Is cornbread an issue of true debate? That depends on where you live. But for those of you who love a no-sugar, crispy skillet version this southern cornbread recipe is spot-on.
I have a theory about cornbread.
If you grew up north of the Ohio River or had a family member who taught you to cook who did, you will put sugar in your cornbread.
If you grew up south of the river, you don’t. You never realized I was so wise did you?
I grew up south and so did the cooks in my family so we don’t put sugar in our cornbread. In fact, the only thing sweet cornbread is good for to me is a corn dog. I’ll just pass if I have to eat it with sugar in it. Isn’t it funny how we get used to something tasting a specific way?
So I say that to say this: you CAN put sugar in my recipe and I will still work for you. I don’t know how much to tell you to put in though–you may just have to wing it.
And speaking of winging it, that’s what I realized that I do when I make this. Even when my mom taught me as a little girl, it was all by eyeball. If it’s too thick, add more milk. If it’s too thin, add more cornmeal mix.
I’m going to try to give you measurements, but just remember it should be just thicker than pancake batter. Get that down, and you’re good.
I kept wondering if this recipe was just too easy to share with you. Then I heard my friends talking about it one night–they use a (gasp) bagged mix that you just add water to.
Oh. We have a problem.
We need real cornbread.
If you’re gonna get out a mixing bowl and dirty a spoon, you might as well make it taste better than a bagged mix–that’s just my opinion.
My secrets to crispy southern cornbread
I use a self rising cornmeal mix. I’ve tried making it from true scratch and it was terrible. You can find self rising mix in your baking aisle with the flour. Don’t just buy a bag of cornmeal. You will call me mean names if you do. White Lily makes a good one.
And for the best crust–that golden crispy crust, you’ll need a cast iron skillet. You can make yours in another dish, but it just won’t be the same. Mom taught me to turn the cornbread over when it’s done (flip it out of the skillet while its raging hot) onto an oven mitt and put it back in the pan with the pretty, crispy side up. You can do that if you want to. I didn’t for this picture, but it does make it really pretty.The key to that crispy crust is to have your skillet screaming hot and plenty of oil in it when you pour in your batter. I heat mine on the stovetop, or you can heat your pan in the oven.
You can also skip that step if you don’t have cast and just lightly grease an 8×8 baking pan and bake it up that way.
Serve it warm with pinto beans, chicken pot pie, or just butter and jam.
Watch the full video on YouTube
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups self rising cornmeal mix not just plain cornmeal
- 2 eggs or 1 extra large egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for the skillet if using cast iron
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or regular milk Start with 1 cup of liquid if you are using regular milk and add the rest as necessary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- If you are using cast iron, place the 1/4 cup oil in the bottom of a 9" skillet and place over high heat on your stovetop while you make the batter.
- Pour the cornmeal into a bowl and add the oil, egg, and buttermilk.
- Mix until combined and drop a small amount into your skillet.
- If it sizzles immediately, go ahead and pour in your batter to within 1 inch of the top. If you want a thinner cornbread, just don't pour in as much.
- Transfer the skillet from the stove top to the hot oven.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden and set.
Notes
Bake as directed.
Nutrition
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Shyla Helms says
Best cornbread ever
Laura Anne Gomez says
Can I substitute the oil for butter? Will it produce a crispy crust?
Rachel Ballard says
Hey Laura, you can swap butter for the oil in the batter but not in the skillet. Butter doesn’t have a high enough smoke point for hitting that hot skillet and will burn almost instantly. –Rachel
Genie says
I’ve been using Sunflower Self-rising WHITE Corn Meal Mix for 50 years. I have experimented until got it absolutely awesomely perfect. This is light and fluffy and almost melts in you mouth and not heavy and still has a nice crust. I am famous for it in my neighborhood and with everyone I know. I love the white more than the yellow. I have always heated about 2 tablespoons (or a little less) of bacon grease in my iron skillet and then when it is hot in the skillet, I pour part of it in the mixture and stir then bake in the skillet. It does not taste like bacon.
Tonya says
Thank you for this. I haven’t tried it yet but every recipe I’ve looked up calls for sugar.. yuck!!! I’m about to try this one though..
Andrea says
This recipe seems to have the oil incorrect … It says 2 tablespoons in the batter and ¼ cup in the skillet. That makes the batter very thick and the batter float in oil in the pan.
Rachel Ballard says
Hey Andrea, nope it’s not wrong that’s just the method for getting the crust right. The cornbread batter itself should be thick–not like bread dough but not thin like pancake batter either. Then you put the 1/4 cup of oil in your cast iron skillet and heat it up really hot. When the batter hits it should sizzle (and yes, you’ll see some oil around the edges of the batter but not much) then stick it in the oven and it will make that awesome golden crust. If you were trying this in some other kind of baking dish or pan then I wouldn’t heat the oil. I’d just spray it lightly and add the batter and bake. You won’t get the crust but the flavor is decent enough. There’s a YouTube video available and linked at the bottom of the post if you’d like to take a look at how it works. Thanks! –Rachel
Ginger Wheeler says
This recipe certainly sounds like my Mommas. But her cornbread was yellow and she did use Buttermilk, cast iron skillet, Oil on recipe, and eggs. She use oil in the cast iron put it in the oven to get that skillet hot and made that cornbread sizzle. When she took it out turned it over on a towel to let it sweat for a few moments till the cornbread fell out all on one piece.
My question is will my Cornbread be yellow or white?
Rachel Ballard says
Well that depends on what color cornmeal is in your self rising cornmeal mix. Mine is typically yellow from the deep yellow farm eggs I use and the yellow cornmeal in the mix. –Rachel
Paulet says
Absolutely delicious and the crispy crust is perfect!
Rachel Ballard says
Glad to hear that Paulet!
Brandi says
Girl! First of all I live in Texas, but my family is from Mississippi. My Mam’ma made the best thin, crispy, cast iron, never sweet, never cakey cornbread. She mixed it up twice a day. I have tried and tried to get her recipe right and it never is. I do know the self rising cornmeal is the only way to go but I tend to over complicate everything else. Well, she’s in the oven and smells like i may have gotten it right. Smells like hush puppies when you pour that batter in. I owe you if this works out.
Rachel Ballard says
Brandi I truly hope it’s close. Now if you want yours thinner than this, just put less in the skillet (my husband likes his no more than an inch tall) and keep an eye on it because it will cook so much quicker. But I truly hope it was close to your mom’s. There have been lots of readers who said this version was what they had been looking for and I always say that anything that any food that reminds you of your childhood and the people you love is the perfect food. —Rachel