Best Cornbread Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Golden, buttery cornbread with crisp edges and a tender crumb — baked in a hot cast iron skillet in 25 minutes.

Cornbread divides people into camps, and we’re firmly in the buttery, slightly sweet, crisp-edged camp. This is the cornbread that goes with chili night, soaks up pot liquor from greens, and gets eaten warm with nothing but butter while everyone claims they’re “just tasting it.”

The decision that makes this version work is preheating the skillet with the oven. Pouring batter into a screaming-hot, buttered cast iron pan flash-sears the bottom and sides, giving you the crackly golden crust that makes skillet cornbread famous. Batter into a cold pan just… bakes. There’s no comparison.

We tested the sugar question head-on, because it’s the great cornbread debate: 1/4 cup gives a gently sweet, all-purpose cornbread that still works with savory food. Northern-style fans can push it to 1/3 cup; purists can drop it to 2 tablespoons. This is for chili nights, barbecue spreads, and anyone who believes the edge piece is the best piece.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick: 10 minutes of mixing, 20 to 22 minutes in the oven.
Easy method: Two bowls, one whisk, one skillet — no mixer needed.
Texture/flavor: Crackly golden crust, tender buttery crumb, gentle sweetness.
Flexible: Add-ins welcome — jalapeño, cheddar, corn kernels, or honey butter on top.
Practical: One skillet serves 8; leftovers toast beautifully.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal: Fine or medium grind — not coarse polenta grind, which makes gritty cornbread. Stone-ground adds great flavor.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour: Just enough to tenderize; more flour makes cake, less makes crumble.
1/4 cup granulated sugar: The middle ground in the great debate — gently sweet but still savory-friendly.
1 tablespoon baking powder: Fresh, please — this is the entire lift.
1 teaspoon fine salt: Seasons the crumb so it doesn’t taste flat.
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature: The acid reacts with the baking powder for tenderness and tang. Shake the carton first.
2 large eggs, room temperature: Bind and enrich; room temp blends smoothly into the batter.
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet: Melted butter in the batter for richness; the extra tablespoon for the sizzling skillet.
2 tablespoons honey (optional): For serving, or whisked into the batter for extra sweetness.

Substitutions: No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of regular milk and rest 5 minutes. White cornmeal swaps in evenly. For a dairy-free version, use oat milk soured the same way and melted coconut oil — we have NOT tested the texture side-by-side, so expect a slightly different crumb.

How to Make Cornbread

Heat the skillet with the oven. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack and preheat the oven to 425°F. The pan needs a full 10 minutes to get properly hot — this is the crust-building step, so don’t rush it.
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisking distributes the baking powder evenly so the whole pan rises uniformly.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth. The butter may look slightly separated — that’s fine.
Combine gently. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon just until no dry streaks remain — 10 to 12 strokes. Lumps are fine; overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense cornbread. This is the most common mistake, and it’s a 30-second one.
Sizzle and bake. Carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven, add the tablespoon of butter, and swirl as it foams and melts. Immediately pour in the batter — it should sizzle on contact. That’s the sound of your crust forming. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until deep golden on top and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Cool briefly and serve. Let it rest in the skillet 10 minutes — it finishes setting and releases cleanly. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm with butter and honey.

Tips for Success

Hot pan, no exceptions: If the batter doesn’t sizzle going in, the pan wasn’t hot enough and the crust will be pale.
Measure the cornmeal correctly: Spoon it into the cup and level — packed cornmeal throws off the liquid ratio.
Don’t overbake: Cornbread goes from moist to dry quickly. Start checking at 18 minutes.
Butter the pan, not just the batter: That foaming tablespoon of butter in the hot skillet is what gives you the crackly edge.

Variations

Jalapeño cheddar: Fold in 1 diced jalapeño and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar with the wet ingredients.
Honey butter: Whip 1/2 cup softened butter with 1/4 cup honey and a pinch of salt; serve alongside warm wedges.
Muffins: Divide among 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 400°F for 15 to 17 minutes.

Storage & Freezing

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat wedges in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes or toast them in a buttered skillet — day-old cornbread crisps up beautifully. Freeze tightly wrapped wedges for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my cornbread turn out dry?

Usually overbaking or overmeasuring the cornmeal/flour. Pull it the moment a toothpick comes out clean — even 3 extra minutes dries it out. And spoon-and-level your dry ingredients; scooping packs in up to 25% extra.

Can I make this without a cast iron skillet?

Yes — use a 9-inch square baking pan or 9-inch round cake pan, greased well. Preheat it with the oven the same way. You’ll get a good cornbread, just with a slightly softer crust than cast iron gives.

Should cornbread be sweet or savory?

That’s the eternal debate, and this recipe splits the difference at 1/4 cup sugar — sweet enough to eat plain, savory enough for chili. Adjust to your camp: down to 2 tablespoons for savory purists, up to 1/3 cup for the sweet side.

Can I make the batter ahead?

Not recommended — the baking powder starts reacting as soon as it hits liquid, and waiting deflates the lift. But you can measure the dry ingredients into a bag or jar days ahead, then it’s a 5-minute assembly.