Southern Cornbread

This old fashioned Southern Cornbread is moist, fluffy, and made in a cast iron skillet. It's a classic cornbread recipe that is best served warm straight from the oven with a pat of butter.

A recipe for southern-style cornbread pairs really well with so many dishes including a pot of Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes or Sweet and Sour Cabbage. Also for a sweeter cornbread recipe, then be sure to try making some Sweet Potato Cornbread as well.

Cornbread is one of those recipes that is so simple to make. However, over the years I've found that there are a couple of things that you can do to make it so much better. One thing is making sure to cook the cornbread in a cast iron skillet.

Trust me you will want to pull it out from the cabinet for this. It allows the cornbread mixture to rise and the bottom to get thick and brown while the top will form an almost crusty layer that takes it to another level.

But let’s go back a step because in order to get that nicely browned bottom, you want to preheat the skillet while preheating the oven. You'll also want to grease the skillet with shortening before preheating it in the oven to ensure the cornbread won't stick to the bottom and will come out nicely.

Now, as soon as you remove it from the oven you want to rub butter all over the top of the cornbread. Do this immediately after you remove it from the oven while the cornbread is piping hot so the butter will melt. As it cools it will form a buttery slightly crusty top layer. Plus once you serve it you'll already have a buttery top layer so you don’t have to add any additional butter if you don’t want to.

Keep in mind that this recipe is for a southern-style cornbread and not a sweet cakey cornbread. This cornbread is also perfect to use to make Easy Cornbread Dressing.

Let's get started!

Jump to:

• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step By Step Instructions
• Recipes Tips & Tricks
• Storage
• More Recipes You'll Love
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients You'll Need

1. Cornmeal - Yellow self-rising cornmeal works well in this recipe to give the cornbread a nice thickness and texture. May also use white self-rising cornmeal.
2. Buttermilk - Try not to substitute this ingredient if possible. It helps to keep the cornbread moist and tender. An alternative is to use whole milk instead.
3. Egg - One large whole egg is needed for this recipe. It helps to bind the cornbread ingredients together.
4. Vegetable Oil - My grandmother would use shortening, but my mom always used vegetable or canola oil to provide a simple fat to the cornbread recipe. Either works fine, and butter in the same unit of measure may also be used as well.
5. Butter - You may use salted or unsalted butter. Spread the butter on top of the cornbread as soon as it comes out of the oven.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredients and quantities.

Step By Step Instructions

Begin preparing the cornbread recipe by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F. and place a cast iron skillet with a tablespoon of oil or shortening in it inside the oven to heat while you prepare the cornbread.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yellow self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, egg, and vegetable oil until combined. Set aside.

Carefully remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and add in the cornbread mixture. Spread it around evenly in the skillet before adding it back into the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the edge has lightly browned.

Carefully remove the southern buttermilk cornbread from the oven and immediately use a fork to evenly spread the butter on top. If you can wait, allow it to cool in the cast iron skillet for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving it with some additional butter. Enjoy!

Recipes Tips & Tricks

• If you prefer not to use a cast iron skillet, then use a regular square baking dish instead. Lightly spray it with cooking spray and no need to preheat the baking dish before adding the cornbread mixture.
• Try not to overmix the cornbread mixture. Stir it just enough to combine the ingredients together and stop. Overmixing may result in tough cornbread.
• This recipe requires buttermilk for the best cornbread recipe. Try not to substitute it with anything else.
• Serve topped with some additional butter while it is still warm for the best results.

Storage

Be sure to allow the cornbread time to cool completely to room temperature before storing. Place any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or in the oven on low heat for a few minutes before serving.

This cornbread may also be stored in the freezer in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. The day before serving allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

More Recipes You'll Love

• Sweet Potato Cornbread
• Barbecue Cornbread Muffins
• Easy Cornbread Dressing
• Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole
• Easy Yeast Bread

Have any comments, questions, or other ideas for this Southern Cornbread Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 11/16/2018. Updated 11/07/2022.