Real Southern Skillet Cornbread (The Way Grandma Made It)

Real Southern Skillet Cornbread

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I love a good slice of cornbread. Golden, crispy edges, steaming inside, the kind that crumbles just enough to soak up your chili.

But somewhere along the way, people started dumping sugar into it like they were baking cupcakes.

Now listen, sweet cornbread is fine if you’re up north. But down here, we know better. Cornbread’s supposed to be salty, buttery, and just a little bossy… kinda like your favorite Southern aunt.

If you want to make real Southern skillet cornbread, the kind that makes every meal better, here’s how to do it.

Ingredients

• Bacon drippings (or butter if you must)
• Cornmeal
• Buttermilk
• One egg
• Pinch of salt
• Baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Add a spoonful of bacon drippings to your cast-iron skillet and place it in the oven to heat up.
3. In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, egg, and buttermilk until combined.
4. Carefully remove your hot skillet from the oven, pour in the batter, and listen for that perfect sizzle.
5. Bake until it’s golden brown and crispy around the edges, about 20 minutes.
6. Serve warm with butter, or a drizzle of honey if you must… but don’t tell me it’s “sweet cornbread.”

What To Serve Southern Skillet Cornbread With

Southern Skillet Cornbread

Two Southern Sweeties

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon bacon grease for skillet

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
• Add bacon grease to a 9-inch cast iron skillet and place inside the oven to heat.
• In a large bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt
• In another bowl, whisk eggs, then stir in buttermilk and melted butter.
• Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
• Remove hot skillet from oven
• Pour batter into hot skillet; it should sizzle.
• Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Notes

Preheating the skillet gives the crust its signature crispness.

Don’t overmix the batter. Lumps are ok and help keep it tender.

If you don’t have any bacon grease to use in the skillet, you could use butter.

Tried this recipe? Let us know how it turned outMention @TwoSouthernSweeties or tag #twosouthernsweeties!