The 3-2-1 Jiffy Cornbread Hack That's Nostalgic And Tasty

Cornbread is a staple of dinner tables all across America, and it's not hard to see why. It's fluffy, buttery, delicious, and super-easy to make, especially if you have a box of Jiffy cornbread mix on hand. We have an easy-to-reference list of 16 ways to upgrade Jiffy cornbread mix, if you're looking for a new way to jazz up your own. And if you're low on time, Howells Nebraska Centennial Cookbook has a great three-ingredient recipe from 1987 that might suit you perfectly. It's one of the book's five "secret cornbreads," and as B. Dylan Hollis demonstrated on TikTok, called a 3-2-1 recipe because you need three of the first ingredient, two of the second, and one of the last. In this case, you want three eggs, two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, and a can of Sloppy Joe sauce. Just mix those bad boys together, toss it in an oven-safe pan, and bake according to the instructions on the box.

This cornbread recipe gives you a soft, delicious, moist bread that brings back memories of crowded dinner tables and warm summer nights. It's a nostalgic taste where the butter and salt of the cornbread meshes perfectly with the tomato tang and spices of the Sloppy Joe sauce, giving you a moreish accompaniment to any meal. And for only having three ingredients, the flavor is actually surprisingly complex, too. It's not overwhelmingly spiced or tomato-y, so it doesn't feel like you're biting into a solidified Sloppy Joe, but it's still got pronounced notes that make this a stand-out in the world of cornbread.

While this recipe on its own is a real winner, you can break the 3-2-1 combo and add other ingredients for an even more complex and interesting side to your meals. You can give your Sloppy Joes a spicy kick by adding gochujang, a Korean paste that gives anything you add it to a nice kick and a boost of umami. Tossing in cheddar cheese and jalapenos will give you some salt, richness, and a bit of heat, too. We also experimented with adding in crushed potato chips for an extra bit of salt and crunch, and found the combo pretty tasty.

If you're looking for new ways to serve your Sloppy Joe cornbread, we have you covered, too. We think Sloppy Joes deserve better in general, and what better way to give this dish the chance to shine than by making a Sloppy Joe with this cornbread? Replace the buns with a slice of cornbread cut in half for slider-style Sloppy Joes. It'll be crumbly and messy, but that's where the "sloppy" comes in, after all. Still, you might want to grab a fork for this one. Serve with some roasted potatoes and carrots for a little fiber and nutrients and you have yourself a well-rounded meal that won't break the bank or take too much time to make. That's a win-win situation for you and for cornbread, as far as we're concerned.