Batter poured into a smoking-hot, buttered cast-iron skillet sizzles loudly at the edges, and the smell of toasting corn fills the kitchen within seconds. That sizzle is what gives easy cornbread its crisp, deep golden crust, and it costs nothing extra: it comes from heating the pan in the oven while you mix.
Cornbread is one of the cheapest breads there is. Cornmeal costs very little per pound, and the rest of the ingredients are cupboard and refrigerator staples. It also adapts well. Buttermilk can be replaced, the fat can be butter, oil or saved bacon drippings, and the sugar can be adjusted or left out, so it can be made from whatever is in the house.
Where the Money Goes
Of all the ingredients in cornbread, butter and buttermilk usually cost the most. Cornmeal, flour, eggs and leaveners cost relatively little per batch. That means most of the savings come from the dairy, and both of those ingredients have good, cheaper alternatives.
Buttermilk
A quart of buttermilk is often bought for one recipe and then forgotten. Cornbread without buttermilk is easy: stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it stand for 5 minutes, or thin 3/4 cup of plain yogurt with 1/4 cup of milk. Both supply the acid needed to react with the baking soda. Powdered buttermilk, kept in the cupboard, lasts for months and is mixed with water as needed.
Fat
Butter gives the best flavor, but neutral oil gives a moister crumb that stays soft for longer and usually costs less. Bacon drippings, saved in a jar in the refrigerator after cooking bacon, are traditional in Southern cornbread and add a savory, smoky depth for free.
Cornmeal
Store-brand yellow cornmeal works perfectly. Medium-grind meal gives a pleasant, slightly gritty texture; fine-grind gives a softer, more cake-like crumb. Stone-ground cornmeal, which keeps more of the germ, has more flavor but goes rancid faster; store it in the freezer.
The Pantry Swap Table
Each ingredient in this cornbread has a job. If you are out of something, the table shows a swap that does the same job, and what to expect.
The ratio of 1 cup cornmeal to 1 cup flour gives a cornbread that is sturdy enough to slice but still tender. All-cornmeal versions, common in parts of the South, are more crumbly and corn-forward. If you want to try one, replace the flour with more cornmeal and expect a coarser, more fragile bread.
Buttermilk Cornbread, Step by Step
The method is simple, but the order matters for the crust.
- Put a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, or an 8×8-inch metal pan, in the oven and heat both to 425°F (220°C). The pan needs about 15 minutes to get properly hot.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, including the melted butter.
- Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spatula just until combined. Lumps are fine; overmixing makes cornbread tough.
- Carefully take out the hot skillet, add a tablespoon of butter or drippings and swirl to coat. It should sizzle immediately.
- Pour in the batter. Listen for the sizzle at the edges, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Cornbread is done when the top is golden, the edges are deep brown and pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. It is best served warm, after resting in the pan for 5 minutes.
Why the Hot Skillet Matters
Batter poured into a cold pan heats up slowly from the outside in. The edges set gently and stay pale and soft, and the bottom never gets a chance to crisp. In a preheated skillet, the batter touching the metal starts cooking the instant it lands. The fat in the pan fries that outer layer, browning it through the Maillard reaction and caramelization, and the crust forms before the inside has finished rising.
Cast iron is ideal because it holds a great deal of heat and releases it steadily, so the temperature does not drop much when cool batter goes in. A heavy metal baking pan is the next best choice. Glass and ceramic dishes heat slowly and should not be preheated empty at high temperatures, since sudden changes in temperature can crack them; bake cornbread in them starting from cold and expect a softer crust.
Handle the hot skillet with thick, dry oven mitts. A damp mitt conducts heat almost instantly. Set the skillet on the stovetop or a heatproof trivet while you add the fat and batter, and keep the handle turned away from the edge of the counter. Cast-iron handles stay dangerously hot for a long time after baking, so drape a towel or mitt over the handle as a reminder.
Fixing Dry or Crumbly Cornbread
Cornbread has less gluten than wheat bread, so it is naturally more crumbly. If it falls apart completely, the usual causes are too much cornmeal or flour, often from scooping rather than spooning into the cup, or overbaking. Measure carefully and start checking at 18 minutes. A tablespoon or two of extra fat, or using oil instead of butter, keeps the crumb moister for longer. Letting the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking also helps: the cornmeal absorbs some of the liquid and softens, giving a more tender, cohesive bread.
Sweet or Savory
Sugar in cornbread is a long-running regional debate in the US. Many Southern cooks prefer it unsweetened or nearly so, while many Northern recipes are noticeably sweet and cake-like. This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of sugar, a middle path that softens the corn flavor without making it taste like dessert. Leave it out entirely for savory cornbread to serve with chili or greens, or increase it to 1/4 cup for a sweeter version.
Honey can replace the sugar. Use the same amount; it adds moisture and browns faster, so check the cornbread 2 to 3 minutes early.
Stretching One Batch
A pan of cornbread goes further than one meal. Leftover pieces can become:
- Cornbread croutons: cut into cubes, toss with a little oil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp. Good on salads or soup.
- Cornbread stuffing or dressing: dry cubes overnight and use in place of bread in any stuffing recipe.
- Breakfast: split a square, toast it in a skillet with butter and top with a fried egg.
- Dessert: warm wedges with a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of jam.
Add-ins also stretch a batch into a side dish substantial enough to stand alongside soup or beans: 1 cup of corn kernels, frozen or canned and drained; 1 cup of shredded cheddar; or a chopped jalapeño. Fold them in at the end of mixing.
Make the Easy Cornbread
Makes one 10-inch skillet or 8×8-inch pan, about 8 servings.
The recipe
Easy Cornbread
A one-bowl buttermilk cornbread made with cornmeal and flour, baked in a preheated, buttered cast-iron skillet at 425°F for a crisp, golden crust.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the pan. Put a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or an 8×8-inch metal pan in the oven and heat to 425°F (220°C) for about 15 minutes.
- Mix dry. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix wet. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter in another bowl.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry flour remains. Lumps are fine.
- Grease the hot pan. Carefully remove the pan, add 1 Tbsp butter or drippings and swirl to coat; it should sizzle.
- Bake. Pour in the batter and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden, the edges are deep brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Rest 5 minutes and serve warm.
Notes
- No buttermilk: 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in 1 cup milk, rested 5 minutes.
- Keeps 2 days at room temperature, 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.
Oven temperatures are for conventional ovens; for convection, reduce by about 25°F (15°C).
Storing
Cornbread is best on the day it is baked; it dries out faster than wheat breads. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5. Reheat pieces wrapped in foil at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes, or split and toast them in a skillet. Cornbread freezes well for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly; thaw at room temperature or reheat from frozen in foil for 15 minutes.