Cornbread (Cornbread) — Classic Cast-Iron American Quick Bread
Cornbread is a foundational American quick bread, especially tied to Southern cooking and cast-iron baking. This version balances cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, and butter for a tender crumb with crisp golden edges.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 8 · Total: 40 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 180 g yellow cornmeal (medium grind for classic texture)
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g granulated sugar (kept modest for a savory-leaning American cornbread)
- 12 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 6 g fine salt
- 360 ml buttermilk (well shaken)
- 2 eggs (large)
- 85 g unsalted butter (melted and cooled for 5 minutes)
Steps (summary)
- Place a 23 cm cast-iron skillet on the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 220°C. Heating the skillet first is the…
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for…
- In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Slowly whisk in the melted bu…
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not beat the bat…
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the 14 g of butter, tilting the pan until the bottom and lower sides are…
- Scrape the batter into the hot buttered skillet and spread it gently into an even layer. Return the skillet to the oven right a…
+ 2 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Cornbread reflects Indigenous corn traditions adapted through American regional cooking, especially in the South. James Beard discussed cornbread in American Cookery as a defining home bread of the United States.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use medium-grind cornmeal for the best balance of tenderness and rustic corn texture.
- Preheat the cast-iron skillet fully before adding the batter; a cold pan will not create the signature crust.
- For cleaner slices, rest the cornbread for 10 minutes, then cut with a serrated knife or thin pie server.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Overmixing the batter after adding the flour
✅ Fix: Fold only until the dry ingredients disappear, because a few small lumps are better than a tough crumb.
❌ Using a cold skillet
✅ Fix: Preheat the cast-iron skillet in the oven so the butter sizzles and the batter forms a crisp crust immediately.
❌ Cutting the cornbread straight from the oven
✅ Fix: Rest it for 10 minutes so steam redistributes and the slices hold together.
🧊 How to Store
Store cooled cornbread tightly wrapped at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat wedges in a 175°C oven for 8 minutes, or toast them in a dry skillet to revive the crust.
📅 Make Ahead
Whisk the dry ingredients up to 2 days ahead and store them airtight. For best lift and crust, mix in the buttermilk, eggs, and butter only just before baking.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Chili
- BBQ brisket
- collard greens
- pinto beans
- fried chicken
- honey butter
- maple butter.
Regional Variations
- Southern-style cornbread often uses little or no sugar and is baked in a hot cast-iron skillet.
- Northern-style cornbread is commonly sweeter, softer, and more cake-like because it uses more flour and sugar.
- Appalachian cornbread may be made thinner and crispier, sometimes with bacon drippings instead of butter.
- Corn sticks are baked in molded cast-iron pans for extra crust on every serving.
Ingredients
- 180 gyellow cornmeal (medium grind for classic texture)
- 125 gall-purpose flour
- 25 ggranulated sugar (kept modest for a savory-leaning American cornbread)
- 12 gbaking powder
- 3 gbaking soda
- 6 gfine salt
- 360 mlbuttermilk (well shaken)
- 2eggs (large)
- 85 gunsalted butter (melted and cooled for 5 minutes)
🔄 Substitutions
- buttermilk→ 345 ml whole milk mixed with 15 ml lemon juice
- all-purpose flour→ 125 g white whole wheat flour
- unsalted butter→ 85 g bacon drippings for the batter and 14 g bacon drippings for the skillet
Instructions
- 1
Place a 23 cm cast-iron skillet on the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 220°C. Heating the skillet first is the classic American technique that gives cornbread its deeply browned, crisp edge.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. This evenly distributes the leavening so the cornbread rises uniformly instead of forming dense pockets.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Slowly whisk in the melted butter so it emulsifies into the buttermilk rather than clumping from the cold liquid.
- 4
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not beat the batter, because overmixing develops the flour and makes the cornbread tough instead of tender.
- 5
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the 14 g of butter, tilting the pan until the bottom and lower sides are coated. The butter should foam immediately, which helps fry the first layer of batter and create a savory crust.
- 6
Scrape the batter into the hot buttered skillet and spread it gently into an even layer. Return the skillet to the oven right away so the heat stays high and the cornbread begins setting around the edges.
- 7
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The center should spring back lightly when pressed, and the edges should pull slightly from the skillet.
- 8
Let the cornbread rest in the skillet for 10 minutes before cutting it into 8 wedges. Serve it warm, when the crust is still crisp and the crumb is moist from the butter and buttermilk.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Cornbread reflects Indigenous corn traditions adapted through American regional cooking, especially in the South. James Beard discussed cornbread in American Cookery as a defining home bread of the United States.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
📚 Sources & Cultural References
- James Beard — American Cookery — (1972)
- Edna Lewis — The Taste of Country Cooking — (1976)
Sources cited by the Zaffaron editorial team during recipe research. Cultural and culinary references supporting authenticity claims.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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