Southern Soul Food 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. Cornbread
Experience the ultimate Southern cornbread, baked in a hot cast-iron skillet for an irresistibly crunchy crust and a tender, buttery crumb. The perfect companion for soaking up savory gravies and stews.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat the Skillet: Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet into the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Allowing the skillet to get screaming hot is the secret to a crispy crust.
- 2
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- 3
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten, then stir in the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of melted butter until well combined.
- 4
Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to fold them together just until moistened. Do not overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine.
- 5
Sizzle the Butter: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, swirling the skillet until the butter melts, foams, and coats the bottom and sides.
- 6
Bake: Immediately pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet (it should sizzle on contact). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with extra butter.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
66/100
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 serving400
Calories
12 g
Protein
54 g
Carbs
16 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 descends from Native American corn cookery that early Southern settlers and enslaved cooks adapted into a daily staple, since cornmeal was cheap and abundant where wheat was not. The true Southern style is savory and barely sweet, baked in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet so the batter hits sizzling butter and sets a crackling crust on contact.
Listahan note
This version preheats the cast-iron skillet empty until it is screaming hot and sizzles butter in it before the batter goes in, so the bottom and edges crisp the instant the batter lands.
Technique cues
- Heating the empty skillet in the oven first is the whole trick; the batter must sizzle on contact to form the crackly crust.
- Folding the wet into the dry only until moistened keeps the crumb tender, since overmixing develops the flour's gluten and toughens it.
- The buttermilk reacts with the baking soda for lift and tang, which is why both buttermilk and soda appear rather than milk alone.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Mix the wet and dry bowls while the empty skillet heats so you can combine and bake the instant it is hot.
- Make-ahead
- Whisk the dry mix ahead and store it, then add wet ingredients just before baking for the freshest rise.
- Leftover move
- Crumble day-old cornbread into a bowl of pot liquor or buttermilk, a traditional Southern snack.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Wipe the cast iron warm, scrape stuck bits, and re-oil lightly rather than soaking it in water.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
yellow cornmeal
Main grain
Purpose: It gives the bread its corn flavor and characteristic slightly gritty crumb.
Handling: Use fine or medium grind and whisk with the other dry ingredients before mixing.
Adaptation: Stone-ground cornmeal gives a coarser, more rustic texture and deeper corn taste.
full-fat buttermilk
Acid and moisture
Purpose: Its acidity activates the baking soda for rise and lends the savory tang of true Southern cornbread.
Handling: Whisk into the beaten eggs and melted butter until combined.
Adaptation: Whole milk soured with a tablespoon of vinegar approximates the tang and the leavening reaction.
eggs
Binder
Purpose: They hold the crumb together and add richness so the bread is not crumbly.
Handling: Beat first, then whisk in the buttermilk and butter.
Adaptation: A flax egg can bind it but the crumb turns denser and less tender.
unsalted butter
Fat and crust-maker
Purpose: The skillet butter sizzles to form the crust while the batter butter enriches the crumb.
Handling: Melt a quarter cup for the batter and reserve 2 tablespoons to foam in the hot skillet.
Adaptation: Bacon drippings in the skillet give a smoky, savory crust in place of the butter.
baking powder and baking soda
Leavening
Purpose: Together they give a quick, even rise; the soda specifically pairs with the buttermilk's acid.
Handling: Whisk into the dry ingredients so they distribute evenly.
Adaptation: If using sweet milk instead of buttermilk, drop the soda and rely on baking powder alone.
Technique notes
- Get the skillet truly hot before the batter goes in; a lukewarm pan gives a pale, soft bottom instead of a crust.
- Stop mixing the moment the batter comes together, lumps and all, to keep the crumb tender.
- Bake immediately after combining wet and dry so the leavening's lift is not wasted before it hits the oven.
Ingredient swaps
- Egg-free direction
- Replace each egg with a flax egg; the bread holds together but bakes denser and slightly more crumbly.
- Dairy-free direction
- Use soured almond or oat milk for the buttermilk and oil or vegan butter for the skillet and batter.
- Gluten-free direction
- Swap the half cup of all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend; the corn flavor carries the rest.
Serve alongside
- Stewed collard greens for the pot liquor
- Black-eyed peas
- A bowl of chili
- Smothered pork chops
- Iced sweet tea
- Cold buttermilk
- Black coffee
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Reheat wrapped in foil in a 350F oven, or toast a split piece in butter to re-crisp.
- Freeze whole or in wedges up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Equipment
- 10-inch cast-iron skillet
- Two mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon
- Wire whisk
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Cornbread to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
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