Southern Cornbread Recipe (Buttermilk and Cast Iron)

Name: Southern Cornbread Recipe (Buttermilk and Cast Iron)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups stone-ground cornmeal (yellow or white); ¾ cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; ¼ cup peanut oil (plus one tablespoon to grease the skillet)

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This Southern cornbread recipe is the real thing: stone-ground cornmeal, tangy buttermilk, and no sugar, baked in a preheated 10-inch cast-iron skillet at 450°F for about 20 minutes. Pouring the batter into a hot, oiled skillet is what gives it the crispy, crunchy crust - don’t skip that step, and you can’t go wrong.

I have made this cornbread so many times I can make it in my sleep, and it’s the recipe I use every November as the base for my Thanksgiving dressing. A little all-purpose flour keeps it light and sliceable instead of dense and crumbly - which is exactly what you want, whether it’s headed for the dressing bowl or straight onto a plate with butter.

A slice of southern cornbread on a plate topped with butter.

This classic quickbread is amazing straight out of the oven, pairs beautifully with almost any entree, and in the South, is considered a delicacy when warm pieces are crumbled in a glass of ice-cold buttermilk.

Southern-style cornbread also makes the perfect base for my Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing, Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Pecans, and Cornbread Salad. It can also be made ahead of time and frozen until you are ready to use it.

Which of my cornbread recipes do you need?

This is my everyday Southern cornbread: it has a little flour, so it bakes up lighter, holds a slice, and is the one to use for cornbread dressing. If you need gluten-free, my Old-Fashioned Cornbread is made with no flour at all - denser, with an even stronger corn flavor, just like my mother made it. And if you want it fried instead of baked, that’s my Hoecakes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review: “This is by far the best cornbread I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve eaten a lot of cornbread! Not only is it a simple dish to make, but the results are outstanding! A tall, crispy outer crust of delicious moist and flavorful cornbread. I’ll never make it any other way!” – Tammy J.

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Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Buttermilk Cornbread
What to serve with this Southern cornbread recipe
Frequently asked questions
Storing buttermilk cornbread
Sharon’s tips for the best Southern cornbread
What to make with cornbread
More Southern recipes
Recipe:

Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for cornbread including cornmeal, flour and buttermilk.

Stone-ground cornmeal – is the guest of honor at this party and brings its signature sweet corn flavor and texture to the bread. The cornmeal you use makes a real difference: I use locally milled Bradley’s Stone Ground Cornmeal from just up the road, but any coarse stone-ground cornmeal will give you that old-fashioned texture a fine grind can’t. And always store cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer.
All-purpose flour – lightens up the cornbread and keeps it from being too dense or crumbly.
Baking powder and baking soda – are leavening agents, which work with the buttermilk and salt to lighten the cornbread’s texture and help it rise.
Kosher salt – enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
Buttermilk – adds its characteristic tang and works with the baking powder and soda to lighten the texture of the bread.
Eggs – add structure, moisture, and flavor.
Peanut oil – adds moisture, texture, and flavor. If you have it, melted bacon grease may be substituted and, as you might imagine, adds wonderful flavor.

For the best results, you will also need a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Mine was my mother’s - the same one she baked her cornbread in - and decades of cornbread have seasoned it better than any factory ever could.

How to Make Buttermilk Cornbread

Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Add one tablespoon of oil to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or metal cake pan and place in the oven to heat for five to ten minutes.
While the skillet is heating, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Cornmeal, flour, and baking powder in a clear glass bowl.

Mix the eggs, buttermilk, and peanut oil in a smaller bowl.

Buttermilk, eggs, and oil in a clear glass bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine. Only mix until the batter is moistened. It’s okay if there are a few dry spots or lumps. Do not overmix.

Carefully remove the heated skillet from the oven. Tilt the pan slightly in a circle and swirl the oil around to ensure it coats the bottom and halfway up the sides of the skillet. Add the batter.

Cornbread batter in a cast iron skillet.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the top of the cornbread is golden brown and the bread starts pulling away from the sides of the pan. The center should also spring back when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Place the skillet on a baking rack for five minutes to cool.

To remove the cornbread from the skillet, place a plate that is a few inches wider than the skillet over the top of the pan. Use hot pads and hold on to both the skillet and the plate; carefully flip the skillet and dish over at the same time and remove the skillet. If you prefer, you can cut the cornbread into wedges and serve straight from the skillet.

A plate fitted over a skillet which will be flipped over.

Serve immediately while it’s still hot with plenty of butter.

What to serve with this Southern cornbread recipe

Southern cornbread is frequently served as a side dish with Hoppin’ John, Black-Eyed Peas, Southern Peas, Fried Fish, and cooked greens such as Collards or turnip greens.

My favorite summer meal is a slice of hot baked cornbread with Purple Hull Peas or Field Peas, Creamed Corn, and fresh sliced tomatoes.

In cooler weather, it’s wonderful paired with Chicken Chili with a Twist or a soup such as Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup, Black-Eyed
Pea Soup, or Easy Creamy Southern Sweet Potato Soup.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need baking powder for cornbread?

The quick answer is yes, you do need baking powder for the cornbread to rise and have the proper consistency. Cornbread baked without baking powder is dense. However, in a pinch, if you don’t have baking powder and you are using buttermilk, you can increase the amount of baking soda called for by a quarter of a teaspoon.

Are cornmeal and corn flour the same thing?

