Making old fashioned cornbread from scratch is easy with a few simple ingredients, and perfect to serve with chili or any southern meal.
This old-fashioned cornbread recipe is one of my tried and true recipes that I have worked on refining over the years to get it just right. The result is a perfectly balanced southern-style cornbread with the right amount of sweetness that isn't too crumbly, or excessively moist like cake.
Dry vs Moist Cornbread
Though personal preferences regarding cornbread vary from person to person, I find the ideal cornbread strikes a balance between being dry and crumbly and being overly cake-like.
If you like your homemade cornbread to be more dry and crumbly, then you need to add more cornmeal and subtract flour. If you like moist cornbread to taste more like cake, then you need to subtract cornmeal and add more flour.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Coarsely ground cornmeal - White cornmeal and yellow cornmeal are both fine, or substitute additional flour for sweet cornbread.
- All purpose flour - Substitute additional cornmeal in equal proportion for drier cornbread.
- White sugar
- Baking powder
- Kosher Salt - Substitute ¾ teaspoon table salt.
- Baking soda
- Whole milk
- Buttermilk - Using buttermilk makes the best cornbread, as it imparts a noticeable tanginess to the bread, but you can make cornbread without buttermilk by substituting additional regular milk with some sour cream for tanginess.
- Large eggs
- Butter
- Bacon grease - Additional butter or vegetable oil can be used.
How to make it
To make this old-fashioned cornbread recipe, begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees and set your cast-iron skillet, or muffin tin, inside the oven to heat up as the oven comes to temperature. This gives your cornbread a crispy crust.
Using a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients together. Then whisk in the wet ingredients. Whisk until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
Remove the hot pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Grease the hot skillet with a pat of butter or bacon fat. Then pour in the cornbread batter and set in the oven to bake until golden brown.
Your homemade cornbread is done when a toothpick can be inserted into the center and removed cleanly, without batter sticking to the toothpick. For cornbread muffins, this will take around 12 minutes, but plan a 20-25 minute cooking time if using a skillet.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover cornbread should be stored in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap, but does not need to be refrigerated. You can store the leftovers at room temperature for up to a week.
Old Fashioned Cornbread from Scratch
Equipment
- 9" Cast iron skillet or muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups coarsely ground Cornmeal
- ¾ cup Flour
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅓ cup Whole Milk
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
- 7 tablespoons Butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease (or butter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 and place a 9" cast iron pan (or muffin tin) inside to heat while making the batter.
- In large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in milk, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Remove muffin pan or skillet from oven and set temperature at 375. Coat the inside of the cast iron with bacon grease and pour batter into the baking dish.
- Place in the center of the oven and cook for 12 minutes for muffins or 20-25 minutes with a skillet. It is done when a toothpick can be inserted in the center and come out clean.
- Allow to cool 10 – 15 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This Buttermilk Cornbread recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com November 15, 2015.
Michael Wallen
Great recipe. My mom used to make corn bread in a cast iron mold that was shaped like little ears of corn. I disappeared during many moves. I haven't come across one in my searches, do you have any ideas.
Fox Valley Foodie
Thanks! I know exactly what you are talking about, I've seen them in the past! I did a little searching around for you and found some for sale on Amazon: Lodge L527C3 Cast Iron Cornstick Pan, Pre-Seasoned, 5-stick