Ana
Ana is a Southern stay-at-home mom of three who bakes the way most people breathe — constantly, naturally, without making a fuss about it. She shows up at new neighbors’ doors with a tin of cookies before the boxes are even unpacked, and she has never once come home from a potluck with anything left in her dish. She Brings Food is where she puts the recipes her family counts on and her neighbors keep asking for.
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
I feel strongly about cornbread. It should not be sweet. It should be made in cast iron. It should have a crackled, golden crust on the bottom from the hot buttered skillet and a tender crumb inside. These are not preferences. These are convictions I hold and will continue to hold, and I am not having a debate about them.
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread — crunchy golden crust from the cast iron, tender crumb inside. Not sweet. Southern cornbread the way it is supposed to be made. If you’ve only ever had the sweet, cakey, baking-dish version of cornbread, this recipe is going to show you something completely different and significantly better.
The cast iron is not optional. The hot skillet is what creates the crust that a regular pan cannot produce. If you don’t have cast iron, I understand. You can still make this in a regular pan and it will be good. Just know you’re one good cast iron skillet away from the real thing.
My family would eat this with every meal if I let them. The butter goes on hot, melts immediately, and pooling into the crumb is one of the better arguments for simple Southern cooking that exists.
Why This Recipe Works
Heating the cast iron skillet with butter before adding the batter creates two things: an instant sizzle when the batter hits the pan, which starts the bottom crust immediately, and a buttered surface that produces that golden, slightly crispy bottom that is the defining characteristic of properly made Southern cornbread. A cold pan gives you no crust. Hot pan, hot butter, pour and bake.
Buttermilk in the batter gives traditional Southern cornbread its characteristic tang. Combined with baking soda (which reacts with the buttermilk acid), the batter rises properly and produces a tender crumb without being cakey or sweet. Whole milk can substitute but the flavor is different.
No sugar. I’ve already stated my position on this. The corn flavor stands on its own. Sugar changes the character of the cornbread from a savory Southern side dish to something that belongs on a dessert plate. Not what we’re making here.
Ingredients
Cast Iron Cornbread
- 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (2 for pan, 2 for batter)
How to Make It
1
1 Heat the Cast Iron
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Heating the skillet is the technique. This is not a step you can skip.
2
2 Make the Batter
Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and whisk into the wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir until just combined.
3
3 Butter the Hot Pan and Pour
Carefully remove the hot cast iron from the oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter — it should sizzle and melt immediately. Swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter in. The sizzle is the crust beginning to form. Don’t rush this step.
4
4 Bake
Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges will pull away from the sides of the skillet when done. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before cutting. Serve warm with real butter.
Things I’ve Learned From Making This Too Many Times to Count
Heat the cast iron before pouring the batter in. This is the technique. A cold pan gives you no crust. A hot pan gives you the golden, slightly crispy bottom that makes this cornbread what it is.
Don’t make it sweet. I know there are sweet cornbread recipes and I know some people prefer them. This is not that cornbread. This is savory Southern cornbread made to go alongside soup, beans, collard greens, and fried chicken. It is not a muffin. It does not need sugar.
Buttermilk, not regular milk. Buttermilk reacts with baking soda and gives the cornbread rise and tang. Regular milk makes a flatter, less flavorful cornbread. Use buttermilk.
Serve hot. Warm cornbread with butter that melts on contact is one of the better simple pleasures I know. Cold cornbread is still good. Hot cornbread is better. Serve it hot.
I feel strongly about cornbread. It should not be sweet. It should be cast iron. These are convictions and I will hold them.
What to Serve With Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Alongside Southern Collard Greens and Southern Baked Beans is the classic Southern plate. Crumbled into a glass of cold buttermilk is how old-timers in the South have been eating cornbread for a hundred years and there’s a reason for that. Also excellent alongside any soup or stew in this collection.
Variations Worth Trying
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread: Add 1 diced jalapeño and 1 cup shredded cheddar to the batter. The heat and cheese combination against the savory cornbread is exceptional.
With Cracklins: Add ½ cup pork cracklins to the batter. Traditional Southern addition that adds crunch and smoky pork flavor throughout.
Skillet Cornbread Muffins: Use a cast iron muffin pan and bake at 425°F for 12 to 14 minutes. Individual portions, same cast iron crust technique.
Brown Butter Cornbread: Brown the butter before adding to the batter. The nutty depth against the corn is remarkable. Use what you’ve got — this recipe has manners, it won’t fuss.
Storage and Reheating
Wrap cooled cornbread in foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat wrapped in foil in a 325°F oven for 10 minutes. Individual slices can be toasted in a skillet with butter for a crispy exterior. Cornbread freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in a skillet.
FAQ
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
You can substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1½ cups whole milk and letting it sit 5 minutes. This simulates buttermilk’s acidity. Or use plain yogurt thinned with a little water. Real buttermilk gives the best result and is worth keeping on hand if you bake Southern food regularly.
I don’t have cast iron. What pan can I use?
An 8×8 or 9-inch square baking pan preheated in the oven for 5 minutes with a tablespoon of butter gets you close to the cast iron result. A standard baking pan without preheating gives you a softer bottom crust. The cast iron is worth investing in if you cook Southern food regularly.
Why is my cornbread gritty?
Usually from coarse-ground cornmeal rather than finely ground. Coarse cornmeal gives a grittier texture. For a finer, more tender crumb, use finely ground cornmeal. Both are traditional in different parts of the South — it’s a matter of preference and what you can find locally.
Ana
Ana is a Southern stay-at-home mom of three who bakes the way most people breathe — constantly, naturally, without making a fuss about it. She shows up at new neighbors’ doors with a tin of cookies before the boxes are even unpacked, and she has never once come home from a potluck with anything left in her dish. She Brings Food is where she puts the recipes her family counts on and her neighbors keep asking for.