Also called tomalito, this Mexican sweet cornbread has both puréed and whole corn kernels added to it. The batter is steamed in the oven, so it's soft and moist. And it's guaranteed to be a big hit with everyone at the table!
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Have you ever had the scoop of sweet cornbread served at some Mexican restaurants? I first had it at Chevy's, a Mexican chain restaurant in the west, and loved it. My grandkids begged me to try to make it for them, and so, like any good grandmother, I did.
Cornbread is a personal love, and I have a fair number of cornbread recipes on this site, ranging from my high altitude cornbread (a buttermilk cornbread that has instructions for baking it at sea level) to Jalapeño Poppers Stuffed with Cornbread appetizer. Or if you like maple syrup, you might want to check out these maple cornbread mini loaves with strawberries.
🤷♀️ What is Tomalito?
Tomalito is a sweet cornbread made with masa harina, cornmeal, and both puréed corn and whole corn kernels. And it's steamed, so it's super moist.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Sugar
- Milk - either 2% or whole milk is fine.
- Masa harina
- Fine or medium cornmeal
- Baking powder
- Corn - either fresh or frozen.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
- 8" X 8" casserole pan
- Standing Mixer
- Whisk
- Medium mixing bowl
- Food processor
- 9" X 13" casserole dish (or other dish that can hold the 8" X 8" casserole dish for steaming)
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this dish are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!
Step 1
Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the milk and continue to mix.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, whisk together the masa harina, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add to the mixing bowl holding the butter-sugar-milk mixture.
Step 3
Puree half of the corn in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Add to the rest of the ingredients, along with the remaining whole corn kernels.
Step 4
Place the baking dish in a larger one that can hold it. Pour the batter into the smaller dish, and hot water in the larger one. Cover everything with foil and slide into the oven.
Step 5
Steam for 90 minutes, and then remove the foil and bake until done.
👩🍳 Preparation Tips
The milk doesn't mix in well with the butter and sugar. Mix with the paddle attachment for a few minutes to mix it as well as possible.
🍽 Serving Idea
This cornbread is great with fajitas, tostadas, and enchiladas. And also with this Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole that's a "dump-it" casserole, where everything, including the rice, cooks all together in the same pot. It's soooooo good.
But you don't have to only serve this with Mexican dishes. It would also be great with a vegan sloppy joe!
Don't have time to run to the grocery store? Order the ingredients for this recipe using Instacart (affiliate link). Just click on the Instacart button in the recipe card below, and the ingredients will all be organized for you on their site. Plug in your zip code, choose the store you prefer, and select the ingredients you want delivered to your home.
Love Mexican Food?
So do I. Here's another of my favorites.
This vegetarian tamale pie is an all-dressed-up cornbread base, drizzled with enchilada sauce, and layered with plant-based meat, cheese and more enchilada sauce.
Or make this Jiffy Mexican cornbread made super easy with Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix. It's moist and tender from the addition of sour cream and creamed corn, and kicked up with a just a little chilies.
This recipe is a Mexican twist on a skillet corn pudding by adding a roasted poblano chile to the corn mixture. It bakes up with a fabulous soufflé consistency.
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Mexican Sweet Cornbread (Tomalito)
Equipment
- 9" X 13" baking dish or any baking dish that can hold the 8" X 8" baking dish for steaming
Ingredients
- 6 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup masa harina
- ½ cup fine or medium cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups fresh or frozen corn, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325˚F. Butter an 8" X 8" baking dish, and heat up 2 quarts of water in the microwave or on the stove. The water will be use for steaming the tomalito cornbread in the oven. Pull out a baking dish that the 8" X 8" baking dish will fit into for steaming. Note: The smaller dish will be filled with the tomalito batter, and will sit inside the larger dish, and the larger dish will be partly filled with the heated water. The whole arrangement will be covered with foil for steaming.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and mix as well as you can for another 5 minutes. The butter and milk won't completely mix together, and you'll need to stop the mixer a few times to remove the butter from the paddle attachment.
- In a separate medium bowl, Whisk together the masa harina, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add to the mixing bowl holding the butter-sugar-milk mixture.
