Traditional Southern Style Cornbread

Traditional Southern Style Cornbread is a staple in my kitchen and is perfect to pair with chili, stews or soups. It’s also the base for my Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing and Make-Ahead Cornbread Dressing with Pecans and Sausage, and it is delicious paired with with Southern Hoppin’John or Southern Black Eyed Peas for New Years.

This cast iron skillet cornbread made with buttermilk and stone-ground cornmeal is full of rich corn flavor, and it has a deliciously crunchy crust. Not only is it easy to make, but it is also amazing straight out of the oven topped simply with a pat of butter. It also freezes beautifully, and I already have several pans of it baked and in my freezer in anticipation of making Traditional Southern Style Cornbread Dressing for Thanksgiving.

I also have two other cornbread recipes on my site, gluten-free Old Fashioned Southern Cornbread which is a tasty, dense cornbread which doesn’t contain any flour.  And, I have spicy and flavorful Mexican Jalapeno Cornbread which goes perfectly with my Super Simple Chicken Chorizo Chili, and Best and Easiest Turkey Chili.

Also, if you are a lover of cornbread like I am, my recipe for Hoe Cakes aka Cornmeal Pancakes will make you swoon! This staple of early America is a type of cornmeal pancake that is quick and easy to make. It’s also frequently served with southern peas and greens to “sop up their pot likker.” For those of you that don’t know, “pot likker” is a Southern term for the liquid that greens and peas are cooked in.

How to make Traditional Southern Style Cornbread

You will need the following ingredients to make Traditional Southern Style Cornbread: stone-ground cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, buttermilk, eggs, and vegetable or peanut oil.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Generously oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan and place in oven to heat for 5-10 minutes.

Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, just until the batter is moistened. Do not overmix.

Carefully remove the heated skillet from the oven and pour in the batter.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown, and the center springs back when pressed.

Cool on a baking rack and let stand 5 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the skillet and serve immediately.*

Notes:  If you are making the cornbread to make cornbread dressing, let it cool completely and wrap tightly until ready to use, or freeze up to 30 days.

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5 from 4 votes

Traditional Southern Style Cornbread Recipe

Easy Traditional Southern Style Cornbread made with buttermilk and stone-ground cornmeal and is full of rich corn flavor, and has a deliciously crunchy crust.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword cast iron skillet cornbread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 287kcal

Author Sharon Rigsby

Ingredients

• 2 cups stone-ground cornmeal sifted
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Generously oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan and place in oven to heat for 5-10 minutes.
• Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
• In a smaller bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, just until the batter is moistened. Do not overmix.
• Carefully remove the heated skillet from the oven and pour in the batter.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown, and the center springs back when pressed.
• Cool on a baking rack and let stand 5 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the skillet and serve immediately.*

Notes

Sharon's Expert Tips:

If you are making the cornbread to make cornbread dressing, let it cool completely and wrap tightly until ready to use, or freeze up to 30 days.

Hot cornbread is also delicious crumbled up in a tall glass of buttermilk!

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2% | Calcium: 8% | Iron: 14%

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