Old-Fashioned Cornbread Recipe (No Flour — Gluten-Free)

4.61 from 53 votes

Old-fashioned Southern Cornbread, made in a cast-iron skillet without flour, is a true Southern staple and an easy, quick gluten-free recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 257kcal

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon grease to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Place the skillet in the oven for five to seven minutes to heat up.
While the skillet is heating up, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, and two tablespoons of vegetable oil or melted bacon grease to a smaller bowl and whisk until well combined.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
Using a heavy-duty oven mitt or potholder, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Tilt the skillet to make sure the bottom and sides are covered with oil. Immediately pour the batter into the skillet. You should hear a nice sizzle, and you will see the batter already start to rise.
Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is a deep golden brown and has pulled away from the sides a little. To ensure it is done, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean. Serve immediately.

Cornbread is best served piping hot right out of the oven. While it’s best not to make it ahead, you can prep the ingredients by getting everything ready and mixing the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients. Don’t mix the two together, however, until right before you are ready to pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Cornbread will keep for two to three days on your kitchen counter, about a week in the refrigerator, or about two to three months in the freezer. Be sure to wrap it tightly and keep it covered.
Leftover cornbread is delicious when sliced and toasted under the broiler for a minute or so. Then, top with a pat of butter.
This recipe works best with coarse stone-ground cornmeal. Try to find locally sourced cornmeal if you can.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing a cup and a half of whole milk with one and a half tablespoons of either 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 fine in this recipe.
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.