- Puree half of the corn in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Add to the rest of the ingredients, along with the remaining whole corn kernels.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Place the dish in a 9" X 13" baking dish and add the hot water to the larger dish, about ⅓ up the sides of the smaller dish. Cover everything with foil.
- Bake for 90 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake until the tomalito cake is firm, about 20 - 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- This dish is also great reheated.
Christopher Baccus
Tomalitos are so good and I'm always looking for new ways to use them. Can't wait to try this.
Janet
I admit I do subscribe to other food blogs but I look forward to yours the most because I always LOVE your recipes because they make me think and cook outside the box. I love the hunt for different ingredients and enjoying cooking with them. I feel more confident now and am not so afraid to cook with different spices . Can you please tell me what massa harina is. I looked through the blog but I'm sorry I don't know what it is. Would I go to a specialty supermarket for it.Keep up the great recipes....the one's I have tried...loved them as did hubby and he's a carnivore. Thank you!
Chris Baccus
Masa Harina is corn flour that is used for tamales and corn tortillas. Bob's Red Mill sells it and they are available in a lot of markets. It's better though if you can find a Spanish market that sells it fresh.
And thank you so much for that wonderful feedback about my blog. It's great having a community of bloggers like us doing more vegetarian options. I look forward to trying more your dishes. Thanks again!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Hi Janet! Thanks so much for your comment! I really appreciate it. Masa harina is a type of fine corn four that has a distinctive taste versus regular corn flour because of how it's processed. Essentially to make masa harina, corn is dried and cooked in water with slaked lime, ground and dried again. It's a prime ingredient when making tortillas. Don't be tempted to substitute regular corn flour for masa harina. I find it in the same section of the store that sells corn flour. You can also purchase it on Amazon. Hope that helps. This fish is a big crowd pleaser.
Liz
I have no idea what a tomalito is but yours looks amazing!!! And if this passes the grandchildren taste testing, it must taste pretty fabulous, too 🙂
Teri@The Freshman Cook
This looks soooo good! I have not been to Chevy's in years, but it was always one of my favorites. My son loved the fresh made tortillas when he was little. I think I had the sweet corn tomalito, but I can't wait to try yours! YUM-O!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
So sweet. 🙂
I don't know what Chevy's is, but this casserole sounds delicious!
michelle @ Boards&Knives
Oh. My. Goodness! Thank you for posting this! I've loved tomalito since I was little but I had no idea what it was called or how to make it until now! I'm so happy - I will be making this for sure!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Michelle! I love it too!!!
DB, Foodie Stuntman | Crazy Foodie Stunts
Glad it was grandkid approved! We missed you at #FWCon this year....
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks DB! I missed you guys too. Really hoping to be able to go next year!
mjskitchen
I did not know this dish was called a tomalito. I've always called it sweet corn mush. I guess that's the southern girl in me. 🙂 I love this dish and haven't made it in quite a while. That's going to change. So glad you selected this recipe to share!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I didn't know either, MJ! I just always thought of it as sweet corn cake. My then 8-year-old grandson was the one who set me straight ?
mjskit
Sounds like your grandson is already on the path to being a real foodie. 🙂
Sarah E.
That looks so good! It reminds me a bit of a corn casserole that my mom-in-law makes 🙂
Valerie Cathell Clark
My family would love this one too! I'm trying this soon! I've never had this dish before, but I'm a huge fan of sweet corn! YUM!
Constance Smith
So many restaurants I have never been to or heard of, but this dish looks yummy!
Marion@LifeTastesGood
I have not had this before, but I'm glad you shared this recipe. It sounds delicious!
Shelby
I am quite certain I would love this recipe! Sounds yummy!
Jessica
I think I'd probably vote for this over kale too! It looks delicious!!
Kirsten
Susan,
I live under a rock, because I don't know what Chevy's or tomalitos are, but this looks delicious. It's a very timely post since we've got plenty of corn coming in the farm share and the farmer's market and I'm putting some up in the freezer every week.
Thanks!
Marilynn Nichols
Curous! How does this freeze. I've made it before, but eaten within a day or so of making it.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I've never frozen it. I make it when the kids are coming to visit, and it gets all eaten within a day. But it's a great question. Next time I make it, which will be soon, I'll try to freeze part and let you know!