Southern Cornbread Recipe
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 eye.
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. 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.
If self rising cornmeal mix isn’t available where you live, try this homemade version.
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.
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 and mashed potato cakes, chicken pot pie, or just butter and jam.
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 or an equivalent amount of refined coconut oil, bacon grease or lard
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for the skillet if using cast iron; an equivalent amount of refined coconut oil, bacon grease or lard will substitute
- 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 information based on the use of refined coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil.
Nutrition
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I ended up on this site in a roundabout way and I am enjoying these comments so much! I have some self rising flour and want to make ‘cornmeal’ biscuits. In a regular biscuit recipe I usually sub in some cornmeal, but in this case I figure it should be ‘self-rising cornmeal, so I am happy to find your recipe. As to the cornbread discussion, I am from Maryland and never thought that my mother’s cornbread was sweet at all. Then I went to North Carolina and traveled the South and it seemed all the cornbread was overly sweet, like cake, so I mistakenly thought that was true Southern cornbread. Now I see that it is as varied as people are. I’ve altered ‘my’ recipe over the years to sub in buttermilk with 1/4 tsp baking soda, reduce the sugar to 2 TB, and use 1/2 butter and 1/2 oil. Sometimes I sub in 1/2 sour cream to get an incredible texture, and sometimes I use a bit of coarser cornmeal for more crunch. However, I am looking forward to trying your method with less flour, 1/4 cup hot oil in the skillet and omitting all sugar. Tonight however, it will be cornmeal biscuits (maybe with cheese)! Thanks for sharing your heritage.
this was awful. I cant even begin to describe how bad this tasted. tried to pass it off on the dog who wanted no part of it. My wife said she wont do that again.
Brian! That’s awful! Fill me in on brands you used, method, etc. This is a pretty typical southern cornbread backed up by a lot of people who grew up eating it. What kind of cornbread are you used to eating? –Rachel
@Rachel Ballard, I’d bet you my last Moonpie regular cornmeal was used without salt.
This is very much like what I have had all my life. I have run into the problem of not being able to find my favorite (or any) cornmeal mixes on the shelves during this pandemic, so I have had to branch out into making my own “mix” for baking. I have been using equal parts cornmeal and self-rising flour and adding an extra teaspoon of baking powder to the “mix”. I have also had a hard time finding buttermilk – which is a huge part of the flavor component. My mom taught me to create a faux “buttermilk” by adding two (2) teaspoons of some acid like lemon juice, vinegar, pickling juice, etc to 1 cup of milk at least 5 minutes before adding it to any recipe (stir thoroughly before adding) that’s calls for buttermilk. As for flavor, a couple of things: 1) a cast iron skillet that is properly seasoned imparts it’s own component to flavor; 2) this recipe is essentially the equivalent of a basic pancake recipe: use it as a base for adding flavors. You just have to compensate for anything that will add too much moisture by reducing the milk or adding a touch more cornmeal. Example: I make a jalapeño-cheddar cornbread and use the pickled jalapeño juice from a jar as my acid to make “buttermilk” Andy then add a cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese to the batter before pouring into the hot skillet. Thank you for putting this recipe online because I wanted to see how other southern cooks were handling the grocery store shortages of some of the ingredients. You rock!
Looks so delicious! I’ve wanted to try skillet cornbread for awhile and thought I would give it a shot on New Year’s Day, but my cast iron skillet is 12 inches. Any idea how to adapt your recipe for a 12-inch skillet? Thank you from North Carolina!
You’d have to mix enough for half of North Carolina Karen. Probably double the original recipe. That’s a LOT. hahaha! –Rachel
@Karen, LOL. I didn’t know that an alternate method of using anything but cast iron. I guess you could use a baking pan but one shouldn’t. Marv
Can you use bacon drippings/grease with the vegetable oil?
Absolutely!
This is wonderful cornbread. Going to use it for dressing tomorrow. Any recommendations on heating cast iron skillet in the oven before pouring in batter? My stove manufacturer does not recommend using cast iron on stovetop. When I put 1/4 oil in skillet, do I put in cold oven and gradually heat up or wait till oven is at 400?
Pre heat your oven and put the skillet and oil in for 7…maybe 10 minutes just don’t let your oil smoke then pour in your batter.Cast iron doesn’t mind going in a hot oven–and get rid of that glass top stove 😉 –Rachel
This is just like my grandmother’s recipe and I love it. My father in law on the other hand was raised in Florida. Some of his family lives on the reservation there. They put Orange juice instead of buttermilk so I can understand when some in the South say they have sugar in their cornbread. Just depends on what part. The indians were making this before it really became the South.
I’m from Ga & wasn’t raised on sweet cornbread but I like it now. I live in Las Vegas & I haven’t been able to find “Cornmeal Mix” (other than jiffy etc.) I ordered it on the internet but it was expensive. This is the recipe my mama gave me!
Kathy I have a recipe for cornmeal mix here on the site you can make next time. 🙂
@Kathy,
I needed a bunch of cornbread and knew almost all that I needed but everything else adds so dang much, until it’s cake and not cornbread lol
Thank you as I have two huge cast iron skillets with this cornbread in my oven now.
Gotta get my dressing going and this is perfect
Thank you
IG @blacksheepsrecover
OMG!! I have been trying to find a recipe that mimicked how my grandma made hers for YEARS!! All I can ever find is the sweet cornbread recipes ??! I’m sooooo excited!!! Thank you! I can’t wait to make this!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well I certainly hope it stands up to those memories. Lots of readers have felt that this recipe was pretty on target with what a lot of grandmas were doing several decades ago. Fingers crossed it works for you. –Rachel
I’m neither from the North nor the South so I have no basis upon which to judge a cornbread. I could not find cornmeal mix so I made it with actual cornmeal and followed your mix recipe too. Your video says to bake for 15-18 minutes but the printed instructions say 25-30 minutes. I started to check with a toothpick at the 15 minute mark and eventually took it out of the oven at 23 minutes. The top was not browned but I served it upside-down so it didn’t matter. The texture was really nice but I thought it was not savory enough. Is Southern cornbread supposed to be bland? This is an honest question. Thank you this recipe and I plan to use it again.
The first thing to know about me, is that whenever I’m filming a YouTube video I don’t have a script. I’m just talking from what’s in my mind and I will often give cook times that vary from what’s in the recipe. Above all always follow the recipe. I’m trying to get better at this! LOL.
And I fully appreciate your question about the blandness. I have to say that as a lifelong southerner, this is the only cornbread recipe I’ve really ever eaten. However, I’m basing my response on the replies of many other true southerners who feel like this recipe is accurate. We do not make a habit of eating a lot of bland food around here, so my next question to you is this–What cornbread have you had before? If you are used to eating a box of Jiffy mix, or another processed version, it’s very common for there to be a lot of additives, preservatives, flavor enhancers, and sugar in them that tell your brain to feel satisfied. If you’ve never made a version from scratch, (and this goes with any recipe made from scratch compared to a boxed version), it is not uncommon for your brain to not feel satisfied by that food.
This is not me failing to take the blame for a bland recipe, but a true possibility. You’re always welcome to add a little sugar if you think you need it or perhaps even a dash more salt, but the majority of the people who use this recipe agree it is accurate and true to what we eat in the South. Thank you for your respectfulness in asking the question! -Rachel
Cornbread is not supposed to be bland. A little salt (half teaspoon) goes in the batter…
Salt is in the mix. I’ve never found it bland if the ingredients are followed PLUS we need to remember that the American palate is inherently addicted to sugar and flavor enhancers therefore lots of people struggle with not getting that hit of additives their brain craves when they make something homemade vs. from a box. –Rachel