Old Fashioned Cornbread Recipe

Name: Old Fashioned Cornbread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups finely ground white cornmeal; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; ¼ cup canola or peanut oil (plus 3 tablespoons (or substitute cooking spray for the 3 additional tablespoons oil)); 2 large eggs (or substitute ½ cup Eggbeaters); 1 ½ cups buttermilk (or substitute skim or lowfat milk)

Old Fashioned Cornbread made with white cornmeal, buttermilk, and no sugar (!) is perfect with everything from fried chicken to chili.

4.8 from 51 votes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

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My best and most basic recipe for Old Fashioned Cornbread. Made with finely ground white cornmeal, buttermilk, and no sugar (!), it’s the perfect accompaniment for everything from fried chicken to chili.

There are probably as many recipes for cornbread as there are Southern cooks. Although it’s not strictly a “Southern thing,” cornbread is very widely served throughout the South. It’s so good with a plate of southern-style vegetables like field peas, fried okra, and greens.

🤔 So Many Kinds of Cornbread!

There are many different kinds of cornbread. It’s an inherent part of Southern comfort food. There’s the old fashioned buttermilk cornbread like I’m going to show you here. Then there’s corn pone which is nothing more than plain cornmeal, water, and salt formed into “pones” like thick little pancakes and cooked in the oven. There are also hot water cornbread, corn sticks, and corn muffins as well.

And don’t forget about hush puppies! They are essentially cornbread, too.

My favorite of all the different types is what we call lacy cornbread. It’s cooked in a skillet on the stovetop made from a very thin, light batter that is poured into hot oil and fried quickly to a golden brown. It takes some skill and a little practice to make lacy cornbread.

I have lots of old fashioned cornbread recipes, but this one is my standard and a great one to add to your recipe collection.

❤️ Why We Love This Recipe

Made from scratch cornbread is a rustic, simple comfort food.
It’s a classic southern side dish served with many traditional southern meals.
When you see how easy this recipe is, you’ll never reach for a boxed mix again.
Everything is cooked in one skillet. Less kitchen clean up time!

🛒 Essential Ingredients

All ingredients needed to make old fashioned cornbread.

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Fine Grind White Cornmeal (See my cornmeal commentary below.)
Canola or Peanut Oil (Use an oil with a high smoke point.)
Buttermilk (Gives the cornbread a pleasantly tangy flavor, a soft texture, and helps it rise quickly.)

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🌽 The Secret’s in the Cornmeal

Besides all the different types of cornbread, there is also the matter of the cornmeal itself. Grocery stores throughout the South have lots of different cornmeal products on the shelves. But the most important for making good cornbread is finely ground, white cornmeal.

My favorite brand? Well, it’s Arnett’s hands down.

Now, I have no association whatsoever with Arnett’s. They have absolutely no idea who I am. I just happen to like their cornmeal.

A couple of other good brands are Hoover’s and Sholar’s. It’s easy to find those brands in the rural areas, but here in North Georgia near Atlanta, I can’t get them anywhere! That’s okay. I just stock up when I make a trip down to the southern part of the state.

One further note: You will notice that there is no sugar in this recipe. In my opinion, there is no place for sugar in cornbread. This is a rustic, savory bread, and sugar just doesn’t belong in there. If I wanted something sweet, I’d make a cake. Cornbread is not cake. Sorry if you’re a sugary cornbread lovin’ kind of person.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …

“The one must: an iron skillet. Mine belonged to my great grandmother.”
— Dixie

🔪 How to Make Old Fashioned Cornbread

Prepare the Skillet

A cast iron skillet with oil in the bottom. — **STEP 1.**

STEP 1. Add 3 tablespoons canola oil to a 10-inch iron skillet (or for a lighter recipe, coat generously with cooking spray). Place the skillet in the oven, set the oven to 400 degrees, and preheat both the skillet and the oven while you mix up the batter.

👉 PRO TIP: A cast iron skillet makes the very best cornbread. If you don’t have one, I encourage you to purchase one. They’re not very expensive and will last you a lifetime.

Dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. — **STEP 2.**

Wet ingredients in a mixing bowl. — **STEP 3.**

Wet and dry ingredients combined in a bowl. — **STEP 4.**

Mix the Dry Ingredients

STEP 2. Combine the dry ingredients of cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl.

Mix and Add the Wet Ingredients

STEP 3. Combine the wet ingredients of oil, eggs, and buttermilk.

STEP 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well. I use a whisk just to make sure I get all the lumps out.

👉 PRO TIP: For a lighter recipe, use 1/2 cup eggbeaters or similar egg substitute and skim or low-fat milk in place of the buttermilk.

Add the Batter to the Skillet

Cornbread batter added to hot oil in skillet. — **STEP 5.**

Baked cornbread cooling in the skillet. — **STEP 6.**

STEP 5. Carefully remove the hot skillet and quickly pour in the batter. Immediately return the pan to the oven.

👉 PRO TIP: Can you see in the picture (step 5) above how the batter has already started to cook around the edges just seconds after being poured into the pan? That’s exactly what you want it to do.

Bake the Cornbread

STEP 6. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the top and edges are light golden brown.

Silicone pot handle cover. — **STEP 7.**

STEP 7. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

👉 PRO TIP: If you don’t have a silicone skillet handle cover, please treat yourself to one! They make it so much easier to handle hot pans. A hot, heavy skillet is much easier to hold onto with one of these than with a pot holder.

🥇 All My Best Cornbread Recipes

💡 Recipe Tips and Advice

A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a necessity for nailing the perfect old fashioned cornbread. It makes a delicious, golden crust and a light, moist interior. If you don’t have one, you can use a different oven safe skillet or a baking dish. Keep in mind that your results will be different.
Be sure to preheat the cast iron skillet. That step is very important for achieving those delicious crispy edges!
Use a toothpick to check for doneness. If a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, the cornbread is done.

🍚 Storage and Freezing

Store at room temperature for 2-3 days or a week, well wrapped, in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply put it back in the oven until it’s warmed through.
May be frozen in an airtight container or bag for about 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

🔀 Recipe Options

Make “loaded cornbread” by adding shredded Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and scallions to the batter.
Give it a kick with shredded pepper jack cheese and diced jalapenos.
If you simply insist on some sweetness, try a drizzle of honey or syrup on top.

❓ Questions About Old Fashioned Cornbread

Isn’t cornbread supposed to be sweet?

No! It’s a common misconception that southern cornbread is sweet. In fact, if you Google “is southern cornbread sweet?” the first response that pops up tells you that southern cornbread is sweeter than northern, which is a load of nonsense! I sometimes wonder if this belief comes from the pre-made store mixes. While we may occasionally add a drizzle of honey to a serving of cornbread, the recipe itself is made without any sugar. To make a long story short – don’t believe everything you read on the internet, even if it’s on the first page of Google!

Can I make cornbread in advance?

Even though cornbread is best when served fresh and hot from the oven, you can make it a day in advance and reheat it before serving.

What size cast iron skillet is the best for cornbread?

I recommend using a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

What can I do with leftover cornbread?

Leftover cornbread is great for making southern cornbread dressing or croutons for your salad or soup!

🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like

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Real Simple Southern Fried Chicken

Two bowls of chili topped with sour cream and cheese.

Family Favorite Chili

Old Fashioned Southern Style Green Beans

Old Fashioned Copper Pennies

📖 Recipe