Classic Soul Food Cornbread (Printable)

Southern-style golden cornbread baked in cast-iron, served warm with luscious honey butter.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ For Greasing and Finishing

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 425°F. Position a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside to heat while preparing the batter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, and vegetable oil until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredient mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Carefully remove heated skillet from oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat bottom and sides evenly.
06 - Transfer batter into hot buttered skillet, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
08 - While cornbread bakes, beat softened butter with honey and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
09 - Allow cornbread to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with honey butter.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The honey butter melts into every warm crack and crevice, making this cornbread taste like pure comfort in bread form.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can have golden, skillet-baked cornbread on the table faster than you'd expect.
  • One cast-iron skillet does all the work, giving you that crispy, caramelized bottom that's impossible to achieve any other way.
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of preheating the skillet; a cold or lukewarm skillet will give you cornbread that's pale and fluffy instead of golden and crispy on the outside.
  • Buttermilk is a game changer if you have it, adding tanginess and extra tenderness that makes people wonder what your secret is.
03 -
  • Don't open the oven door to peek until at least 20 minutes have passed; the temperature drop can prevent the cornbread from rising properly.
  • If your eggs are cold from the fridge, let them sit out while your oven preheats so they mix more smoothly into the batter.
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