Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video] (2024)

Southern Cornbread is crumbly and buttery! Done in less than an hour, this recipe gives you a quick side dish that goes well with almost anything! Watch the short video below and see how easy this recipe is!

It perfectly complements flavorful main dishes like the Wendy’s Chili, Beef Stew, or Ham and Bean Soup! If you master this, then, you are unlocking an easy recipe for all your needs for side dishes!

Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video] (1)

Easy Cornbread Recipe

Southern Cornbread has long been eaten as a staple in the United States. The Native Americans cultivated maize even before the Europeans arrived. When they did, they incorporated the use of cornmeal into their recipes that originally used wheat.

Today, it is a common bread not just in the south but also in the whole country. But there are subtle regional differences in how this side dish is cooked.

I figured that there is no single exact recipe for this. Each family may have their unique version. With or without egg, with or without sugar, with or without flour, it depends on how you want your cornbread to be.

And all of these versions are great! So, I am sharing with you my version for this versatile bread and I hope you like it!

Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video] (3)

Is Southern Cornbread sweet?

In the north, their version is somewhat cake-like as it is more on the sweet side. On the other hand, southerners like theirs savory without a hint of sweetness.

In some recipes, instead of regular oil, bacon drippings are used.But if a recipe has some sweeteners in it, they are just there to enhance the corn flavor or the flavor of the bacon drippings.

But I like mine a little sweeter, so, I add sugar and honey for a richer flavor.

How to make Southern Cornbread:

  • Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the baking pan. If you are using a glass dish, lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
  • Make the cornmeal mixture: Add the milk and buttermilk to the cornmeal and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Prepare the dry ingredients: In a bowl, mix the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients.
  • Mix: Stir in the cornmeal mixture and the rest of the wet ingredients.
  • Bake: Pour the resulting mixture in the pan then, bake. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick at the center. It is done when it comes out clean.
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What to serve with Southern Cornbread

I can devour this with butter and honey on top, or, this alone with milk! It is a hearty bread and I love the crumbly texture.

A delicious, popular side dish for barbecue dishes, chili, jalapenos, and beans. It also pairs well with soups. Here are some recipes that you can try:

  • Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
  • Cabbage Soup
  • Ham Split Pea Soup
  • Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
  • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • BBQ Pork Chops
  • Fried Chicken

How to Store:

  • At room temperature: You can simply store this in the pantry for up to a couple of days, wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil. This way, it will not dry out.
  • In the fridge: Allow it to cool completely then, wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate for up to one week and reheat in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, you can also eat it cold.
  • In the freezer: To freeze, put them in the freezer bag and into a sturdy container so they will not be crushed. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the fridge first or for a few hours at room temperature.
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Recipe Tips:

  • You may use self-rising cornmeal for this and not use the leavening agents, baking powder and baking soda.
  • To have a slightly browned bottom, use a cast-iron skillet that has been heated on the stove as the baking dish and greased with bacon drippings or lard. Also, it cooks much faster.
  • To turn into muffins, simply bake in a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Southern Cornbread

  • Prep Time20 MIN
  • Cook Time35 MIN
  • Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, for a glass baking pan, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

  • Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or baking spray and set aside.

  • Combine cornmeal, milk, and buttermilk in a small bowl and allow to rest 10 minutes.

  • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, whisk to combine.

  • Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs, honey, and oil until smooth. Combine with the flour mixture. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video] (6)
Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video] (2024)

FAQs

Southern Cornbread Recipe [Video]? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

What is the difference between cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

Why do southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Cornmeal gives cornbread its classic color and flavor, but too much can make your bread crumbly. Try replacing a little bit of cornmeal with flour. The specific measurements will depend on how much cornmeal and flour is in your recipe, but you should try to have more flour than cornmeal in your batter.

What is cornbread called in the South? ›

Corn pones are a staple of Southern U.S. cuisine and have been discussed or referenced by many American writers, including Mark Twain.

Which cornmeal is best for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

Is white or yellow cornmeal better for cornbread? ›

Traditional southern cornbread is a staple in the south and is classically made from white cornmeal, although yellow cornmeal can be used, and cooked in a pre-heated cast iron skillet.

Why is cornbread not healthy? ›

However, cornbread generally contains high amounts of carbs, phosphorus, and sodium in each serving. One piece of cornbread prepared from a commercially prepared mix contains ( 2 ): Calories: 198. Protein: 4 grams.

What is a cornbread pone? ›

The term "pone" most likely entered English from Native American language terms like apan, oppone or supawn, meaning baked, possibly related to earlier ash cakes baked in hot coals. A "corn pone" is usually a small round loaf of cornbread, about the size of a biscuit, traditionally baked in a round cast iron skillet.

Is real southern cornbread sweet? ›

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

What does adding an extra egg to Jiffy cornbread mix do? ›

If you want to make your Jiffy cornbread moist and fluffy, try adding in eggs, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and honey. Those add-ins are the perfect way to enhance your Jiffy mix!

Why is my cornbread dense and heavy? ›

Why is my cornbread dense? If you overmixed your batter or over-measured your flour, your buttermilk cornbread could turn out dense. Be gentle with your batter and make sure you know how to properly measure flour.

What is the difference between northern cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

In contrast to the dryer, less-sweet nature of Southern cornbread, Northern cornbread is much more cakey and sweet. Indeed, colonial Americans made their cornbread with molasses to sweeten it. Also, Northern cornbread sometimes uses milk rather than buttermilk.

What ethnicity is cornbread? ›

Cornbread is as American as apple pie, but its origins date back far beyond the inception of this country. With roots in Mesoamerican, Native American, and African cultures; history and people have shaped this iconic American bread into what it is today.

What is cornbread in milk called? ›

Also referred to as “crumble-in,” this hearty snack of cornbread doused in milk is beloved among communities in the Southern United States, stretching from Appalachian West Virginia to the heart of Texas.

What did Native Americans call cornbread? ›

Among them was a version of Indian bread made of cornmeal, salt and water called pone or corn pone. The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake.

What's the difference between cornbread and hot water cornbread? ›

While regular cornbread is made by pouring batter into in a pan or skillet and baking it in the oven, for hot water cornbread, the batter is shaped into cakes and fried in hot fat in a skillet on the stovetop.

How do Southerners eat cornbread? ›

What do Southerners eat with cornbread? Serve the cornbread with butter, honey, honey butter, jam, apple butter, or syrup.

Is cornbread and buttermilk a Southern thing? ›

Also referred to as “crumble-in,” this hearty snack of cornbread doused in milk is beloved among communities in the Southern United States, stretching from Appalachian West Virginia to the heart of Texas.

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