Classic Southern Cornbread

Golden. Crisp-edged. No sugar. Just the way it’s meant to be.

There’s a reason Southern cornbread has survived generations without needing improvement. It’s humble food with serious soul. Crisp around the edges from a hot cast-iron skillet, tender and steamy in the center, and sturdy enough to crumble into a bowl of beans or soak up pot liquor. This is not cake. This is cornbread that knows where it came from.

Made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and bacon fat or butter, this recipe delivers that unmistakable savory bite and rich corn flavor that defines true Southern tables. Serve it hot, split open with a pat of butter melting down the middle, or let it cool and crumble it where it belongs.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal (stone-ground if possible)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons melted bacon fat or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter, for the skillet

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
   Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven while it heats. You want that skillet hot.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Mix the wet ingredients.
   In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted bacon fat or butter until smooth.
4. Combine gently.
   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable.
5. Heat the skillet.
   Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 1 tablespoon of bacon fat or butter and swirl to coat the bottom and sides.
6. Bake.
   Immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle on contact.
   Return to the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown with crisp edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Rest and serve.
   Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

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Southern Notes & Tips

• No sugar is traditional. If you want sweet cornbread, that’s a different recipe and a different conversation.
• Bacon fat matters. It adds depth and that unmistakable Southern flavor. Butter works, but bacon fat is the gold standard.
• Cast iron is non-negotiable. It’s what gives you that crunchy, crave-worthy crust.

This is the kind of cornbread that belongs next to a pot of beans, under a ladle of chili, or on a plate with collard greens and hot sauce. Simple, honest, and endlessly comforting.