Buttermilk Cornbread
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So easy! No mixer needed here! Amazingly moist and slightly sweet. A classic side dish loved by EVERYONE. Serve with butter. SO GOOD.
Featured Comment
This side dish is such an underrated side. It’s sometimes overlooked. Kind of seen as just a filler perhaps?
Except it’s not. It’s absolutely not. It’s the best kind of southern cornbread one can ask for.
It’s perfectly fluffy, moist, and slightly sweet, and IT IS DANGEROUSLY GOOD, particularly with extra butter on top, melting right into the warm bread with a drizzle of honey. It’s perfection to say the least.
tips and tricks for success
- Preheat the cast iron skillet first. Using a preheated cast iron skillet is key here. This allows for even cooking, achieving everyone’s favorited golden brown crispy edges. You can also serve the cornbread warm right in the skillet.
- Use buttermilk. While adding a slightly tangy flavor, buttermilk is a key ingredient here yielding light, moist and fluffier cornbread. Using milk will lead to more neutral flavors and a drier consistency. You can also make a buttermilk substitute using milk, adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
- Use fine or medium-ground cornmeal. Dependent on personal preference, fine or medium-ground cornmeal are typically the most popular options for cornbread. For a more smooth consistency, fine-ground cornmeal is ideal, but for more texture and grittiness, medium-ground is the way to go.
- Do not use cornbread mix. Cornbread mix is not the same as cornmeal. Cornbread mix comes pre-mixed with leavening agents.
- Avoid overmixing. Using a rubber spatula, stir the batter just until everything is just combined and moistened with a few lumps here and there. Overmixing will lead to dense, tough cornbread.
- Freeze as needed. Cornbread freezes very well and can typically last up to 3 months in the freezer.
what to serve with cornbread
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Buttermilk Cornbread: Frequently Asked Questions
A quick and easy buttermilk substitute is creating your own buttermilk with whole milk and something acidic such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.
You can add 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup milk, letting it stand for 5-10 minutes.
Cornbread can be made 1-2 days in advance, reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F, covered, for about 5-10 minutes, or until warmed.
Yes! Once cooled completely, portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating at 350°F (covered in foil) until heated through.
You can make one of our favorite cornbread stuffings, a holiday staple.
Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven.
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and 3 tablespoons butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
- Remove skillet from the oven and add remaining 3 tablespoons until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Working carefully, immediately scoop the batter into the hot skillet. Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
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Oh goodness! Oh really goodness!!!
This is the best cornbread recipe that I have ever made. I added only a little bit of sugar cause I was not in the mood for sweet cornbread
Very good, maybe a little more sugar if you like a sweeter cornbread. Made for dinner with bean soup, my southern raised company raved about it and requested the recipe.
Super delicious recipe! I don’t own a cast iron skillet so i just used a metal pie plate and still came out great!
Delicious! Used a 12 inch cast iron skillet and reduced cooking time by a couple of minutes. Substituted 2T of vegetable oil for for 2 of the tablespoons of butter for texture. It was amazing.
I want to make this but I don’t have a cast iron skillet. I read all the reviews and I saw you said a 9″ cake pan is ok but don’t pre-heat the pan. If that’s the case, what do you do with the extra 3 tablespoons of butter?
I will use my 8 inch square baking pan, not preheated. Stir the extra butter into the batter.
Making it now, reading the comments. Have half the amount of buttermilk, but fortunately have milk and lemons to make up for it. Like that there is more cornmeal than white flour. Using turbinado sugar. My big question, not being up on the science of baking – why SO MUCH baking powder? What happens if I reduce?
Best ever! I cut 3 tablespoons of butter in to
Batter. Did not notice melt and Separate. Lol
I think it paid off. Normally a slap of butter
Is required for me to eat cornbread. Not this
Good to go right out of the skillet.
The best cornbread! I’d send a pic but it’s gone!
This is the best and easiest recipe EVER. I’ve made it several times over the last year and it comes out perfectly every time. Thanks for another great one, Chungah!
Help! I only have a 12 inch cast iron pan and I don’t want the cornbread to be too thin…would it be terrible to cook it in a glass pan? Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving
I made in 12” cast Iron skillet and definitely not too thin
delicious
Delicious! I added a little more butter and I think next time I would cut the sugar in half. Super fluffy and amazing!
The weather finally cooled off here in north California so it was chili and cornbread tonight. 1st time with this buttermilk cornbread but it’s won’t be the last. It was awesome! Came out with thin crispy crust on the bottom and a wonderful texture inside. This is going to be my go to cornbread from here on out. It was that good! I did cut the sugar in half and a little less salt but other than that, by the book. And it was the easiest thing to make besides. A little honey butter on top and it’s was cornbread heaven!
I’ve made cornbread for decades, but this was the best cornbread thus far. Thank you! Light, crispy crust, and just the right amount of sweetness.
Good C-Bread recipe (I doubled the recipe) . . . used three eggs instead of two . . . . don’t normally eat eggs (they tend to take up residence in the fridge), whole buttermilk and turbinado sugar. Thanks for sharing . . . will use this one again (committing it to memory)!!!!
What size pan did you use for doubling? I only have a 12 inch pan and that may work!
Can we use regular or skim milk?
You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar per cup of milk, and letting it sit for 10 minutes prior to use.
Tastes great first time I made it. I did cut the salt 500 mg a quarter teaspoon. Still tastes great have watch sodium intake.
Is the batter supposed to be SUPER thick?
The flavor is terrific. But this is far too much baking powder. Maybe one teaspoon would work. But 4 made it a buzzard consistency.