Fill your kitchen with the heavenly smell of fresh baked cornbread ready in half an hour.
A super moist, buttery homemade cornbread with a fluffy centre, crispy golden edges and the perfect crumb — this is the recipe you’ve been searching for!
Made from scratch in a cast iron skillet with easy to find ingredients you have in your kitchen all ready. You will fall in love with cornbread all over again!
CORNBREAD
A great cornbread recipe is so hard to come by. They are either too dry, too dense, or bland without any flavour. In my family, there are two kinds we can’t live without — a sweet, buttermilk cornbread with honey — OR this one!
If you haven’t tried homemade cornbread before, you are going to love this one. A buttery golden bread with the right balance of flavour and the perfect cornmeal to flour ratio, this recipe makes the perfect snack or side to go with chili’s, soups or stews.
You can also use it as the base of my Easy Cornbread Dressing — another incredibly delicious Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. It’s not Thanksgiving without it!
HOW DO YOU MAKE CORNBREAD
Cornbread gets its crunchy, buttery crust when the batter is poured into a sizzling, hot skillet. The cast iron retains heat while baking which is what gives you the dark, golden crust and crisp edges.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, an ovenproof skillet, baking dish or even a pie dish will work. Just make sure you heat it up first in a hot oven before pouring on your batter.
Alternatively, if using a cast iron skillet, heat your skillet on the stove to melt your butter. Your skillet will be hot enough to add the batter. This method is quicker than using your oven.
The sizzle that comes out of your skillet is exactly what you want to hear!
WHAT DOES CORNBREAD TASTE LIKE?
Originally, corn bread or cornbread is a ‘native’ American dish. A wonderfully light, crumbly bread that can be sweet or plain, it has a distinct, almost grainy texture and flavour that makes it perfect to be served as a side.
WHAT GOES IN CORNBREAD
Fat: We use butter as our starting point, which is melted in the skillet in the hot oven. This is where the fried flavour comes in, adding richness to the bread while browning the crust and keeping it from sticking to the skillet.
You can also use bacon drippings or lard if you prefer for even MORE flavour.
Flour and Cornmeal: The perfect cornbread is made with the perfect ratio of flour and cornmeal. Some people like it with a lighter texture (almost cake like), while some prefer the cornmeal to shine through, creating a dense result. We have found the perfect balance, getting the best of both worlds out of our skillet.
Feel free to play around with the ratio. If you like more cornmeal, add more, just remember to add less flour, and vice versa.
Buttermilk: A moist cornbread almost always has a soured milk: either sour cream, yogurt or buttermilk. Through the years, we have found buttermilk creates the best texture.
You can always make your own and use regular milk mixed with 4 teaspoons of white vinegar. Allow it to sour for 5 minutes adding to the batter.
Eggs: Makes cornbread light and fluffy when compared with breads that leave them out completely.
WHAT DO YOU EAT CORNBREAD WITH?
Chili
Soup
BBQ
Pork Roast With Crackle
Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken
Or eat it on its own with a good dollop of butter!
Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (or bacon drippings)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal (or polenta)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (optional: yields a fluffier cornbread)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk shake before measuring
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C | 400°F and position a rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or 9-inch square baking dish with butter and place skillet/dish into the oven to heat up. (Alternatively for cast iron skillets: heat 1/2 cup of unmelted butter in your cast iron over stove top on medium heat until melted, turn heat off then allow the butter to cool slightly before adding to the batter.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder (If using), baking soda and salt.
- Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk and eggs. Mix together well to combine, then add in the slightly cooled melted butter. Mix again until 'just' combined (don't over mix).
- Carefully remove your 'hot' pan or dish from the oven with oven mitts, and pour the batter into the hot skillet or dish. Listen to that sizzle! That's what you want.
- Bake until the cornbread begins to brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean (about 20-23 minutes). Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Robin says
HANDS DOWN THE BEST CORNBREAD RECIPE EVER!
CONNIE L HESS says
I think this is the first time I have ever commented on a recipe. But to not comment would be almost a sacrilege. I have tried a whole lot of cornbread recipes. Ones with creamed corn, with cheese, with no buttermilk, with jalapenos; with anything you want to talk about.
For the very first time, I found a cornbread recipe that is absolutely perfect. I mean that. Everything promised was there: fine crumb, incredible tenderness, crispy crust (but still tender, not chewy); this was the closest I have ever come to perfection in cornbread. Take that to the bank. And the flavor!!
I have stopped looking for a cornbread recipe. Sure, I might add, for experimentation’s sake, some peppers, or cheese; but as far as pure cornbread goes, this is the gold standard.
