This Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe brings the authentic taste of a cast-iron skillet cornbread straight to your kitchen. My Granny taught me that real Southern cornbread needs three things: a screaming hot skillet, white cornmeal, and whole buttermilk. The crispy, golden crust and tender center of this cornbread will take you back to sitting at your grandmother’s Sunday dinner table, with the butter melting into each warm piece.
This is the BEST cornbread I’ve had in 22 years… Since I last had this style cornbread at my grandfather’s. All us kids liked his the best, I’ve no idea why sweetened yellow cornbread is so popular. It’s a crumbly mess! Thank you so much!!!
— EREMIAS
As a fourth-generation Southern cook, I’ve been baking cornbread since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Along the way, I’ve learned what not to do and how to make the best Southern cornbread!
Grandma’s cornbread
Southerners have always loved cornbread because it’s cheap and easy. You can get away with not using any flour, so all you really need is cornmeal, egg, and buttermilk, along with your leavening agents. And, of course, lard, bacon grease, or butter.
My grandmother made cornbread several times a week, sometimes using different cast iron skillets to get either wedges or sticks. We loved the sticks best, probably because the proportion of crispiness was higher.
Southern buttermilk cornbread is one of those recipes that doesn’t need tweaking. Everyone’s recipe is basically the same, although some people add more eggs and people bake at different temperatures. Some use a mix, and some use plain cornmeal.
Why this recipe is great
EASY: Cornbread is so easy! Heat the skillet, stir the batter, and bake.
MAKE-AHEAD: While the best cornbread is right when it comes out of the oven, you can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time, either by a few hours or even a day.
What to serve with Southern buttermilk cornbread
Southerners eat cornbread with just about anything. My dad, Papa Jim, loved it best crumbled into a glass of buttermilk (gag!) and while I am not about to do that, I love it with chili or soups or any kind of fried meats — and almost anything else that we aren’t having biscuits with. Serve your homemade cornbread with classic Southern meals like fried chicken and mashed potatoes, pork chops and rice, or cubed steak and macaroni and cheese.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
You’ll need these ingredients
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll down for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Note: There is no sugar in this recipe. You can add some, but then you’re not making Southern buttermilk cornbread — you’re making cornmeal cake.
- Finely ground white cornmeal: Although they are interchangeable, I prefer white cornmeal over yellow. You can also use a self-rising cornmeal mix and omit the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- All-purpose flour (optional – you can use all cornmeal): I use White Lily flour.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Full-fat buttermilk
- Egg
- Bacon grease or shortening: Granny always used lard or shortening, but I don’t keep lard, and I like the added flavor from the leftover bacon grease.
- Unsalted butter
How to make Southern cornbread
This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and most of that time is spent preheating the oven and skillet. The cornbread can bake while you’re getting the rest of your dinner ready.
- Place the skillet in the oven while it’s preheating. After about 5 minutes, remove the skillet, add the bacon grease (or shortening) and butter, and return it to the oven.
- Mix the cornmeal, flour (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together until well-mixed.
- Add the buttermilk and egg and stir gently just until mixed.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven, and carefully pour most of the grease into the batter, leaving about a tablespoon in the skillet.
- Stir the grease into the batter, pour into the hot skillet, and place in the oven.
- Bake the cornbread for about 20 minutes until it’s golden brown and crispy around the edges. Remove the skillet from the oven and turn the cornbread out onto a platter.
Cook’s Tip: The bacon grease or shortening and butter should melt and be hot but not smoking. Keep an eye on it while you’re mixing the other ingredients.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain white cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or additional cornmeal
- 1 egg
- 2 cups full-fat buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease or shortening
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. Place skillet in the oven to preheat.
- Whisk together cornmeal, flour (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add buttermilk and egg and stir until well mixed.
- Remove hot skillet from oven and put the bacon grease or shortening and butter in the skillet. Place skillet back in oven for a few minutes until butter is melted and grease is hot. Watch carefully and don't let it start smoking!
- When the bacon grease-butter mixture is melted and hot, pour most of it into the batter, leaving about a tablespoon of hot oil in the skillet. Stir the batter to mix well and then pour the batter into the hot skillet.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove skillet from oven and turn cornbread out onto platter.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Southern buttermilk cornbread FAQs
If you omit the flour and use plain cornmeal, your cornbread should be gluten-free. However, some cornmeal may contain traces of gluten from processing.
I kid you not, this is a frequently asked question regarding cornbread! The answer is that while there’s nothing in cornbread that can harm your dog (unless they have a grain sensitivity), there’s also no nutritional value for your dog.
Absolutely! Wrap your cornbread tightly with parchment paper and then cover that tightly with foil. Place the wrapped cornbread in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Then, place it in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Cornbread is fine stored on the counter or in a bread box, just like any other bread. Southern cornbread does not need to be refrigerated.
Make cornbread dressing! Our skillet dressing recipe is perfect for smaller meals.
Yes, but you would need to add another binding agent, like sour cream or yogurt.
You can certainly warm leftover cornbread in the microwave, but for best results, I suggest wrapping it in tin foil and heating it in the oven at 350 F.
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UPDATE NOTES: This post was originally published on October 31, 2011, and was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, or new tips on March 22, 2022.
Can you use box cornbread mix as I already have that? Thank you.
If you use a mix, just don’t use the leavening agents as they would already be in the mix.
This is the BEST cornbread I’ve had in 22 years… Since I last had this style cornbread at my grandfather’s. All us kids liked his the best, I’ve no idea why sweetened yellow cornbread is so popular. It’s a crumbly mess! Thank you so much!!!
Thank YOU! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Step #2 says if using plain cornmeal, add “11 teaspoon baking powder” . Is that a misprint? 11 seems like a lot of baking powder.
Thank you for all your recipes. I am new to the South and I have learned much about southern cooking from you,
Hi Jan,
YES, that was a misprint! I have corrected it now to 1. Thank you for your sweet comments! Happy cooking xoxo
Sorry to the husband…Yours is definitely my kinda cornbread!
I know, right? How does he call himself a Southerner when he wants sweet cornbread?! It just ain’t right!
MawMaw started cooking the “sweet cornbread” just for her baby boy because I grew up with her and she cooked it just like yours all the time I was growing up. Daddy liked it your way and said the sweet cornbread was more like cake. David was just spoiled.