Southern Cornbread Recipe
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This easy family Southern cornbread recipe is delicious and crispy yet tender! Made in cast iron skillet with 5 ingredients and ready in 30 minutes!
Looking for more easy bread recipes? I think you’ll love my angel biscuits, sandwich bread recipe, and this 4-ingredient, no-yeast Irish soda bread.
Southern cornbread is a delicious food that’s part of my Southern heritage, and when you taste this recipe, you will know why. It’s part of my heirloom Southern Cornbread Dressing, a bowl of classic chili, perfect with a Pinto Bean supper, and the best thing to partner with my vegetable soup. And you can never go wrong with taking a slice or two, slathering it with butter, and maybe even giving it a drizzle of honey.
Table of Contents
Homemade Cornbread Recipe
Southern Cornbread is a classic side dish that is also a must in traditional southern cooking. Generations of cooks in my family have made it this way. And without a doubt in my mind, a good cornbread recipe is an essential part of so many southern meals. But this cornbread recipe is special – no dry cornbread is accepted here.
Since watching my grandmother and mother make it and now making it more times than I can count myself, there’s a certain way to make great homemade southern cornbread – and I believe this is it!
This family recipe only has five ingredients. And it does not contain sugar. If you want to add a pinch, I won’t stop you, but it’s not a part of how I make this recipe.
What Skillet Makes The Best Cornbread?
A hot, greased cast iron skillet makes the best cornbread! It gives the cornbread a crispy, golden exterior that is the hallmark of a great southern cornbread. While golden and crispy on the outside, this cornbread is tender and delicious on the inside.
A cast iron skillet is a treasure and can be used for generations! I’ve shared tips and information about caring for them, including how to clean and how to season them.
How to Make Cornbread Recipe
In addition to a cast iron skillet, you’ll need:
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Cornmeal – This recipe uses finely ground self-rising cornmeal. If you aren’t able to find it or prefer to use regular cornmeal, see how to make this recipe using regular cornmeal in the Recipe Variations below.
- Flour – This recipe also uses self-rising flour. The addition of flour makes for a moist, tender, soft Southern cornbread.
- Eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate best into the cornbread batter.
- Buttermilk – adds such amazing flavor and adds to the tenderness of the bread.
- Water – lightens the batter for the perfect consistency in this tender and moist cornbread recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat. Preheat oven to 425º Fahrenheit.
Prep the Skillet. Coat a large iron skillet with enough butter to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet. Place the coated skillet into the oven for the butter to melt. Remove the skillet from the oven once it has melted. Swirl the skillet to make sure it is well coated. Leave any excess melted butter in the skillet.
Mix and Bake. Meanwhile, stir together the cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and water and pour into the hot skillet. The sizzling hot butter will rise along the edge of the cornbread batter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the bread has risen, is developing a golden brown color, and the center springs to the touch. Carefully remove from oven once done and place on a heat-proof surface.
Serve. Serve directly from the skillet by cutting into wedges or squares, or allow hot cornbread to stand for about 5 minutes and carefully flip cornbread out onto a serving plate and slice. Serve and enjoy plain or with a bit of butter. It’s also good drizzled with a bit of honey.
Recipe Variations
Southern Cornbread with Regular Cornmeal. If you use regular cornmeal, choose finely ground cornmeal in an equal amount used in the recipe. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons baking powder, and proceed with the recipe as written.
Cornbread Muffins. My family loves this easy and delicious cornbread muffin recipe. It is slightly sweetened with honey, but you can adjust the sweetness or completely omit it if you prefer. For my muffins, I like to use stone-ground cornmeal, as you’ll see in the recipe.
Storage Tips
To Make ahead: Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, cover tightly with wrap or foil. Store on the countertop for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Once cooked, allow the cornbread to cool completely. Then, portion into airtight, freezer-safe container(s) and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Thaw. Allow frozen cornbread on the counter to thaw overnight.
To Reheat and Serve. Reheat in oven or microwave until warm and serve.
What to Eat with Cornbread
It is delicious, crumbled in or eaten with a cold glass of milk, as my granddaddy enjoyed it at times, and it makes the perfect southern side dish.
It’s a must with turnip greens, black-eyed peas, and pinto beans and is simply perfect with chili and beef stew, too. Mimi’s Cornbread Salad Recipe is a tasty layered salad that we love for family gatherings. It’s delicious served alongside a pot roast and vegetables. There are so many ways to enjoy it!
