Delicious and easy cast iron skillet buttermilk cornbread made with yellow cornmeal and buttermilk. This cornbread is the perfect side to chili, stew, and soups.
This incredibly easy recipe is made in just one bowl and then poured into a sizzling hot skillet and baked to a beautiful golden brown.
Easy Cornbread Recipe
With simplicity in mind, this recipe for skillet buttermilk cornbread is made with simple ingredients that are commonly found in the pantry.
It’s a classic southern recipe and a southern staple that has been enjoyed for many generations and can be found on the table at family get-togethers and feasts. Not just great for dinner, homemade cornbread is a great addition to the breakfast table.
It doesn’t take much effort to make this cornbread as everything is mixed together in one bowl and then poured into a hot cast iron skillet and allowed to bake.
This recipe is easy to clean up and doesn’t dirty a lot of dishes. Everything is mixed in one bowl and poured into the cast iron skillet for baking. That’s it!
This recipe doesn’t take long to bake in the oven and in less than 30 minutes, it’s the perfect side to serve with a bowl of chili.
RELATED: Instant Pot Homemade Chili
Ingredients in Buttermilk Cornbread
This skillet cornbread uses basic and common ingredients. Honey, butter, or your favorite jam are perfect toppings to pair with this classic cornbread recipe.
TIP: A honeycomb wooden dipper stick is a great tool for serving honey.
- Vegetable oil - added to the skillet and heated while preparing the batter
- Yellow cornmeal - stone ground yellow cornmeal
- All-purpose flour - spooned and leveled
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Unsalted Butter
How to Make Skillet Cornbread
The first step to success in making cornbread in the skillet is to make sure that the cast iron skillet is oiled and hot before adding the cornbread batter into it.
Heating the skillet beforehand will result in a nonstick cornbread that easily lifts out of the skillet and get a beautiful golden crust.
Prepare the cast iron skillet- Add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet and add it to the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and allow the skillet to get hot while preparing the cornbread batter.
Prepare the cornbread batter- Using a whisk, combine the yellow cornmeal, the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt into the mixture at this time and reserve the ¼ teaspoon of the salt for the skillet.
Pour the buttermilk into the center of the cornbread mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time until smooth.
Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave and then add it to the mixture. Stir until combined.
Add the hot oil from the skillet to the cornbread batter- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and pour the oil from the skillet into the cornbread batter.
Sprinkle the remaining quarter teaspoon of salt into the hot skillet.
TIP: Add a trivet to the counter for safe handling when adding the cornbread batter to the hot skillet.
Pour the batter into the cast iron skillet- Add the cornbread mixture into the hot cast iron skillet and plate it back into the oven.
Bake the cornbread- Bake the cornbread for 21-23 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or invert the cornbread onto a wire rack to cool.
Leaving the cornbread in the skillet will cause the bottom of the buttermilk cornbread to darkly brown and alter the flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Skillet Buttermilk Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 6 tablespoon melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt for skillet
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a 10 inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F
- While the cast iron skillet is heating in the oven prepare the cornbread batter.
- Whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
- Add the buttermilk into the center of the cornmeal mixture and whisk until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
- Stir in the melted unsalted butter until combined.
- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and pour the hot vegetable oil into the cornbread batter.
- Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt into the hot skillet and immediately pour the cornbread batter into the hot cast iron skillet.
- Place the skillet back into the oven and bake for 21-23 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Using mitts, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place serve immediately from the skillet.
- If eating later, invert the skillet onto a cooling rack and allow the cornbread to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Cheryl Smyre says
Why put salt in skillet 🍳 before pouring batter?
This is regarding skillet cornbread.
Dana says
Hi Cheryl,
This is something that I have always done but you can skip this step if you wish. I add it as a way to season the bottom of the cornbread and to give it flavor.