Classic Soul Food Cornbread (Printable)

Moist Southern cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet, paired with sweet honey butter for cozy comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ For Skillet Preparation

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Honey Butter

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat while preparing the batter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, and vegetable oil until fully combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain a tender crumb structure.
05 - Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
06 - Pour batter into the hot buttered skillet and smooth the top with a spatula for even cooking.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - While the cornbread bakes, beat the softened butter with honey and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
09 - Allow cornbread to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with honey butter.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can go from craving to eating without the stress.
  • The honey butter melts into every warm crumb, creating something that tastes far fancier than the effort required.
  • A cast-iron skillet gives you that restaurant-quality golden crust that's impossible to achieve any other way.
02 -
  • Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes have passed or you'll release the heat and end up with cornbread that rises unevenly and stays slightly raw in the center.
  • The skillet must be genuinely hot when you pour in the batter; if you skip this step or use a regular baking pan, you'll lose that crispy, golden exterior that makes this recipe special.
  • Overmixing the batter is the quickest way to end up with cornbread that tastes like a hockey puck, so resist the urge to stir until it looks perfectly smooth.
03 -
  • If your cornmeal tastes stale or rancid, replace it immediately—old cornmeal will sabotage an otherwise perfect batch, so buy from a source with good turnover.
  • Buttermilk creates a slightly more tender crumb and adds a subtle tang that makes people stop and ask what you did differently.
  • Let the honey butter soften completely at room temperature before beating it so it becomes fluffy and incorporates the honey evenly throughout.
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