No, they are not the same thing. They are both made from corn, but corn flour (two words) refers to finely ground corn that has more of a delicate texture, is more like flour, and is smooth. I use corn flour in the breading for my Fried Crab Claws.

Cornmeal, on the other hand, is made with a coarser grind and is gritty. It also has more texture and a stronger corn taste. Cornmeal is used in the breading for my Southern Fried Oysters and Fried Grouper.

In the UK, the term cornflour (one word) refers to cornstarch which is usually used as a thickening agent in gravies and sauces.

What’s the difference between northern and southern cornbread?

The simple answer here is sugar, it’s the great divider! Generally, although not always, what most folks consider Northern cornbread is a little cakier and is definitely sweeter.

Traditionally, most cooks in the South do not put sugar in their cornbread, including me. However, that said, I love any type of cornbread, and I will happily eat a slice of sweet cornbread any day.

There are no hard and fast rules, and the lines are blurred. No matter where you live, everyone has a favorite recipe or way they like their cornbread made, and it usually has to do with what kind you ate growing up.

Can I make this cornbread without buttermilk?

Yes. Combine two cups of whole milk minus two tablespoons with two tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar, and let it sit for five minutes. It’s probably not something you would want to drink, but it works perfectly in this recipe. That said, real buttermilk gives you the best tang and the most tender crumb, so use it if you have it.

Is this the right cornbread for dressing?

Yes - this is the exact cornbread I use in my Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing every Thanksgiving. The flour keeps it light enough to soak up the broth without turning gummy. Bake it two days ahead so it has time to dry out, or make it up to 30 days ahead and freeze it.

Storing buttermilk cornbread

Leftovers are delicious when split in half, topped with butter, and toasted under a broiler. They also make great cornbread croutons, simply cut into small cubes and toast on a baking sheet.

Cornbread should be covered and stored at room temperature. It will be good for up to four days. If you want to store it longer than that, wrap it securely and freeze it for up to 30 days. It can be reheated in the oven or in an air-fryer. I do not recommend heating it up in the microwave.

Sharon’s tips for the best Southern cornbread

This cornbread is best when served piping hot right out of the oven, topped with a pat of butter or melted butter.
While it’s best not to make it ahead if you are eating it with a meal, you can prep the ingredients by getting everything ready and separately mixing the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Don’t mix the two together, however, until right before you are ready to pour the batter into the skillet.
You can make this recipe ahead to use in dressing and stuffing. For best results, let it cool completely and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can freeze it for up to 30 days.
A cast-iron skillet works best for baking traditional Southern cornbread. Please don’t skip preheating the skillet before adding the batter. Adding the batter to a hot skillet is what makes the crust crispy.

What to make with cornbread

More Southern recipes

If you are interested in other Southern recipes, you might want to check out these popular favorites:

Check out all of my Southern recipes and menu ideas here.

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Southern cornbread made with buttermilk, baked in my mother's 10-inch cast-iron skillet.

Southern Cornbread Recipe (Buttermilk and Cast Iron)

Sharon Rigsby

This easy Southern Cornbread, made with buttermilk and stone-ground cornmeal in a cast-iron skillet, is full of rich corn flavor and has a deliciously crunchy crust. It is the cornbread to use in your Thanksgiving dressing.

5 from 41 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Cooling time 5

Total Time 35

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings servings

Calories 217 kcal

Equipment

▢
10-inch well seasoned cast iron skillet

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups stone-ground cornmeal yellow or white
▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 2 cups buttermilk
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ ¼ cup peanut oil plus one tablespoon to grease the skillet

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Add one tablespoon of oil to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or metal cake pan and place in the oven to heat for five to ten minutes.
While the skillet is heating, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
Mix the eggs, buttermilk, and peanut oil in a smaller bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine. Only mix until the batter is moistened. It's okay if there are a few dry spots or lumps. Do not overmix.
Carefully remove the heated skillet from the oven. Tilt the pan slightly in a circle and swirl the oil around to ensure it coats the bottom and halfway up the sides of the skillet. Add the batter.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the top of the cornbread is golden brown and the bread starts pulling away from the sides of the pan. The center should also spring back when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Place the skillet on a baking rack for five minutes to cool.
To remove the cornbread from the skillet, place a plate that is a few inches wider than the skillet over the top of the pan. Use hot pads and hold on to both the skillet and the plate; carefully flip the skillet and dish over at the same time and remove the skillet. If you prefer, you can cut the cornbread into wedges and serve straight from the skillet.
Serve immediately while it's still hot with plenty of butter.

Notes

This cornbread is best when served piping hot right out of the oven, topped with a pat of butter or melted butter.
While it’s best not to make it ahead if you are eating it with a meal, you can prep the ingredients by getting everything ready and separately mixing the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Don’t mix the two together, however, until right before you are ready to pour the batter into the skillet.
You can make this recipe ahead to use in dressing and stuffing. For best results, let it cool completely and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can freeze it for up to 30 days.
A cast-iron skillet works best for baking traditional Southern cornbread. Please don’t skip the step of preheating the skillet before you add the batter. Adding the batter to a hot skillet is what makes the crust crispy.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing two cups of whole milk minus two tablespoons with either two tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for five minutes, and voila, buttermilk. It’s probably not something you would want to drink, but it works perfectly in this recipe.
The type of cornmeal you use has a direct impact on your finished product. I like and use locally produced Bradley’s Stone Ground Cornmeal.
By the way, you should always store cornmeal in your refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 72IUCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

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