Mar says
I accidentally only used half the amount of butter and it still turned out fantastic!
Lauren says
Listennnnnnnn!!!! This was fire!! I could not stop eating it!! I was so genuinely shocked at how good this came out. I just needed some cornbread for my dressing, but after tasting it I need to now go back to the store to buy more ingredients bc I will have to make another one. It was beautiful and delicious!! Jiffy is finally retired.
Karina says
Hi Lauren, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that the dish exceeded your expectations! The fact that it prompted a retirement for Jiffy is a huge compliment. I’m glad it turned out so beautifully and deliciously for you. Thank you for sharing your excitement, and if you ever try more recipes or have questions, feel free to reach out. Happy cooking, and enjoy your cornbread-filled dressing!
Julie says
Hi. The recipe calls for 1.5 cups of buttermilk. But in the notes at the bottom it says you can make your own by adding 1 tbl of vinegar to one cup of milk. So does one add an additional 1/2 cup of regular milk to the recipe?
Karina says
Hi Julie, I’m sorry for the confusion, we’ve just updated the recipe. Thank you for bringing it to our attention! ! 1/2 cups regular milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar will give you the buttermilk required in the recipe.
Paula says
This is the best cast iron cornbread I have made. Delicious! I halved the recipe and baked In a 7” cast iron skillet for 22 minutes. YUM!
Brad says
Came out perfect! I followed the recipe exactly, aside from the fact that I used an 8 inch Staub Dutch oven instead of the larger cast iron skillet. 22 minutes of cooking time, followed by a 20 minute cooling period – came out amazing.
Barb says
This bread is amazing! I made it with a butter/olive oil combo and it’s so delicious. I love that there’s such a small amount of sugar in it too. Thank you so much!
Levon Ritter says
I don’t leave reviews often, but this recipe was so great, and simple to make I have to let people know it’s 5 stars, and yields a restaurant quality product.
Leandra Cribbs says
This cornbread was delicious. The ONLY thing i would change is to add a little more sugar. Personally i like my cornbread a little sweet. But other than that. It’s perfect!
Janet says
Delicious!!! It got rave reviews from the family! Will be my go to recipe for cornbread. Thanks for sharing!
Gen says
Awesome recipe. Made it in a deep pie plate and made the buttermilk out of vinegar and whole milk.
Elizabeth says
Wowzers. I spent the first 40 years of my life in the south, so I’ve eaten a lot of cornbread. I made this recipe exactly as written (including the baking powder) except that I added an extra tablespoon of sugar because I like my cornbread a little bit sweet. It was PERFECT. The texture is amazing and the level of sweetness is exactly what I want it to be. This will be my go-to cornbread recipe from now on! Thanks so much!
Carli says
I love love love this recipe. It’s easy and delicious! I have a big group of friends and family that need cornbread every time I cook. . My trick is to add 2 boxes of “blue” corn muffin mix 2 eggs 2/3 cup butter milk and 1/3 stick of butter –in addition to your recipe. It makes 2 skillets of cornbread and it is so so so yummy.
Kalen says
Hands down, the best cornbread recipe ever. Fool proof and just the perfect amount of sweetness. One question, if I wanted to double the batch, could I use a 12’’ cast iron skillet? If so how long should I bake for? Thank you!
Loveline says
Just made this tonight for dinner pair with chili soup.Omg its so good! I used polenta,baked on my whatever pan( kinda like iron skillet pan).
Jackie B. says
Delicious and so pretty in our 6″ cast iron skillet. I did a half-recipe in our air fryer (still so hot here in NM to run the oven) at 350° for 14 minutes; worked beautifully. Thank you for an excellent recipe!
Abbey (My Casual Pantry) says
Excellent! Added the sugar and baking powder. Love the texture and just the right amount of sweetness.
Sue says
My “go to” cornbread recipe, with added fresh herbs snd a smidge of grated cheese.
Seana says
Loved this recipe! I didn’t have my usual mix in the pantry. Looked up recipes and picked this one based on ratings. Plus, I always like an excuse to use my iron pan. I literally did this on the fly. It was quick and easy. My family absolutely loved it! Even my husband who has always said he doesn’t care for cornbread had two helpings. Great grilled as a leftover the next day as well. I didn’t alter a thing and followed the recipe exactly. Although, it didn’t take the full amount of time to bake. Definitely keep an eye on it. I’ll never buy another box mix again.
