Breads

Buttermilk Cornbread

Name: Buttermilk Cornbread
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 2 cups yellow cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 6 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for the skillet

Skillet cornbread with crisp buttery edges and a tender, golden crumb.

Buttermilk cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet with butter and honey

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8

Jump to Recipe

Cornbread baked in a preheated cast-iron skillet gets the crackling edge that a baking pan simply can't produce.

This one is barely sweet, so it works alongside greens and beans as easily as it does with honey butter.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Crisp skillet edges
One bowl
Ready in 35 minutes
Great for sopping pot likker

Ingredients

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
6 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for the skillet

Substitutions: Use all cornmeal for a coarser, more traditional crumb.

How to Make It

1
Preheat
Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and heat to 425°F.
2
Mix
Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until just combined.
3
Bake
Add butter to the hot skillet, pour in the batter, and bake 22 to 25 minutes until golden.
4
Rest
Cool 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.

Recipe Tips

Don't overmix — a few lumps are fine.
The skillet must be hot before the batter goes in.

What to Serve With It

Slow-Simmered Collard Greens — Tender collards simmered low and slow with smoked turkey until the pot likker is rich and savory.
Red Beans and Rice — Creamy red beans simmered with andouille and the holy trinity, served over rice.
Chicken and Dumplings — Tender chicken in a rich broth with pillowy dropped dumplings.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Wrap and keep 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze wedges up to 2 months.
Reheating: Warm at 300°F for 8 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make it sweeter?

Increase the sugar to 1/4 cup for a sweeter, cake-style cornbread.

Recipe Card