Frequently Asked Questions
No. My southern cornbread recipe does not include any sugar. You can add it if you like.
Use a 12-inch cast iron skillet to make this recipe.
More Favorite Bread Recipes
Here’s my family’s Southern Cornbread Recipe. It is a treasure!
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (244 g) self-rising cornmeal
- 1 cup (113 g) self-rising flour
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2 cups (490 g) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (114 g) water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Coat large (12 inch) skillet with enough vegetable shortening or butter to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet. Place the coated oven into the oven for the butter or shortening to melt. Remove the skillet from oven once melted.
- Meanwhile, stir together the cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk and water and pour into the hot skillet. Return to the oven and bake about 25 minutes or until bread has risen and center springs to the touch.
- Serve directly from skillet or allow to stand about 5 minutes and flip onto a plate for serving.
Notes
Storage Tips
To Make ahead: Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, cover tightly with wrap or foil. Store on the countertop for up to 2 days. To Freeze: Once cooked, allow the cornbread to cool completely. Then, portion into airtight, freezer-safe container(s) and freeze for up to 3 months. To Thaw. Allow frozen cornbread on the counter to thaw overnight. To Reheat and Serve. Reheat in oven or microwave until warm and serve.Recipe Variations
Southern Cornbread with Regular Cornmeal. If you use regular cornmeal, choose finely ground cornmeal in an equal amount used in the recipe. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons baking powder, and proceed with the recipe as written. Cornbread Muffins. My family loves this easy and delicious cornbread muffin recipe. It is slightly sweetened with honey, but you can adjust the sweetness or completely omit it if you prefer. For my muffins, I like to use stone-ground cornmeal, as you’ll see in the recipe.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
So my husband bought me a cast iron skillet so I can make some of your recipes! Well he decided to make sausage in it and now it’s all orange – any idea what I can do? Once I hear it will it reasons and that will go away or do I need to do something else. I’m heartbroken! Any ideas would be great. Thank you!!
Hi Rebecca,
What a sweet gift! I know you will have many, many years of making delicious recipes in it! For your skillet, don’t worry! You can have it whipped back into shape in no time!
I have two posts that I written in the past for how to care for your cast iron skillet I’ll link them below for you.
1. How to Clean Your Cast Iron Skillet
2. How to Season Your Cast Iron Skillet
Robyn xo
Since this recipe calls for buttermilk do you need to add a little baking soda?
Hi Rhonda,
I make the recipe exactly as written. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Just made this for the first time – EXCELLENT – Thank you!
Thank you. Grandmother Verdie’s cornbread dressing has always one of my favorite parts of our holiday meals! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, too!
Sooo good. I’ve been looking for a good cornbread recipe for my husband who’s from Georgia. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoy it, Phyllis! Thanks!
This is the only recipe for cornbread I was taught it when learning to cook while growing up in the 70’s
I saw Southern Cornbread recipe & had to quickly check to see if sugar was added!! Being a Texas girl living in the pacific northwest for 40+ years I’m stilled horrified that people put sugar in cornbread!!! At restaurants I always ask “Is this cornbread or corncake?” I then have to explain that (as some one else said above) “sugar in cornbread is blasphemy”!! And I’m with your Granddad … there is nothing better than leftover cornbread with milk. Think I’ll be making cornbread today! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Is the cornmeal in this recipe actually cornmeal mix?
good afternoon ! i love this recipe
but why would you add flour also,to the cornbread mix ?
i usually follow the recipe ,on the back,of the cornmeal mix,to make the cornbread
Hi Bridget,
Great question! My Grandmother always added it to her cornbread to lighten the texture.
If you want sweet dressing just use jiffy cornbread mix and you have sweet dressing. Also you can use half jiffy and half corneal , it’s not difficult.
Hello! I just tried this recipe for the first time, and it was flawless. Texture, taste, everything!
However, my husband is a sweet cornbread lover. While he agreed that the texture can’t be beat, he wants to know if there’s anything I can do to turn this recipe from more savory to more sweet (apparently drizzling honey on it “isn’t the same”)
I’m not sure what quantity of which sweetener would be best without compromising the texture. Honey? Sugar? Something else? Even if the idea of sweet cornbread is blasphemy, I would dearly appreciate some guidance so that I can make him a sweet pan next time (and keep the regular one for myself)!
Thank you 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Thanks so much – I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’ve never made this cornbread as a sweet cornbread. My husband does sometimes butter it and add honey, but I never put sugar in mine. Thanks!