Emily says
This was my first time making cornbread and it was amazing!! I used pork lard I’d rendered instead of butter. I also used a purple heirloom corn id grown for the cornmeal, so the cornbread was a beautiful indigo blue color inside 😍. Next time I will up the salt to at least 1 tsp and the sugar to 3 tbsp. This was the best cornbread I ever had, hands down. Thank you!!
Ann says
This is the best cornbread I have ever eaten!! …and I am in my 70’s!! (This is now my main go to recipe!!)
Norma says
Made chili and this cornbread recipe for our neighbors today. She fell and broke her ankle. They said everything was delicious. Going to make some for us on Saturday!
Viva says
Fantastic cornbread! Using real buttermilk gives it the best flavour. I only had one egg so I substituted 3 tablespoons mayo for the second egg and it worked perfectly. Really fantastic recipe.
Stephanie Hanberry says
I am not the biggest fan of cornbread, but wow! I think this changed my mind. I was looking for a recipe for cornbread to make my cornbread dressing for Christmas. Came across this one, made it, and said, “well, let me just see how it turned out.” I ended up cutting and eating a whole piece, and seriously, I NEVER eat cornbread. This stuff is fantastic!
Rhonda says
This is by far the moistest and best flavor cornbread I have found. I added diced jalepeno to it since my husband requested it. Great recipe, and thank you for it!
RD says
This was the first time I’ve had cornbread, let alone make it. It was delicious. Moist, held together perfectly, was great with my chili and best of all, my husband loved it. Thanks for an awesome recipe. I will be making this again for company.
Derek says
I made this yesterday and it was a huge hit! My mother would have loved this recipe and she was an excellent cook. The texture is just perfect and is good by itself. My wife says that she will start making her homemade cornbread dressing with this recipe.
Peggy Hardinge, Hagerstown, Maryland says
10 stars!! This is, hands down, the most delicious cornbread recipe ever!! The sugar gives it a glisten-y surface sheen. So, if you prefer a savory cornbread, consider omitting the sugar. This recipe plumps up, is light and has a good crumb, doesn’t fall apart when you take a bite or cut a bite off. It’s simply absolute perfection. I made my own buttermilk (1 1/2 T white vinegar in the 1 1/2 C (skim) milk). I’ll NEVER use another recipe EVER.
Dominique M says
This was amazing!!! Didn’t have to tweak the recipe at all. Perfect moisture and sweetness!
Lisa Barfield says
Great recipe, I used 1/2 the called for amount of sugar, and it was great.
Thank you for sharing!
Nancy says
Wow, I’m a Southerner and have grown up making cornbread. By far this is the best recipe I’ve found for delicious cornbread. It has the perfect balance of cornbread flavor and texture but still moist and tasty. Great recipe and thanks for sharing this!
Michele R says
What you said!! The most perfect cornbread recipe ever, speaking for a couple generations of southern ladies!
Patrick says
This recipe is so good! Super easy super delicious and was a success! My first time to ever make cornbread and I’m glad I found your recipe!
Susan Bosworth says
This is excellent. Today I added one fresh jalapeño thinly sliced and a half a cup sharp cheddar. The cornmeal to flour ratio is perfect.
Bunnylee says
Taste so good. I used agave instead of sugar. Delicious
Kimberly T says
My store was out of the cornbread mix i usually use for cornbread dressing, so I found this recipe to make from scratch. This is the best scratch recipe I have ever made. I think this will become my staple from now on. It’s so easy! I haven’t made the dressing yet and we are already snacking on it. I left out the sugar and used bacon grease. Next time I will use butter to see which one I like better. Thanks for the recipe!
Myrtice Hammac says
STICK WITH BACON GREASE…BUTTER THE TOP WHEN DONE.
Ev R says
I’ve not had cornbread this good since my grandmother’s…she passed in the 1980’s. If you want southern tasting, “real” cornbread, this is the ONE….OMG. I will never use a corn kit again…thank you.
Susan says
This is delicious. My first time to make cornbread from scratch. So buttery thatwe just toasted some slices in half and ate it that way. My husband usually likes to make it with two types of cornmeal for a grainier texture but we both thought this was wonderful. I will make more for a Thanksgiving dressing. Yum! Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Katy B. says
I wanted to make my own cornbread for cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. I made enough last night to let it dry out before I made the dressing. Let’s just say I am making more cornbread today, because my family ate ALL of it., me included. This recipe is amazing. I used lard instead of butter and to me lard is so much better when it comes to flavor. This recipe is definitely one I will keep using.
Jackie says
I have fine yellow cornmeal. Will that work for this recipe or do I need to get a different kind of cornmeal ?
Linda M. says
Delicious! I baked this in muffin tins for 18-20 minutes. Other-than-that… I followed the recipe exactly. They were a huge hit! Absolutely Amazing!
