The secret to great Southern cornbread is a screaming-hot, buttered cast-iron skillet — it gives you that crackly, golden crust while the inside stays tender. Sweetness is a regional debate; this version is balanced, so adjust the sugar to your taste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal + 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar (more or less to taste)
- 1 tbsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 6 tbsp butter, melted (plus more for the skillet)
Method
- Place a 9–10" cast-iron skillet with a pat of butter inside and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) — let the skillet get hot.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.
- In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined — don't overmix.
- Carefully pull out the hot skillet, swirl the butter, and pour in the batter; it should sizzle.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool a few minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm with butter.
🌽 That crust
Don't skip preheating the skillet with butter — the sizzle when the batter hits is exactly what creates the crisp, golden bottom crust.