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
What size cast iron skillet do you use for the cornbread? Can I use another type of pan? … I have been looking for a recipe that doesn’t use sugar – finally… thank you! I love it crumbled in milk too… I grew up eating the leftovers with my dad after supper, so it reminds me of him.
Catherine, I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet for my cornbread. You could use another type pan if you don’t have a cast iron one. I just prefer my cast iron. Cornbread crumbled in milk was always so good, especially if eating it with your dad.
Hi
What size skillet for this recipe? And is it black cast iron? I have a 12 inch cast iron.
Thank you.
I am looking forward to this particular recipe
I use a 12-inch black iron skillet to make this cornbread, Laurette. Hope you enjoy!
Excellent! Used for my southern dressing recipe! I also cut a side piece from it to have for me to eat with buttermilk in honor of my beautiful southern grandparents! I felt like they were with me saying: yes, yes, that’s it baby…thank you, for honoring our great memories surrounding our love of family and food! Bless you!
I love that this cornbread brought back great memories, Pammela.
I live in a rural area of the Pacific Northwest and can’t find “self-rising cornmeal,” so I added baking powder and salt. The final result was Ab-Fab! I’m saving this recipe as my go-to from now on. Thank you sharing these southern staples.
Dori, I’m glad you were able to make your own cornmeal and then make your cornbread. So happy you loved the recipe.
The cornbread and the dressing are amazing! This will be the third year in a row making the dressing for Thanksgiving this way. I have turned my northern relatives away from Jiffy…lol!
I’m so glad you love both the cornbread and the dressing, Guy, and glad your northern relatives do, too!
On the dressing recipe….. Do I use Cornbread AND the 3 biscuits and bread?
You would use the cornbread and the biscuits or the cornbread and the bread slices, Dory. Hope you enjoy!
This was a major hit!!! My family enjoyed the cornbread dressing. I used the corn bread recipe for the dressing. My husband and kids told me that it was great to be my first time making dressing. 😊😊😊. Thanks so much!!!
Don’t you just love it when your husband and kids love a dish you make? I’m so glad your dressing turned out so well for you, Tyeshia.
My mother in law is from Kentucky and she makes this. With the exception that she pours some of the grease in the batter and stirs it up then throws it in the skillet. Makes a big difference!
Robyn, I’ve made this recipe twice and have to substitute cream of chicken for cream of celery and instead of chicken broth I have to use pork broth. Everything else is the same. For some reason it takes hours to get done and I have to keep stirring the center. What can I do differently to make it more dense? It tastes great once it’s finally done.
Renee, the substitutions you are making for the cornbread dressing should not make a difference. There are a few reasons this is not cooking as it should. Are you separating the recipe into 2 9×13 pans or are you trying to bake it in one large pan? It will take forever to cook in one large pan. If you are using canned soup, it only takes 2 cans. Make sure you don’t dilute the soup. Did you make the full recipe of cornbread because it will take all of it for this recipe or it will be too soupy. This is a moist dressing and will not be really firm. I hope this helps.
I made the cornbread recipe recommended, the cream of chicken came out to about 3 cans which is what I used. I also used 4 slices of white bread. I baked at 400 degrees for 1 hr and it was perfect. Crisp edges but still crumbly and moist! I have searched forever for a recipe like this! I’m so excited and will definitely be making this every holiday!! I am a born and raised Texas and this was on point! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Pamela, I’m so glad you loved the dressing.