Does Krusteaz cornbread have sugar in it? An ingredient analysis

November 15, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Krusteaz's official website, its popular Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix lists sugar and honey powder among its primary ingredients. The simple answer to the question, "Does Krusteaz cornbread have sugar in it?" is yes, though the quantity and type can vary between different product lines.

Quick Summary

Most Krusteaz cornbread mixes, including the Honey and Sweet Corn varieties, contain added sugars like granulated sugar and honey powder. Even their Southern style mix lists sugar as an ingredient, contrary to traditional savory Southern recipes.

Key Points

Honey Cornbread Mix: The Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin mix explicitly lists both "sugar" and "honey" or "honey powder" in its ingredients, making it a sweet variety.
Southern Cornbread Mix: Despite being marketed as a savory option, Krusteaz's Southern cornbread mix also contains sugar, a fact that disappoints fans of traditional sugar-free Southern cornbread.
Gluten-Free Version: The Krusteaz Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread mix is also sweetened, with sugar and honey present in the ingredients list.
Product Variation: Sugar content and type vary between Krusteaz products; therefore, always check the specific product label for accurate information.
Regional Differences: The inclusion of sugar in cornbread is a cultural divide between Northern sweet cornbread and traditional Southern savory recipes, and Krusteaz mixes lean toward the sweeter side.
Sugar-Free Option: To guarantee a sugar-free cornbread, it is best to make it from scratch, allowing for full control over the ingredients.

The Ingredient Breakdown: Sugar in Krusteaz Mixes

To determine the sugar content in Krusteaz cornbread, it's essential to examine the ingredients of each specific mix. The company offers a range of cornbread products, and while some are marketed as sweet, others are intended to be more savory. A close look at the ingredient list reveals the truth about the added sweeteners.

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix

This is arguably Krusteaz's most well-known cornbread mix, and the name itself hints at its sweetness. Checking the ingredients on the Krusteaz website or product packaging confirms the presence of sweeteners. The ingredients list for this mix explicitly names "sugar" and "honey" or "honey powder". The sweetness is not just from the honey, but also from added granulated sugar, making it a distinctly sweet cornbread.

Krusteaz Southern Cornbread & Muffin Mix

For those who prefer a more traditional, savory cornbread, Krusteaz offers a Southern-style mix. True Southern cornbread is traditionally made without sugar, which has led to a long-standing culinary debate. However, the ingredient list for Krusteaz's Southern cornbread mix still includes sugar, albeit in smaller quantities than their honey-sweetened versions. Many Southerners express disappointment at the inclusion of sugar in what they believe should be a savory, sugar-free product. It is a richer, more savory mix due to the buttermilk, but the sweetness is still present.

Krusteaz Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Mix

The gluten-free variant of the honey cornbread mix also contains added sugar. The ingredients on the official Krusteaz website show "sugar" and "honey" among the components. This confirms that for those with gluten sensitivities, the cornbread mix still provides the same sweet flavor profile as its traditional honey counterpart.

Understanding the "Sweet vs. Savory" Cornbread Debate

The addition of sugar to cornbread is a significant point of contention for many baking enthusiasts. The division generally falls along regional lines: Northern-style cornbread is often sweet, cake-like, and made with a higher proportion of flour, while traditional Southern cornbread is savory, denser, and typically made with only cornmeal. The texture and flavor profile of the Krusteaz mixes, particularly the sweeter varieties, align with the Northern preference. While the company's Southern-style mix attempts to bridge the gap with buttermilk, the presence of sugar places it outside of the traditional Southern savory classification.

Krusteaz Cornbread Mixes Compared

To illustrate the differences in sweeteners, here is a comparison of some popular Krusteaz mixes based on their ingredient lists and product descriptions.


Feature	Honey Cornbread Mix	Southern Cornbread Mix	Sweet Corn Muffin Mix
Sweeteners	Sugar, Honey, Dextrose	Sugar	Sugar, Palm Oil, Soybean Oil
Flavor Profile	Very sweet and moist	Rich and savory, with a hint of sweetness	Notably sweet
Key Ingredients	Honey, Enriched Flour, Cornmeal	Buttermilk, Enriched Flour, Cornmeal	Enriched Flour, Cornmeal, Soybean Oil
Traditional Style	Sweet, Northern-style	Closer to traditional Southern, but still contains sugar	Sweet, dessert-like

How to Make Sugar-Free Cornbread

For those seeking a cornbread without any added sugar, using a boxed mix is not the answer. Instead, making it from scratch offers complete control over the ingredients. Here's a simple, sugar-free recipe that captures the essence of a savory, Southern-style cornbread.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups self-rising cornmeal mix (or 1 ½ cups cornmeal with ½ cup self-rising flour)
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
¼ cup bacon grease or melted unsalted butter

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place your skillet (preferably cast iron) with the bacon grease or butter inside the oven to heat up.
In a bowl, mix the cornmeal, buttermilk, and eggs until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Swirl the grease around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Pour the hot grease into your cornbread batter and mix quickly.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
For extra flavor, add savory mix-ins like chopped jalapeños and cheddar cheese before baking.

Conclusion

While Krusteaz offers a variety of cornbread mixes, most of their products, including the Honey and Southern styles, contain added sugar. This catering to a sweeter palate deviates from traditional Southern savory cornbread recipes. For those who prefer a truly sugar-free experience, reading the ingredient label is crucial, and making cornbread from scratch offers the most control. The sweet vs. savory debate reflects a broad spectrum of personal and regional preferences, but for the question, "does Krusteaz cornbread have sugar in it?" the definitive answer for most of their mixes is yes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Krusteaz Southern Cornbread & Muffin Mix contains less sugar than the Honey variety. However, for a truly sugar-free experience, a box mix from Krusteaz is not the best option.

Because the sugar is a primary ingredient mixed in with the flour and cornmeal, it cannot be removed. You can try adding savory elements like cheese, herbs, or jalapeños to balance the flavor, but the underlying sweetness will remain.

Based on the ingredients lists for their Honey, Southern, and Gluten-Free Honey mixes, Krusteaz does not appear to offer a sugar-free option. All of these products contain sugar.

Sweet cornbread is often a matter of regional taste, with Northern cornbread recipes traditionally being sweeter and more cake-like than the savory Southern style.

Honey powder is dehydrated honey that provides the same sweet flavor as liquid honey but in a convenient, non-liquid form suitable for baking mixes.

Yes, some brands produce sugar-free cornbread mixes. However, for complete assurance, making a sugar-free cornbread from scratch using a recipe with self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, and eggs is the best option.

Always check the ingredient list on the product packaging. If 'sugar' or 'honey' is listed among the first few ingredients, the cornbread will be sweet.