Sweet Cornbread made in a cast-iron skillet is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. This cornbread is sweet, crumbly, and has a perfect crisp to the edges.
My husband likes to think of himself as a cornbread aficionado. We have tried so many cornbread recipes over the years - I have a notebook full of recipes with notes all over them. After lots of trial and error, and we finally got this recipe just right. It is the perfect amount of crumbly, buttery, cornbread goodness with just a little hint of sweetness.
I hope this post will help you troubleshoot any past cornbread failures to make the perfect cornbread for your family to enjoy!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
- Cornmeal - I use plain old yellow cornmeal, so I add baking powder to my cornbread. If you buy self-rising cornmeal, you can leave out the baking powder.
- All-purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Buttermilk or as a substitute, Milk + Distilled White Vinegar
- Kosher Salt
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Sugar
- Butter - I like to use salted butter.
Now, before you yell at me about adding sugar to cornbread, hear me out - adding sugar to cornbread brings out the natural sweetness in the cornmeal and gives the bread another layer of flavor. It isn't too sweet - I think it is just right. This cornbread has so much flavor that it can stand alone with just a little butter or you can serve it with chili, collard greens, Hoppin' John, or butterbeans.
Besides tasting so good, the other awesome thing about this cornbread is that it is quick to prepare and requires very little effort.
🍽 Equipment Needed
- a rubber spatula
- dry and liquid measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
- 10 - 12 inch cast iron skillet (or a 9 inch pie pan, 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish, or a muffin tin)
- an air-tight container and sugar bear for storing leftovers
🥣 How to Make It
Making cornbread in a skillet is really easy.
First, preheat your oven to 375°F and place your skillet or baking dish in the oven to get nice and hot. I like to use either a 10 inch or 12 inch cast-iron skillet. (Adding the cold batter to the hot pan will help you get crispy edges and a nice crust on your cornbread. )
Next, melt your butter and if you do not have buttermilk, prepare your "faux buttermilk" now by combining 1 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar. Let this sit for about 5 minutes - the milk will start to curdle - just like buttermilk.
Now, combine all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl - flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (I like to use ½ a cup of sugar, but if you like your cornbread REALLY sweet, you can use up to ⅔ of a cup - I wouldn't use more than that. If you like it less sweet, you can use ¼ of a cup.) (Picture 1) Mix everything around to ensure an even distribution of ingredients. (Picture 2)
The next step is to whisk the eggs into your buttermilk or "faux buttermilk" using a fork. Make sure it is combined well and the eggs are whisked and broken up nicely. (Picture 3)
Next, add the egg/buttermilk mixture and your melted butter to the dry ingredients. (Pictures 4 - 5) (Make sure that the butter has cooled off enough so that your eggs don't scramble/curdle.)
Fold gently, until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. If you over-mix, your batter won't be able to rise and your cornbread will be flat. (Pictures 6 - 7)
Once mixed, carefully remove your hot skillet from the oven. Coat the skillet with butter, light tasting oil, or a nonstick spray. (Don't use spray on cast-iron!) Then pour your batter into the hot skillet. It's okay if it makes sizzling sounds - that's what we want. (Picture 8 - 9)
Picture 9 - 10 show what the edges should do when you add batter to a hot pan. This will keep the cornbread from sticking to the pan and will give you nice crispy edges.
Finally, place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes at 375°F.
Remove your cornbread from the oven once the edges pull away from the pan and the top makes a knocking sound when you tap it. If you poke the cornbread, it should not sink in. Cornbread is pretty stiff when it is done, but it has a slight spring when you touch it. If you preheat your skillet or pan, your cornbread will have these nice crispy edges.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
How to Prevent Common Cornbread Mistakes
Cornbread that rises quickly when you put it in the oven, then collapses and gets really dense as it cools is most likely overmixed. If you overmix your batter, the baking powder will start to rise too early and will cause the cornbread to puff up, then collapse. Leaving your dough a little lumpy will help the cornbread to rise slowly. This is an example of overmixed cornbread:
Another common mistake with cornbread is using plain cornmeal without adding baking powder. Brands like Martha White have a self-rising cornmeal, but if you are just using plain old cornmeal, you need to add enough baking powder to help it rise.
