This Southern buttermilk cornbread is the ultimate dinner side dish. Baked until golden brown in a hot cast-iron skillet, it has a perfectly soft, buttery texture on the inside with an incredibly crispy crust on the edges. It is a traditional, savory Southern cornbread made completely from scratch with absolutely no box mix required!
Here in the South, there is always a fresh pan of warm cornbread on the table. Whether it was paired with a pot of pinto beans, a big bowl of classic homemade chili, a batch of Southern black-eyed peas, or crumbled into our Thanksgiving dressing, cornbread was a staple for every single comforting meal. To this day, I cannot eat a bowl of peas or beans without a thick piece of cornbread to soak up all the juices!
Table of contents
Making homemade cornbread is incredibly simple, and you likely already have all the basic pantry staples to make it. While I used to use vegetable oil in this recipe, I updated it to use melted butter instead because I love the rich flavor it adds. I've been making and testing this exact recipe for years, and switching to butter completely leveled it up, especially when you rub an extra tablespoon of butter over the top right when it comes out of the oven!
Whether you are looking for a quick weeknight side dish or something to serve alongside a comforting bowl of dutch oven beef stew, a cozy serving of vegetable beef soup, or a Sunday classic pot roast, this tried-and-true recipe is guaranteed to be a hit.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cornmeal: Look for plain yellow or white cornmeal, not self-rising. This gives the cornbread its classic, rustic texture and true corn flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Mixing flour with the cornmeal keeps the cornbread from becoming too crumbly, giving it a perfectly soft and tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is essential here. Its acidity activates the baking soda, causing the cornbread to rise beautifully while keeping it incredibly moist.
- Melted Butter: I updated this recipe to use melted butter instead of vegetable oil for a much richer, classic flavor.
- Oil (Optional Alternative): If you prefer to use oil or don't have butter on hand, you can use an equal amount of vegetable oil or melted shortening. It will work perfectly and still give you a great texture.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: This powerful combination gives the heavy cornmeal batter the perfect amount of lift so it bakes up nice and fluffy.
- Oil: You will need an extra 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or shortening specifically for the cast-iron skillet. Heating the oil in the pan before adding the batter is the secret to getting those prized, ultra-crispy edges.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Buttermilk Cornbread
This scratch-made cornbread comes together fast in just a few simple steps. Here is how to make it:
Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Step 2
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the room-temperature buttermilk, room-temperature egg, and slightly cooled melted butter.
Step 3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until everything is fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix!
Step 4
Carefully remove your hot skillet from the oven, swirl the hot oil around the sides, and pour the batter right in. You should hear it sizzle!
Step 5
Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Rub an extra tablespoon of butter over the top as soon as it comes out, slice, and serve!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips for Buttermilk Cornbread
- Prevent Hard Clumpy Butter: To stop your melted butter from re-solidifying into hard chunks when it hits the wet ingredients, make sure your buttermilk and egg sit out to reach room temperature first. Also, let your melted butter cool down for about 10 minutes before mixing. If it still seizes up a little bit, don't worry! Just give the wet ingredients a good, vigorous whisk before stirring them into the dry.
- Don't Overmix: Once you pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mix just until the flour and cornmeal are moistened. Overmixing can make the cornbread dense and tough instead of perfectly tender and crumbly.
- Get the Sizzle: Don't skip preheating your cast-iron skillet with the oil in the oven! Pouring the batter into a screaming hot pan is the absolute secret to getting those prized, ultra-crispy edges that define a true Southern cornbread.
- Top with Extra Butter: Rubbing a tablespoon of real butter over the top crust right when the pan pulls out of the oven keeps the top crust incredibly moist and adds a beautiful, rich finish.
What To Serve with Cornbread
- Southern black-eyed peas or a slow-simmered pot of pinto beans to soak up all that incredible pot liquor.
- A buttered slice of cornbread is the perfect pairing for dutch oven beef stew or a cozy bowl of Sausage and Bean Soup on a chilly evening.
- A must for Red Beans and Rice! We also love serving it with Collard Greens!
I hope this Southern Buttermilk Cornbread becomes your new go-to cornbread recipe!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Easy Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
Equipment
- 9-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour all-purpose
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons oil any neutral tasting oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pour the 2 tablespoons of oil into a 9-inch cast-iron skillet and place the pan directly into the oven while it preheats so it gets screaming hot.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until fully combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together the room-temperature buttermilk, room-temperature egg, and slightly cooled melted butter until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until the wet and dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Carefully grab your hot cast-iron skillet out of the oven using an oven mitt. Swirl the hot oil around the sides of the pan, then immediately pour the cornbread mixture into the center. Use a spatula to smooth out the top.
- Place the skillet back into the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the top is a beautiful golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and immediately rub 1 tablespoon of butter all over the hot top crust(optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- Pan Size Alternatives: If you don't have a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan or a 9-inch round metal cake pan will work just fine. Keep the bake time right around 20 to 25 minutes.
- Handling the Melted Butter: Remember to let your melted butter cool for about 10 minutes before mixing it with the room-temperature buttermilk and egg. This prevents the butter from re-solidifying into hard chunks and ensures a completely smooth batter!
- How to Store and Reheat: Store any leftover cornbread wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To get that crispy cast-iron texture back, reheat slices in a 350°F oven or a dry skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes until warmed through.
Laney says
I have really been enjoying making this cornbread. I purchased the dry buttermilk powder just for this recipe and love how it tastes. So much easier than keeping buttermilk.
Simply Scratch Made says
I agree, it is much easier to keep the buttermilk powder in your refrigerator than buttermilk. Glad you like the recipe!