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 love adding chopped jalapeño peppers and chopped onions. Onions will make more liquid so adjust for it
I also take fried pork skin out of the bag, soak in buttermilk until softened and blend them in
There you are. Two different variations
There
Turned out great. Thank you.
Quick trick!! When using a cast iron skillet and oil is sizzling hot. Mix about a teaspoon of dry cornmeal in with grease. Immediately dump the batter on topThis makes the corn bread less likely to stick to the skillet and adds a “ extra crispy” crust!!
Yes I have a problem with my corn bread coming out dry, I use sift rising mix. What am I doing wrong?
Hey Theresa, well I’d have to see yours to really know, but the things that come to mind are: 1) Are you over cooking it? If you aren’t sure when it’s done, use a toothpick to check the center and pull it as soon as it’s clean. 2) You can add an extra egg if you’d like and see if that creates a texture you like more. 3) And finally, I assume you’ve had cornbread in it’s gloriously crumbly form and know it’s supposed to fall apart at least a little bit when you eat it. And after all, as long as it tastes good, just go with it! 🙂 –Rachel
Mix a little “wet” or add a extra egg. It also depends on oven temp.or amount of batter. I have better luck making thinner loafs or “pones” at around 425F for around 30- 40 min.
I’m going to try this tomorrow. The reason that plain cornmeal doesn’t work is because self-raising cornmeal MIX has flour in it as well as baking powder and salt. The White Lily one has wheat and malted barley flours as well and is made of white rather than yellow corn. My recipe from my Arkansas grandmother is packed somewhere and I have been trying various recipes. In my memory, in addition to not having sugar, hers was made of yellow cornmeal that was not the fine grind typical up here in the North. Except for popcorn and Rhode Island Jonnycakes (white flint corn) I usually prefer the yellow. A few months ago I made a gluten-free cookbook “jonnycake recipe” called for yellow cornmeal with my white cornmeal. It was awful.
Yes Donna. Yes. Yes. Yes. The mix has flour in it and that’s why it works. 😉 I think people overlook that or don’t know that there’s a mix out there to use. And in a lot of places it simply isn’t available. You can still make the cornbread without a mix, you just need to make self rising flour and then add it to the cornmeal. I hope you enjoy this version! –Rachel
I have used White Lily for years. When we moved to LasVegas, it was not here so I ordered it. Now I can’t find anywhere to get it. HELP
You know Helen, I don’t even use White Lily. I know everyone does but you can still make your own self rising cornmeal mix with flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. It would do the same thing. Poor Nevada…no White Lily. That’s sad. 😉 –Rachel
I just made some. It turned out GREAT! Love it. For the ones who say it is too crumbly, did they add the 2 Tablesspoons of oil?
I…LOVE…this recipe! Best scratch-made cornbread ever. I have two cast-iron skillets and made this recipe your way, and then made one modification (my way).
I was rendering down some pork jowl bacon for the collards I was making, so I strained the pork jowl fat and used it for the skillet oil called for in your recipe…MIND BLOWN!!!!
Definitely a must-try for an extra flavor added to an already perfect recipe!
Mmmm pork jowl! Any good meaty fat like that is bound to make everything better. I’m so glad you liked it! –Rachel
I have to agree with Hans, this cornbread definitely sucks the moisture out your mouth! It’s the closest recipe I found to my grandma’s cornbread. I like it, my family didn’t, so I won’t be making it again ?.
That’s what cornbread is though…it’s not cake. It’s cornbread. I’m not sure why people think it’s supposed to be cake?
This corn bread recipe made great tasting corn bread. I love it! Now… the not so good part. Very crumbly. Tried to feed my 3 years old this bread…. not so good. The whole floor, chair, hair … full of crumbs. Next time I would substitute with more flour and less cornmeal, maybe add more egg.
Hey Tari, thanks for your comment. I do have a question though: not trying to be snarky or anything…but have you had cornbread before? It’s always crumbly.Cornbread is not bread–not like you might think of it. Because of the cornmeal, any gluten formation is inhibited, making it crumbly and “short” is sort of the term people use for it. It’s not supposed to be soft like a muffin at all–but that said, it should not go to total powder on your plate either. If you want it to hold a bit more, just do one extra egg and not extra flour. –Rachel
Cornbread is crumbly. However, if you add a 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on how moist you like it…*** Also, my daughter choked on crumbly cornbread, so I made this adjustment) of room temperature cream cheese it will be very moist and not as crumbly.
Moist and somewhat buttery, but has the crumbliness and savoriness you’d expect from southern cornbread. This cornbread sucks the moisture out of your mouth (as to be expected), so I’d definitely serve this cornbread with chili or something.
I didn’t have self-rising cornmeal, so I did 2 cups regular cornmeal + 1 tsp baking powder + 1 tsp baking soda and the cornbread I made had good rise and wasn’t too dense. The 1/4 cup oil for the skillet felt like way too much. I ended up pouring some of the oil out and maybe left 1 Tbsp of oil in the skillet, certainly no more than 1.5 Tbsp. The cornbread came out of the skillet easy enough when it was done, and when I initially poured the batter into the skillet, there was enough oil that the batter was able to push it up onto the sides of the skillet.
That’s so funny Hans! “It sucks the moisture out of your mouth”–that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that but cornbread is on the dry side of course…I’m glad you liked it either way! –Rachel