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This Buttermilk Cornbread is the one you make when you want people hovering in your kitchen asking when it’s ready. Golden, crisp edges. A soft, fluffy centre. Just enough sweetness with a hint of honey to make it completely irresistible beside chilli, soups or stews.
What makes this buttermilk cornbread recipe different is the texture. It is tender without crumbling into dry sand, rich without feeling heavy, and beautifully balanced so the corn flavour actually shines. It is an easy cornbread you can stir together in one bowl, bake in a skillet or dish, and trust every single time. This is not just a good side. It is a great cornbread recipe that steals attention from whatever you serve it with.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: A touch of honey enhances the cornmeal without overpowering it. This buttermilk cornbread recipe is sweet enough to be crave worthy but still savoury enough to sit proudly next to chilli or barbecue.
- Moist, Tender Crumb Every Time: The higher ratio of buttermilk keeps the centre soft and fluffy instead of dry or crumbly. It stays moist for days, which is rare for an easy cornbread.
- Crispy Golden Edges: Baking it in a preheated skillet or well buttered dish creates those buttery, lightly crisp edges that give this a proper bakery style finish.
- One Bowl, No Fuss: This great cornbread recipe comes together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. No complicated steps, no unnecessary equipment, just reliable results.
Ingredients That Make This Cornbread Shine
This Buttermilk Cornbread uses simple pantry staples, but the magic is in how they work together.
- Buttermilk: The acidity tenderises the crumb and reacts with the baking soda for lift. It is the reason this buttermilk cornbread recipe bakes up soft and fluffy instead of dry and crumbly.
- Yellow Cornmeal: This gives the cornbread its structure, colour and signature texture. A medium grind delivers bite without turning gritty, which is essential for a proper easy cornbread.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds richness and creates those golden, slightly crisp edges. It also carries flavour through the crumb so every bite tastes buttery and full.
- Honey: Just enough to enhance the natural sweetness of the cornmeal without overpowering it. It helps keep the centre moist while giving this great cornbread recipe its subtle warmth.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Buttermilk Cornbread
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C and position a rack in the centre. Lightly grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet or square baking dish, then place it in the oven to heat for crisp golden edges.
- Mix The Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder if using, baking soda and salt until evenly combined and free of lumps.
- Combine The Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk, honey and eggs. Mix until smooth, then stir in the slightly cooled melted butter.
- Stir Gently: Fold everything together until just combined. Do not overmix, as this keeps your Buttermilk Cornbread soft and tender.
- Pour Into The Hot Pan: Carefully remove the hot skillet or dish from the oven and pour the batter straight in. That gentle sizzle means you are building flavour and texture.
- Bake And Rest: Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing so it sets properly.
This Buttermilk Cornbread was made for comfort food nights. Serve it warm alongside Slow Cooker Chili and let it soak up all that rich, saucy goodness. It also pairs beautifully with Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup, where the slight sweetness balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly.
If you want something heartier, try it with Beef and Guinness Stew. The tender beef and deep gravy practically demand a slice of this buttermilk cornbread recipe on the side. Honestly, this easy cornbread turns any cosy dinner into something that feels just a little more special.
Pro Tips For Perfect Buttermilk Cornbread
- Preheat your skillet properly. A hot pan is what gives this Buttermilk Cornbread those crisp, golden edges instead of pale, soft sides.
- Do not overmix the batter. Stir only until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and makes your easy cornbread dense instead of tender.
- Measure your flour correctly. Spoon it into the cup and level it off rather than scooping straight from the bag to avoid a dry result.
- Let it rest before slicing. Ten minutes allows the crumb to set so this buttermilk cornbread recipe slices cleanly without crumbling.
- For extra crisp edges, brush a little melted butter around the inside of the hot pan just before pouring in the batter. It makes a noticeable difference.
Recipe FAQ’s
Dry cornbread is usually caused by overbaking, too much flour, or overmixing. Measure carefully and remove it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean to keep your easy cornbread soft and tender.
Absolutely. Reduce the sugar slightly if you prefer a more savoury finish. The honey in this great cornbread recipe is there for balance, not to make it taste like cake.
You can. Slice it first, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to two months. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave to preserve texture.
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Easy Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder optional: yields a fluffier cornbread
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk shake before measuring
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C | 400F 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, honey 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have tried several cornbread recipes and have found this one to be my favorite.
For those who don’t like crumbly, prefer moist, this is the recipe. One can adjust the sweetness as desired, which makes.this a versatile recipe.
Thank You for Sharing
Hi Kenneth! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
I like to use half blue cornmeal and half yellow to increase flavor, protein, and density.
I came across this recipe when trying to find a way to use up some buttermilk on the verge of expiring. I’m so glad I did. I used a cast iron skillet, specifically a 10” one as opposed to the recommended 9”, and I got wonderful results with the recommended time of 20 mins. I melted the butter on the stovetop in the skillet itself — a great suggestion that proved to be very useful and efficient. The crust was crisp and golden brown, the top was beautifully golden too, and the texture is moist & buttery. The cool part about adding the honey is that it is sweet enough to go the dessert route, but not too sweet as to prevent you from going the savory route with toppings or add-ins. Though it is honestly perfect and moist / flavorful enough on its own, no additional butter required.
Great recipe! I usually use boxed cornbread with a skillet but this was much tastier.
Just a side note: there’s a grammatical error on your recipe card (above). The word “chilli’s” should be written “chilis.” It’s a simple plural like stews or soups.
Hi Margaret,
Great to hear you liked the recipe, and thank you for the update to our post. I have fixed it; much appreciated. Happy cooking!
I love this recipe I have made it in the cast iron skillet and I have made cornbread muffins for a party and it was delicious both times
Time to leave a review, 5 star many time made. True cloud pleaser. Made ahead of time with chili fir football games. Added habenaro and corn to it. Can’t go wrong on this one. Thanks so much!!!
i was making this for a crowd, so used aluminum sheet pans. I heated them first in the oven, I also added some fresh corn kernals. It was simply fantastic!
This was THE best cornbread recipe. A lot of other recipes I have tried have come out dry as sawdust but this was light and moist…delicious! Thank you for your great recipes…I always know they will turn out well.
This recipe has been on repeat for about 3 years now. Always a crowd pleaser, and oh so simple!! Bring this to Thanksgiving for a simple yet impressive and DELICIOUS side!!!!
this sounds yummmmmmmmmy but wondering if I can sub agave for honey?
Thanks so much for any assistance
Hey Rosalee, I can vouch this is a super yummy recipe and you can definitely use honey for that extra sweet flavour! Hope you enjoy 🙂
This is easily the best cornbread I’ve ever had, and it’s so quick and easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out so moist and chewy, but with the perfect crispy golden crust on the outside. I don’t have a cast iron, so I used a ceramic baking dish. I was nervous because I didn’t get a “sizzle” when I poured the batter in, but the crust formed perfectly and it didn’t burn at all. The bread also slid right out of the dish with not a bit of sticking. The added honey flavor is perfect, and the melted butter in the recipe makes the cornbread taste like it was heated with butter before serving. I’m a huge cornbread lover, so this recipe was a game-changer for me. It’s also just as moist and delicious the next day.
I also was nervous because I didn’t get the sizzle (though I did test with water droplets first and got a sizzle then). I second your comment that the lack of sizzle didn’t seem to affect the end result – a lovely browned crust, super moist and buttery, slightly sweet interior!