Breads Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Buttermilk Cornbread
A moist, golden cornbread with crisp buttery edges from a sizzling-hot cast-iron skillet.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 400°F so the pan heats fully.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and 6 tablespoons melted butter until smooth.
- 4
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix or the cornbread will turn tough.
- 5
Carefully remove the hot skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Pour in the batter; it should sizzle on contact.
- 6
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 7
Cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares and serve warm with butter or honey.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
65/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving220
Calories
5 g
Protein
29 g
Carbs
10 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Cornbread grew out of Indigenous North American cooking, where ground corn was a daily staple long before wheat arrived, and it became central to Southern home cooking. The Southern style is traditionally savory and not sweet, baked in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet so the edges crisp into a craggy crust. Buttermilk is the regional signature, lending a tang that balances the corn's natural sweetness and reacting with baking soda for a tender rise.
Listahan note
This version stays true to the savory Southern style, leaning on buttermilk tang and a preheated skillet for crisp edges. It keeps the sugar restrained so the corn flavor leads.
Technique cues
- Preheat the greased skillet in the oven until it is smoking hot before pouring in the batter, because the sizzle on contact is what forms the prized crunchy crust.
- Stir the batter only until the dry streaks disappear, since overmixing develops gluten and turns the crumb tough instead of tender.
- Let the soda and buttermilk meet at the last moment and bake right away, so the acid-base reaction gives maximum lift.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Set the greased skillet in the oven to preheat while you whisk the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.
- Make-ahead
- Measure and whisk the dry ingredients ahead, then combine with the wet just before baking to protect the rise.
- Leftover move
- Crumble day-old cornbread into a skillet with butter and crisp it, or layer it into a breakfast bowl with eggs.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Wipe the cast iron while still warm and reseason lightly with oil rather than soaking it.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
cornmeal
flavor and texture
Purpose: It carries the toasty corn flavor and gives cornbread its signature slightly gritty, hearty crumb.
Handling: Use medium-grind for a balance of texture and tenderness; whisk it with the other dry ingredients.
Adaptation: Stone-ground cornmeal gives more rustic texture; finer grind makes a smoother, cakier crumb.
buttermilk
tang and leavening partner
Purpose: Its acidity balances the corn, tenderizes the crumb, and reacts with baking soda for a light rise.
Handling: Bring it to room temperature so it blends smoothly into the batter.
Adaptation: Stir a tablespoon of vinegar into milk and rest five minutes, or use plain yogurt thinned with water.
all-purpose flour
binding structure
Purpose: A portion of wheat flour holds the crumb together so the cornbread is not crumbly to the point of falling apart.
Handling: Whisk it with the cornmeal and leavening before adding wet ingredients.
Adaptation: Use a gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version, or all cornmeal for a more traditional crumbly bread.
baking soda
leavening
Purpose: It reacts with the buttermilk's acid to lift the batter quickly and keep the crumb tender.
Handling: Whisk it evenly through the dry mix so the cornbread rises uniformly.
Adaptation: Substitute baking powder if you have no buttermilk, since powder does not need an acid to work.
butter or bacon fat
crust and flavor
Purpose: Heated in the skillet, it crisps the edges and adds a savory richness that defines skillet cornbread.
Handling: Melt it in the hot skillet just before the batter goes in for an instant sizzling crust.
Adaptation: Use a neutral oil for a lighter version, though bacon fat gives the most authentic flavor.
Technique notes
- Listen for the batter to sizzle when it hits the hot skillet; if it is silent, the pan was not hot enough for a crisp crust.
- Pull the cornbread when a toothpick comes out clean and the edges have pulled from the pan to avoid a dry center.
- Rest it five minutes before cutting so the crumb sets and slices cleanly instead of crumbling.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace the wheat flour with a one-to-one gluten-free blend and the texture holds nicely.
- Dairy-free option
- Use vinegar-soured plant milk for the buttermilk and oil in place of butter.
- Sweeter direction
- Add a couple of spoons of honey or sugar for a Northern-style cornbread closer to cake.
Serve alongside
- Pot of collard greens
- Chili con carne
- Pulled pork
- Honey butter
- Sweet iced tea
- Cold buttermilk
- Amber ale
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keep cooled cornbread wrapped at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerated for four. Reheat slices in a buttered skillet or a 300F oven to recrisp the edges rather than microwaving, which steams them soft. It freezes well wrapped tightly for up to three months.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Oven mitts for the hot pan
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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