Did you leave out the buttermilk and just use plain milk? If you do not use buttermilk, you will need to swap out some of the baking powder for baking soda. Baking powder requires an acid to be activated - if you do not use buttermilk, the cornbread won't rise.
If you do not use buttermilk, you will need to swap out some of the baking powder in the recipe for baking soda. Baking powder requires an acid to be activated - if you do not use buttermilk, the cornbread won't rise. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 tbsp of white vinegar to milk and letting it sit for a few minutes until the top is a little curdled.
Coating a pan in butter or spraying it with a non-stick spray is somewhat helpful, but adding cold batter to a preheated pan will really help crisp the edges of cornbread up right away so that it won't get stuck.
I highly recommend mixing cornbread batter by hand. Using a mixer will cause overmixing and can prevent your cornbread from rising.
You want your batter to be lumpy, but not dry. Basically, combine the wet and dry ingredients by folding everything together a few times, then leave it alone.
📋 Tips
- Don't use a mixer when making cornbread - you want to be gentle with this batter to help it bake.
- Again, do not overmix cornbread - you want to leave the dough nice and lumpy.
- To adjust the sweetness in this cornbread, you can use less sugar (¼ cup) or more sugar (⅔ cup.)
- To make this recipe without a skillet, you can use a pie pan, square baking dish, or muffin tins. Whatever pan you use, be sure to preheat it while you are preparing the recipe. This gives the cornbread those nice crispy edges that are so yummy.
- When storing cornbread leftovers, add a slice of another type of bread (such as a sandwich bread) or a sugar bear to the container to absorb excess moisture.
- If you don't have buttermilk, combine 1 cup of milk with 1 - 2 tbsp of distilled white vinegar. (Some people say 1, I like to use 2.) Let this sit for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, while you gather your ingredients and start preparing the recipe. It is ready to use when it starts to look like curdled milk.
🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
Cornbread is best served the day it is baked. Once cooled, you can store it in an air-tight container. It should keep for 5 - 7 days, but it is best when it is fresh and warm and is best eaten within two or three days. Because cornbread is such a moist bread, it can grow mold really easily, so we have found that adding a slice of another bread to the container with it or using a sugar bear helps the bread stay fresh longer.
Toast or microwave your cornbread for easy reheating.
🍳 Other Yummy Southern Recipes
- Paleo Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Red Beans and Rice
- Creole Shakshuka
- Bayou Blast Cajun Seasoning
- Collard Greens
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Simply Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- a 10-inch cast iron skillet, 12-inch cast iron skillet, or 9-inch pie pan
- a fork
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, melted one stick, plus a little extra for coating your skillet. you can also use bacon grease, non-stick spray, or a light tasting oil.
- 1 cup cornmeal if you use self-rising cornmeal, leave out the baking powder.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar if you want your cornbread to be really sweet, use up to ⅔ cup sugar.
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt I use kosher salt so I like to do an overflowing ½ tsp.
- 1 cup buttermilk if you do not have buttermilk, use 1 cup milk + 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar.
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 375°F and place your skillet or baking dish in the oven to get nice and hot. I like to use a 12 inch cast-iron skillet. (Adding the cold batter to the hot pan will help you get crispy edges and a nice crust on your cornbread. )
- Next, melt your butter and if you do not have buttermilk, prepare your "faux buttermilk" now by combining 1 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar.
- Combine all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed - flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- The next step is to whisk the eggs into your buttermilk or "faux buttermilk" using a fork. Make sure it is combined well and the eggs are whisked and broken up nicely.
- Add the egg/buttermilk mixture and your melted butter to the dry ingredients. (Make sure that the butter has cooled off enough so that your eggs don't scramble/curdle.)
