Easy, Homemade Classic Southern Cornbread

Easy, Homemade Classic Southern Style Cornbread is the best, traditional cast iron skillet cornbread recipe made from scratch. This old fashioned, soul food staple is made with cornmeal and buttermilk and is served sweet or savory (with no sugar) and with a moist interior.  Feel free to add corn or use the batter for muffins!

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FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST. BEFORE YOU SCROLL, THERE’S IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG POST.

I have been graciously gifted a cast iron wedge pan skillet from Lodge. I tried out the pan in this recipe. All opinions are my own.

I have always been terrible at cutting and slicing into baked goods. I think I get nervous and the ability to cut even slices of cake or even country cornbread has always been intimidating.

Using this wedge pan has worked wonders! I generally coat it will oil and butter and nothing sticks! It’s a lifesaver and will definitely produce pretty cornbread if you are serving it for guests for Thanksgiving or any holiday.

How to Make Southern Style Cornbread

1. Add melted butter to a cast iron wedge pan.
2. Mix self-rising cornmeal, optional sugar or sweetener, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Stir.
4. Pour the mixture into the wedge pan.
5. Bake.

Baking Temperature

The cornbread should be baked in the oven on 400 degrees.

What Kind of Cornmeal to Use

I like to use self-rising cornmeal mix. Cornbread is usually made with a mix of cornmeal and flour. A self-rising mix will combine the two.

Self-Rising Cornmeal Mix

Self-rising cornmeal is used in this recipe because it is already mixed with self-rising all-purpose flour (which produces AMAZING cornbread). I recommend you purchase your own, it’s available here on Amazon.

You can make your own by combining 2 cups of cornmeal, 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. You can read more about How to Make Self Rising Cornmeal here.

Do You Have to Use a Cast Iron Skillet?

My firm opinion is yes if you want the best tasting cornbread, especially one with a crispy crust. A cast iron will also cook the cornbread more evenly. But you can still use this recipe without a cast iron. You can use an 8×8 baking dish/cake pan.

The cornbread will taste much better using a cast iron skillet and it traditionally prepared using one.

Do You Have to Use Baking Powder?

In this recipe, the baking powder is already mixed with the cornmeal mix. In general, baking powder is needed in order for the cornbread to rise.

Why Does My Cornbread Crumble?

Southern cornbread is meant to crumble some, period. However, you should be able to slice it and remove pieces from the pan. It should crumble, but it shouldn’t be crumbly. It will begin to crumble as you are eating it.

Be sure not to over mix the batter when you combine the dry and wet ingredients. This is a common baking rule of thumb. Over-mixing will lead to large cracks in the crust and a lot of crumble. Only mix well enough to combine the ingredients.

Why is Cornbread Popular in the South?

Cornbread is so popular because it pairs wonderfully with southern food staples like Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, Southern Mustard Greens Collard Greens, Southern Green Beans, Red Beans and Rice, Tamale Pie, Instant Pot Cabbage, and Louisiana Gumbo.

Click here for a complete list of Southern Soul Food Recipes.

Recipe Tips

• To get a really crispy crust, be sure to add your batter to a piping hot, buttered skillet.
• This recipe will produce cornbread that has a crispy crust and somewhat crumbly interior. Southern cornbread is typically a little crumbly, as it pairs well with chili, collard greens, stews, and more.
• The use of sugar or sweetener is OPTIONAL in this recipe. Using 1/2 cup will produce cornbread with a hint of sweetness. If you like really sweet cornbread, consider adding a cup of sugar or sweetener.
• You can use vegetable oil instead of butter if you wish.
• If you are not using a cast iron skillet, simply grease an 8×8 pan using the melted butter and add the batter.
• Self-rising cornmeal is used in this recipe because it is already mixed with self-rising all-purpose flour (which produces AMAZING cornbread). I recommend you purchase your own, it’s available here on Amazon. You can make your own by combining 2 cups of cornmeal, 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
• You can substitute/make your own buttermilk if you wish by combining milk and vinegar (or lemon). Get instructions on How to Make a Buttermilk Substitute here.
• Cornbread is best served hot and fresh, but can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time.
• I store leftover cornbread in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• To freeze the cornbread, wrap it in foil or in plastic wrap for 2-3 months.

More Cornbread Recipes

Honey Cornbread
Air Fryer Cornbread
Keto Low Carb Cornbread
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Sweet Potato Biscuits

Get a full listing of Soul Food Thanksgiving Recipes here.