's a fun change. If not, cornmeal works just fine.
Bread Flour
Along with the cornmeal (or Jiffy Mix), you'll need some bread flour to give the dough structure and chew. The higher protein content helps the twists hold their shape. I haven't tested with all-purpose flour yet, but I suspect it would work in a pinch. The dough might be stickier.
Quick Rising Yeast
Quick-rising yeast speeds things up. For this recipe, I mix the yeast directly into the dry ingredients and use very warm water (about 125°F) to activate it. I use SAF gold label instant yeast, but active dry yeast also works. If using active dry, proof it separately in 115°F water before adding.
Kneading and Texture
This dough is soft and easy to work with thanks to help from a stand mixer and dough hook. You could try to knead it by hand, but a mixer helps develop the gluten without adding extra flour. Adding too much flour can make breadsticks dense instead of fluffy. The dough should feel smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky. If it's too soft to shape, add a spoonful of flour; if too dry, drizzle in a bit more water.
Batch Size
This recipe makes 12 cornbread twists, but it halves easily if you only need a few. Just weigh out half of each ingredient and follow the same directions.
Jiffy Mix
Now if you are intrigued by the Jiffy Mix version and want to try it, you will only need ½ cup or (80 grams) which is ⅓ of the box. Since the Jiffy has a bit of sugar and fat in it, you'll only need 3 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter as mentioned in the ingredient list.
If you want to play around with different proportions of Jiffy Mix, I've successfully used up toe half a box 120 grams/3/4 cup and reduced the flour by 40 grams. The higher proportion of Jiffy mix makes the sticks a bit puffier as shown here.
Plain Cornmeal
A few people have asked what type of cornmeal I use. Here in North Carolina we have quite a different ones to choose from, so I'm always sampling the goods. My favorite right now is a local brand called Moss Plain Yellow Water Ground by Buffaloe Milling Company. Water ground means they grind it slowly on a water powered stone mill. The cooler grind protects the oils in the corn helping it to retain its flavor. The consistency is not quite as fine as some, but not super coarse either.
Serving Suggestions
These Homemade Cornbread Twists are delicious on their own, but they're even better served warm with chili, barbecue, or soup. Brush them with honey butter or garlic butter for extra flavor, or sprinkle with coarse salt before baking for a savory version. They freeze and reheat beautifully, so you can make a batch ahead and enjoy a nostalgic, from-scratch version of the discontinued Pillsbury Cornbread Twists anytime.
Recipe
Cornbread Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour (280 grams)
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal or Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (80 grams)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons fast rising yeast (one packet)
- 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar or (3 if using the Jiffy)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm water (120 to 125 degrees F)
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened plus extra for brushing. If using Jiffy mix, only use 2.
Instructions
- Mix the bread flour, cornmeal or Jiffy, yeast, brown sugar and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water and stir until almost blended, then add the butter and stir well. At this point the mixture will feel very thick and dry.
- Using the dough hook, knead until smooth and elastic. If the dough feels dry or breaks apart, add a splash more water. It should be a very smooth and not at all sticky or tacky.
- Scrape dough into the center of the bowl and form a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm place and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until about doubled.
- Preheat the oven and have ready one or two parchment lined baking sheets. I usually make half a batch and use one, but unless your baking sheet is very large you'll probably need two for the full batch.
- Punch down dough on a mat and press and shape into a rectangular slab somewhere around 10x10 inches (doesn't have to be precise), then slice into 12 10 inch strands.
- Working one strand at a time, cut the strand lengthwise into two thin 10 inch pieces. Cross them like an X, then twist strands together from the middle up and middle down. Set on the baking sheet(s)
- Cover with a greased sheet of plastic wrap and let rise for another 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the breadsticks for about 20 minutes or until golden. Brush with more melted salted butter.
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