Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
A delicious cornbread that goes great with numerous dishes such as soups, stews, and chowders. The main staple for any southern meat and three.
We have claimed this the best buttermilk cornbread! Period.
This recipe is very quick. It is very easy. And it is very good. The buttermilk and butter make this cornbread very flavorful and it’s not all dried out.
If we don’t want to get ‘fancy’ with our cornbread, this is our go-to every time.
Everybody needs to have a buttermilk cornbread recipe in their kitchen arsenal. There are certain dishes that almost require decent cornbread. Chilis, soups, chowders, and basically any southern meat and three.
Why You’ll Love This
- Crispy, crunchy crust, with a soft and fluffy inside!
- Savory southern cornbread at its best.
- Moist and tender.
- Superior to any box mixes!
Key Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients – Yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- Wet Ingredients – Buttermilk, eggs, butter, and canola oil.
Tips
- Measure the cornmeal and flour correctly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.
- Whisk the dry ingredients well. Make sure there are no lumps and everything is combined.
- Heating the oil in the skillet while the oven preheats is what gives that spectacular crispy crust. Don’t skip this step!
- Do not overmix the batter. This can make the buttermilk cornbread dense and tough.
- Be careful pouring the batter into the hot oil!
- If you prefer a sweet cornbread you can add 2 tablespoons of honey or granulated sugar.
- This buttermilk cornbread recipe can also be used to make cornbread muffins.
How To Make Buttermilk Cornbread
Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to an 8-inch cast iron skillet and place it into the oven. Turn the oven on to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating and heating up the skillet you can prepare the cornbread.
Southern buttermilk cornbread absolutely requires a cast iron skillet. That’s our opinion. It produces a way more crispy, crunchy exterior than a baking dish. But with that said, you can bake this in an 8×8 baking pan.
Using a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until it’s all combined well.
Add an egg into a separate bowl and beat. Next, add buttermilk and melted butter and whisk everything together.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the bowl. Stir together until it’s combined. Don’t overwork it.
Once your skillet is nice and hot (should be slightly smoking), pour the cornbread batter into the skillet. It should sizzle.
Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the center to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, it’s ready to go!
Slice and serve this buttermilk cornbread with butter, honey butter, or even maple syrup.
Conclusion
As I previously said, everybody needs a good cornbread recipe and this one is it. While we’re not pounding out buttermilk cornbread every week, pretty much every time we NEED cornbread, this is the one.
This is the one we use to make our dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If we do up our fried fish, this comes out sometimes (we sometimes opt for hushpuppies).
We also enjoy this with several of our soups, including this rockin’ lentil soup.
It’s versatile and it’s super good! We hope you like it.
Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full, and bake in a 400 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Yes, you can make this with an equal amount of regular milk. Buttermilk adds acidity producing a tender crumb and providing additional lift.
Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Let the cornbread cool to room temperature, place in a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Rewarm in a 350 degree F oven, wrapped in foil for about 15-20 minutes, until warmed through.
More Cornbread Recipes
Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup Buttermilk
- 4 tbsp Butter melted
- 1 Egg beaten
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add oil to skillet and put into the oven. Allow to heat.
- Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl
- Beat egg in separate bowl.
- Add butter and buttermilk to the egg and whisk until combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and combine wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
- Pour cornbread mixture into heated cast iron skillet. It should sizzle.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.
- Remove and serve hot.