Cornforth was named the Australian of the Year in 1975, jointly with Maj. Gen. Alan Stretton. In 1977, Cornforth was recognised by his alma mater, the University of Sydney, with the award of an honorary Doctor of Science. Cornforth's other awards and recognitions follow:
* Davy Medal (1968)
* Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1953
* Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE; 1972)
* Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1975)
* Royal Medal (1976)
* Knight Bachelor (1977)
* Corresponding Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1977)
* Foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (since 1978)
* Copley Medal (1982)
* Companion of the Order of Australia (AC; 1991)
* Centenary Medal (2001)
Cornforth's certificate of election for the Royal Society reads: