This Southern cornbread recipe is fluffy and lightly crumbly on the inside with a nice outer crust - pure perfection! Very easy to make, and your family will gobble it up hot from the oven with butter or as leftovers dipped in milk!
If you're wondering what goes good with cornbread, you will love it served with beans or soups like my Southern Black Eyed Peas with Collards, my Southern Homemade Chili, or my Ham and Bean Crockpot Soup. Cornbread is also fabulous served as a Thanksgiving side dish along with my Crockpot Green Bean Casserole.
Cornbread is also a great traditional Thanksgiving side dish that goes with anything and everything you're serving.
Cornbread is one of the best comfort foods due to being very hearty, filling, and satisfying. Leftovers make a delicious snack or light breakfast! You may also love my Easy Homemade Biscuits.
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💖 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy: This is a basic recipe for cornbread, but yet it doesn't skimp on flavor and texture (see the next point). Simple ingredients and easy to put together without a bunch of special formulas. Just measure, mix, pour, bake, and eat!
- Delicious: Far from ho-hum, this cornbread is fluffy on the inside with a nice crust on the outside - what everyone wants in a delicious Southern staple!
- Satisfying: Cornbread is a hearty, satisfying bread that goes well with most dishes. Can also stand alone as a simple, wholesome breakfast dipped in milk! Try my other bread recipes as well.
🥘 Ingredients For Southern Cornbread
Ingredient Notes:
- Cornmeal: I don't use self-rising cornmeal. If you do, you will need to leave out the salt and baking powder, and you recipe may turn out different than mine. I like using yellow cornmeal due to the vibrant color, but you can use white or even blue with this recipe (I have!)
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, as it doesn't have any rising agents in it.
- Milk: You can use regular milk or buttermilk - I've made the recipe both ways. Buttermilk does tend to give the bread a bit better rise. If using regular milk, I recommend whole milk due to the fat content, which will help the bread have a fluffier texture. You can turn regular milk into buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the milk for about 10 minutes before mixing in with the batter.
- Butter and/or bacon fat: You don't want to skimp on fat in this recipe. I recommend butter, bacon fat, or a combination of the two. You will melt it in the pan while the oven is heating up, and it will serve two purposes - melting the fat and greasing the pan so the bread doesn't stick (the preheating of the pan also helps with the not sticking).
(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)
📖 Substitutions / Additions
- Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but if using self-rising make sure to omit the salt and baking powder. I have not tested this cornbread with self-rising flour, so be aware of this if you choose to make this substitution (and let me know how it turns out in the comments below).
- You can add a cup of your favorite cheese to this recipe to make it zesty. Try cheddar, pepper Jack, or Swiss.
- Another delicious addition would be finely minced jalapenos. Add one or two depending on the amount of spice you want.
- Some Southerners like adding kernel corn to their cornbread. Make sure it's drained of most of its liquid before adding about a cup.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, add butter and/or bacon fat and place in the oven to melt as the oven heats up.
Step 2: Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs.
Step 3: Beat the eggs. Stir in the milk and hot fat from the pan.
Step 4: With a whisk, mix gently until incorporated, taking care not to over mix (may still be a bit lumpy).
Step 5: Add batter to the hot skillet.
Step 6: Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
(Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)
💭 Expert Cornbread Cooking Tips
- If you want to turn regular milk into buttermilk, simply add the milk to a bowl and add about 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Let it sit until you get the rest of the ingredients combined (about 10 minutes).
- Don't mix too much. Mix the batter just until incorporated, but it may not be completely smooth (which is okay). If you over mix, the corn bread may not rise as well and be kinda flat when done.
- It's pretty important to preheat your pan with the butter in it. This sets the cornbread up for its best rise as well as melting the butter to mix into the rest of the batter. Also prevents the cornbread from sticking. Don't overlook this step!