Valerie says
I used fine cornmeal and it turned out great! My daughter does not typically like cornbread….she had seconds! This recipe is a keeper
Linda says
Delicious! I baked this in a muffin pan for 18-20 minutes.. Other-then-that…I followed the recipe exactly, and I wouldn’t change a thing. They were a hit! Absolutely Amazing!
Valerie says
I used fine cornmeal and it turned out great!
Ginger says
Hi Karina,
Have you ever added green chilis or jalapeños to your sweet cornbread recipe to get that sweet / hot thing going on?
Ginger
Theresa says
OMG!! This was the best cornbread that I have ever baked. Thank you so much!!
Ryn says
Made this tonight for the family and it didn’t last long. So yummy! I cut the buttermilk down to 1 cup and added an 8oz can of creamed corn. So good. Will be my go to recipe.
LC says
AMAZING 10/10. I added 2 tablespoons of sugar and it it was perfect, not too sweet, still savoury. Easy recipe to follow and it was soft and moist. Everybody loved it and unfortunately no leftovers. Will 100% make again, thank you.
caycee says
how long would I bake in muffin tins?
Doreen says
Will make this again and again!! Yummy! Very light and moist. Great recipe.
Doreen says
Will make this again and again!! Yummy! Very light and moist. Great recipe.
Doreen says
Will make this again and again!! Yummy! Very light and moist. Great recipe.
John H says
My favorite cornbread recipe! I have passed this on to several people who thought it was the best they had ever had. Awesome
Barbara says
Made this for very “particular” family members. I did add a cup of corn kernels to the recipe to add bulk, because my smallest cast iron is 10 inches. It was well received by all! I will be asked to make this again, for sure!
Candace Henry says
So easy and I put in muffin pan. Turned out amazing!
Jennifer says
Great moist light and fluffy recipe!
Kathleen Voris says
Best cornbread recipe I’ve ever tried! Reminds me of the cornbread I used to eat when I lived in the South and never learned to make. This recipe is SO easy. When I don’t have bacon drippings to use in the cast iron pan, I use half olive oil and half butter, 1 tablespoon of each as the pan heats up in the oven. The cornbread comes out so buttery, all you have to add (if you simply MUST eat sweet cornbread) is drizzle of honey.
Tasia says
Hi,
Would a 9.5 inch glass pie dish work well for this recipe?? (:
Stephanie says
Amazing!!! Huge hit with my family, used whole wheat flour and pyure for a sugar replacement. Also used a copper pan instead of cast iron or glass pan. Turned out perfect crispy edges and light fluffy center. Thank you for a great recipe!
Taylor says
DELICIOUS! I made this for my family and they all loved it. I substituted buttermilk for vinegar and lactaid milk and it turned out perfect plus it was super easy. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Jasmine says
How much vinegar and lactaid milk did you use?? I’m lactose intolerant and was looking for a comment like this!
Kim says
I am going to try this. My Grandmother, who was from Tennessee, used to always make cornbread. It wasn’t sweet, it was almost dense, almost gritty with cornmeal, never sweet and she would flip it in the skillet to brown both sides evenly. She also used to make cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving with it.
My father, who has Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia, is in a convalescent hospital this Thanksgiving. I am doing my best to make foods that will evoke a wonderful flavor memory for him. Let’s see how this does….wish me luck!
gramma owl says
How sweet of you
Lisa Blaser says
Absolutely delicious! How do you store the leftovers? I have made cornbread for years but by far my favorite recipe.
Shagirlie says
What a great way to honor your family and give your father a way to link to good memories. I hope you and your father had a wonderful Thanksgiving. <3
Mercy says
My husband prefers sweet cornbread, but I loved this cornbread. I used 3 tbsp of honey in mine instead of the sugar, just for a hint of honey flavor. This will be my new go-to recipe for cornbread. Thanks for sharing!
Laura says
This cornbread is so yummy! Personally, I prefer a sweeter cornbread. I’ll be adding more sugar when I make it again this weekend.
Karina says
Hi Laura! I do too. Here is our sweet buttermilk cornbread https://cafedelites.com/easy-buttermilk-cornbread/
Crystal lee says
Hi, just to clarify- if I am using a cast iron skillet and want to add the 1/2 cup butter in the beginning, do I still add another 1/2 cup to the batter?
Karina says
The butter is the same butter that you begin with. It will melt in the pan and then you will add it to the mixture in the instructions. Hope that helps! XO
Stephanie says
Thanks. I was wondering the same. Making the recipe now. Cant wait to try it.