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Soul food Southern homemade cornbread sliced with butter
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Classic Southern Cornbread (Easy and Homemade)

Easy, Homemade Classic Southern Style Cornbread is the best, traditional cast iron skillet cornbread recipe made from scratch. This old fashioned 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!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword cast iron skillet cornbread, soul food cornbread, southern cornbread
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16 slices
Calories 130kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs Beaten.
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk See notes for substitution.
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick) 1/2 stick, melted, measured solid.
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Used to grease the skillet/pan.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Next add in the eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, and buttermilk. Stir to combine.
    Be sure not to over mix the batter. Over-mixing will lead to large cracks in the crust and a lot of crumble. Only mix well enough to combine the ingredients.
  • Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow it to melt and then grease the entire skillet including the edges.
  • While the skillet is hot, pour the mixture into the cast iron skillet.
  • Remove the pan from the stove and place it in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and return clean.
  • I like to cool the cornbread completely prior to slicing and let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
  • A traditional method for removing the cornbread is to flip the cast iron skillet over and slice from there.

Video

Notes

  • To make the Cajun Cheddar version of this recipe add 1-2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (I use 2 because I like a big kick), 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, and 1-2 cups of honey, to balance out the spice (no other sweeteners necessary). No other baking changes or cook time changes are needed.
  • 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 8x8 pan using the melted butter and add the batter.
  • Self-rising cornmeal can be used in this recipe because it is already mixed with self-rising all-purpose flour (which produces AMAZING cornbread). You will need 2 cups to replace the corn meal, flour, and baking powder used. 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.
  • The nutrition facts below are calculated using an organic, zero-calorie monkfruit sweetener, as linked in the ingredients above

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g