- I like to use my cast iron skillet for this Southern cornbread recipe, as it's nice and heavy and holds heat evenly. I have also used a glass 9 x 9 square pan, and the cornbread turns out just as good. The glass allows for nice browning on the bottom. Using either is a great choice.
🧐 Recipe FAQs
What makes a good Southern cornbread recipe is the use of butter or bacon fat instead of regular oil. Or, even better, use both together. This takes the flavor over the top. Also, Southern cornbread doesn't skimp on other fats, like using whole milk instead of skim and 2 large eggs. And while some Southerners use sugar in their cornbread, most prefer a savory cornbread without sweeteners.
Buttermilk adds a bit more of a rise to the cornbread, but regular whole milk does a good job too. I would avoid low-fat milk in this recipe, as the extra fat gives the cornbread better texture.
Eggs are the ingredient that keeps cornbread from falling apart. They act as a sort of binding agent to hold all the ingredients together. Therefore, make sure to add the right quantity of eggs to your cornbread, and make sure they're large and not small eggs.
It could be that you used low-fat milk, another oil besides butter or bacon fat, or you used small eggs. Having adequate fat and eggs are a major key to achieving delicious cornbread that's not overly dry. Also important is to not overcook. Bake this recipe for 25-30 minutes or until browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean with no residue.
🍲 What to Serve With Cornbread
If you tried this Southern Cornbread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Easy Southern Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1-½ cup buttermilk or regular milk
- ¼ cup bacon fat and/or butter
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1-¾ cup corn meal (NOT self rising)
- 1 cup flour, all purpose (NOT self rising)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, add fat and/or butter and place in the oven to melt as the oven heats up.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until incorporated.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the eggs and mix. Add the milk and hot fat from the pan and mix gently until incorporated.
- Add batter to the hot skillet and cook for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve right away with butter. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Notes
- If you want to turn regular milk into buttermilk, simply add the milk to a bowl and add about 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Let it sit until you get the rest of the ingredients combined (about 10 minutes).
- Make sure to not mix too much. Mix the batter just until incorporated, but it may not be completely smooth (which is okay). If you over mix, the corn bread may not rise as well and be kinda flat when done.
- It's pretty important to preheat your pan with the butter in it. This sets the cornbread up for its best rise as well as melting the butter to mix into the rest of the batter. Also prevents the cornbread from sticking. Don't overlook this step!
Anna Rouly says
Big THANK YOU! I was beginning to think that I had dreamed up a childhood memory of eating savory cornbread with no sweet! I grew up in Texas, and have a Louisiana Cajun heritage. Growing up we had no idea cornbread was being made out there (not within the family) with sugar in it. As an adult, I discovered the sweet corn bread first in restaurants and then in packaged mixes. No, no, no. Hated it. If I want sweet, I will eat cake, if I want sweet bread, I will eat cinnamon bread. I am old and all the Aunts, the mother and the grandmother are gone. While they were alive, I never had to make cornbread myself, so I never had a recipe. So glad I found your recipe and especially since it is not complicated. I am going to surprise the old man (husband). He too was becoming agitated with sweet cornbread. I think I shall check out other recipes you may have. Have a wonderful day.
Sally says
Ha Ha! So good to hear, Anna! Hope your husband loves it too!
Kathleen Montego says
Best cornbread! Thank you for this wonderful recipe. This is much more to our taste than the sweet, cake-like type of cornbread. I made it exactly as stated in the recipe, and I won't be changing a thing when I make this again, and again! I made it in a glass baking dish with 50-50 bacon fat and butter. I had never pre-heated my dish before, but tried it this time and the result was an outstanding crunchiness on the bottom. Thanks for that tip. Mmm-mm-m.
Sally says
Thanks for your feedback, Kathleen! The bacon fat addition sounds fabulous - so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Shannon Porter says
Finally, an unsweetened version of cornbread. Thank you! It's fantastic.
Sally says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Shannon! I couldn't agree more!
Kim says
Haven’t tried it yet. Just curious if you’ve ever made the batter like the day before, refrigerated the batter, then baked it fresh?