- Fold gently, until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. If you over-mix, your batter won't be able to rise and your cornbread will be flat.
- Once mixed, carefully remove your hot skillet from the oven. Coat the skillet with butter, bacon grease, or a nonstick spray. (Don't use spray on cast-iron!)
- Pour your batter into the hot skillet. It's okay if it makes sizzling sounds - that's what we want - and place the skillet back in the oven.
- Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes at 375°F.
- Cornbread is done once the edges pull away from the pan and the top makes a knocking sound when you tap it. If you poke the cornbread, it should not sink in. Cornbread is pretty stiff when it is done, but it has a slight spring when you touch it.
- Serve your cornbread immediately or store in an air-tight container once cooled.
Notes
- To make this recipe without a skillet, you can use a pie pan, square baking dish, or muffin tins. Whatever pan you use, be sure to preheat it while you are preparing the recipe. This gives the cornbread those nice crispy edges that are so yummy.
- Don't use a mixer when making cornbread - you want to be gentle with this batter to help it bake.
- Again, do not overmix cornbread - you want to leave the dough nice and lumpy.
- To adjust the sweetness in this cornbread, you can use less sugar (¼ cup) or more sugar (⅔ cup.)
- When storing cornbread leftovers, add a slice of another type of bread (such as a sandwich bread) or a sugar bear to the container to absorb excess moisture.
- If you don't have buttermilk, combine 1 cup of milk with 1 - 2 tbsp of distilled white vinegar. (Some people say 1, I like to use 2.) Let this sit for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, while you gather your ingredients and start preparing the recipe. It is ready to use when it starts to look like curdled milk.
- Why did my cornbread rise and then collapse?
- Cornbread that rises quickly when you put it in the oven, then collapses and gets really dense as it cools is most likely overmixed. If you overmix your batter, the baking powder will start to rise too early and will cause the cornbread to puff up, then collapse. Leaving your dough a little lumpy will help the cornbread to rise slowly.
- Why won't my cornbread rise at all?
- Another common mistake with cornbread is using plain cornmeal without adding baking powder. Brands like Martha White have a self-rising cornmeal, but if you are just using plain old cornmeal, you need to add enough baking powder to help it rise.
- Did you leave out buttermilk and just use plain milk? If you do not use buttermilk, you will need to swap out some of the baking powder for baking soda. Baking powder requires an acid to be activated - if you do not use buttermilk, the cornbread won't rise.
- Can you use milk in place of buttermilk in cornbread?
- If you do not use buttermilk, you will need to swap out some of the baking powder in the recipe for baking soda. Baking powder requires an acid to be activated - if you do not use buttermilk, the cornbread won't rise. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 tbsp of white vinegar to milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Why does cornbread get stuck to the pan?
- Coating a pan in butter or spraying it with a non-stick spray is somewhat helpful, but adding cold batter to a preheated pan will really help crisp the edges of cornbread up right away so that it won't get stuck.
- Can I make cornbread with a mixer?
- I highly recommend mixing cornbread batter by hand. Using a mixer will cause overmixing and can prevent your cornbread from rising.
- How mixed does cornbread batter need to be?
- You want your batter to be lumpy, but not dry. Basically, combine the wet and dry ingredients by folding everything together a few times, then leave it alone.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
Omg! I am so glad I found you! Lol...and so is my family. I made this cornbread, your southern style collard greens and your hoppin John black eyed peas. Heaven!! This will be a new new years tradition in addition to our pork and sauerkraut. Thank you for sharing!
I am so happy to hear this - food blogging can be stressful sometimes - it is nice to hear about people enjoying your recipes 🙂 Happy New Year!
I'm so glad you all enjoyed the recipes! Pork and sauerkraut sounds awesome as well 🙂 Your family is lucky to have you cooking all that great food for them!
I have tried many cornbread recipes. This one is a keeper! Great instructions and tips. Thank you.
Thanks, Jim! I have screwed up many a cornbread over the years so I figured I would spare others of the pain and suffering 😉