This Southern cornbread recipe yields a tender, lightly crumbly interior with a golden crust — pure comfort food. It’s simple to prepare, and your family will love it hot from the oven with butter or as leftovers dipped in milk.
Cornbread pairs beautifully with beans and soups, such as Southern black-eyed peas with collards, slow-cooker chili, or ham-and-bean soup. It also makes a classic Thanksgiving side alongside green bean casserole. Leftover slices are great for a hearty snack or a simple breakfast.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]
💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: This is a straightforward, old-fashioned cornbread made from simple pantry ingredients. Measure, mix, pour into a hot pan, bake, and enjoy.
- Delicious: The crumb is light and tender while the outside forms a satisfying crust — exactly what you want from Southern cornbread.
- Satisfying: Hearty enough to accompany soups, beans, chili, or stand alone with milk for breakfast. Try it alongside other bread recipes if you like variety.
🥘 Ingredients For Southern Cornbread
Ingredient Notes:
- Cornmeal: Use regular (not self-rising) cornmeal. Yellow cornmeal gives a vibrant color, but white or blue cornmeal also work.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is recommended (not self-rising) so the rising agents are controlled by the recipe.
- Milk: Whole milk or buttermilk both work. Buttermilk gives a slightly better rise. To make a quick buttermilk substitute, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to the milk and let sit for 10 minutes before mixing.
- Butter and/or bacon fat: Don’t skimp on fat — butter, bacon fat, or a mix of both adds flavor and helps prevent sticking when melted in the hot pan before baking.
(See recipe card below for quantities and full instructions)
📖 Substitutions / Additions
- Self-rising flour: If you use it, omit the baking powder and salt; results may vary.
- Cheese: Stir in up to a cup of shredded cheddar, pepper jack, or Swiss for a savory twist.
- Jalapeños: Finely minced jalapeños (one or two) add a spicy kick.
- Kernel corn: Add about a cup of drained corn kernels for texture and sweetness.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place butter and/or bacon fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and put it in the oven to melt while the oven heats.
Step 2: Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then make a well in the center and add the eggs.
Step 3: Beat the eggs, then stir in the milk and the hot fat from the skillet.
Step 4: Whisk gently until just combined; a few lumps are fine—avoid overmixing.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Step 6: Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
(Scroll down for the printable recipe card and full details)
💭 Expert Cornbread Cooking Tips
- To make quick buttermilk, stir 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar into the milk and let it rest about 10 minutes.
- Do not overmix the batter; mixing only until combined keeps the crumb tender and helps it rise.
- Preheating the pan with the fat in it is essential — it helps the cornbread rise, prevents sticking, and adds flavor.
- A 10-inch cast-iron skillet is ideal for even heat and a crisp crust, but a 9 x 9 glass pan also works well.
🧐 Recipe FAQs
Southern cornbread typically uses butter or bacon fat (or both) instead of neutral oils, and favors whole milk and eggs for a richer, savory loaf. Many Southern recipes skip added sugar for a savory profile.
Buttermilk gives a slightly better rise and tang, but whole milk works well too. Avoid low-fat milk for best texture.
Eggs act as the binding agent that holds the cornbread together, so use the correct number of large eggs for best results.
Dry cornbread can result from using low-fat milk, insufficient fat (avoid substituting neutral oils entirely), small eggs, or overbaking. Follow the bake time and check for a clean knife to avoid drying out the loaf.
🍲 What to Serve With Cornbread
-
Crock Pot Great Northern Beans – Southern Style
-
Southern Homemade Chili Recipe
-
Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hock
-
Slow Cooked Chicken and Corn Soup
If you try this Southern Cornbread, please leave a star rating and share how it turned out in the comments. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Easy Southern Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1-½ cup buttermilk or regular milk
- ¼ cup bacon fat and/or butter
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1-¾ cup corn meal (NOT self rising)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (NOT self rising)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F.
-
Place fat and/or butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and set it in the oven to melt as it preheats.
-
Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl until blended.
-
In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
-
Add the dry ingredients to the eggs, then stir in the milk and the hot fat from the pan. Mix gently until combined.
-
Pour batter into the hot skillet and bake 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days.
Notes
- If you want to turn regular milk into buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to the milk and let sit about 10 minutes before using.
- Mix the batter just until incorporated; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing can make cornbread dense and flat.
- Preheating the pan with the fat helps the cornbread rise and prevents sticking — it’s an important step.