Sally says
I haven't done this, Kim, but I think it would work just fine. Let me know!
Robert K. says
Thank you for a great recipe. Would it be possible to do this in large muffin tins? I would imagine that the cooking time would be different since the muffins are smaller and have a higher surface area ratio to the heat applied in baking.
Sally says
Thank you for your feedback, Robert! Yes, you can do muffins with this recipe. Just don't fill the cups to the top, as they will rise, and bake for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Gary Dorn says
This recipe sounds just like my Mothers recipe, what size skillet do you use for this recipe? Thanks for your time
Sally says
Gary - My skillet is a 9 inch. I also use a 9 x 9 square glass pan, which turns out just as good. Hope you love it!
Gary says
Thank You
Patricia Lance says
What size skillet?
Sally says
10 inch.
Steve M. says
I used the same recipe but I use lard instead of butter or bacon fat. It tasted just like my grandma's I grew up eating.
Sally says
Steve - That's great to hear! Lard is an excellent addition!
Peggy A Bruner says
I didn't find that it had the flavor I was looking for..the texture was fantastic.
Lisa says
Hi Sally, thanks for this recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill stone-ground cornmeal, oat milk (with the vinegar in it), and Earth Balance butter, and I cooked the cornbread in a 9” cast-iron skillet. I’d never made cornbread in a skillet before—it worked perfectly! I heat an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven in the preheating oven when I make regular bread; that’s supposed to help the bread rise better/more, and I guess it’s the same principle here. Anyway, so glad I found this recipe. I’ll use it all the time. Best wishes.
Sally says
Good to hear, Lisa!
Pat says
Love corn bread! Its a major staple in the south. My grandmother always used bacon drippings! And a hot cast iron frying pan! Sometimes I add a small can of cream corn, No sugar for us either! That's Johnny cake! Thanks for reminding me, I feel like some tonight, Pinto bean soup and chunks of ham! Mmmm! In the summer with fresh green beans from the garden! Okay I'm out of here ! Going to my kitchen lord I miss my Grandma! 🌹
Sally says
Thanks for your input, Pat! Love to hear personal stories ... I miss my grandmother too! Thankfully, I still have my Mom around.
S Baker says
Delicious cornbread! I had to make a cornbread quickly that was savory, and this was easy to make and very pleasing. Thank you.
Sally says
We love it too! Thanks for your feedback!
Angel says
So good to find a recipe with no sugar. Has no place in cornbread! I have deteriorating memory and making dinner, when I realized I forgot how to make cornbread. This recipe works! I myself added more fat, corn, paprika, and diced jalapenos. Good old country cornbread!
Sally says
Awesome Angel! I like your additions!
Rayna says
This was very tasty! It had a nice moisture content and held together well. I did make a couple of substitutions since I'm vegan. I used egg replacer, vegan butter, and soy milk (with vinegar to curdle it). It did great with those changes! Next time, I'll add jalapenos for a little kick. Thanks for sharing!
Sally says
Thanks for sharing your vegan substitutions, Rayna! I also agree that jalapenos would be a great addition.
Julia maitland says
Can the cornbread be made in another type pan as I don’t have cast iron
Sally says
Julia - Thank you for your question. Yes, you can make it in another type pan. I often use a 9 x 9 glass baking dish to make my cornbread, and it turns out beautifully.
Dawn Conklin says
I love cornbread but up north here most people don't make it. I had always made the boxed before just because that was all I really knew about cornbread up here. Your cornbread is amazing tho! Now that I see how easy it is, I will definitely make it homemade each time 🙂
Anytime we use buttermilk and butter in a recipe, we like to make them homemade from heavy cream. Then you have both - fresh butter and buttermilk! I have used the vinegar before too when not using butter.
Sally says
Thanks for stopping by, Dawn! Yes, cornbread really is easy to make from scratch and is so hearty and delish! Glad you liked it!