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Southern Cornbread Recipe is a perfect cornbread recipe to serve with your favorite soups and stews. Top with butter and honey for a delicious side dish.
Cornbread is a must when making Slow Cooker Venison Chili and Pumpkin Chili Recipe. It is loaded with savory flavors and even better crumbled to top these easy chili recipes.
If you prefer a sweeter cornbread, try this Best Jiffy Cornbread Recipe. Cornbread bakes fluffy, moist and with a ton of flavor in a cast iron skillet lined with bacon grease.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Cornbread Recipe
I love making cornbread because of the simple ingredients and how easy it is to prepare. You can serve this cornbread just as it is or we love to top with melted butter, honey, or maple syrup.
Because it is baked in a cast iron skillet every slice has a crispy edges and a soft center. Make this classic cornbread the next time you want to change up your cornbread recipe.
Ingredients
- Self-Rising Cornmeal Mix – Gives the cornbread a fluffy texture
- Buttermilk and Milk – Keep the cornbread moist
- Bacon Grease – You can substitute the bacon grease with vegetable oil for a different flavor.
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Sweeter Cornbread – For a hint of sweetness, add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients.
- Add Cheese – You can easily add in shredded cheese for a delicious variations.
How to Make Southern Cornbread
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl, whisk self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, milk, eggs, and melted butter until well combined.
Step 3 – Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the bacon drippings, swirling to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
Step 4 – Pour the excess drippings into the batter and stir quickly to incorporate.
Step 5 – Pour the mixture into the hot skillet. It should sizzle as it hits the pan.
- Step 6 – Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 7 – Let cool in the skillet for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
- Prepare Skillet – For the best southern-style cornbread make sure to pre-heat the cast iron skillet.
- Bacon Grease – My mom taught me to save my bacon grease after cooking it on the stovetop. We love using the leftover grease to give this cornbread amazing flavor.
- Baking Time – When cooking the cornbread, we like to use a toothpick to ensure that the cornbread is fully cooked. Insert the toothpick in the center of the cornbread, if it comes out clean then the cornbread is finished cooking.
Serving Suggestions
This classic southern cornbread recipe is the perfect side dish for any main dish recipe. We love to serve with Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe, Beans in a Crock Pot, Fried Chicken Breasts and White Chicken Taco Chili Recipe.
The crispy crust makes it a delicious addition to these 54 Easy Crock Pot Soup Recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between cornbread and southern cornbread is the amount of sugar that is added. Southern cornbread usually is made without sugar or very little. Southern cornbread has a savory flavor and usually made with bacon grease.
This cornbread recipe is best made in a hot cast iron skillet. It gives the cornbread the best texture and it for the skillet is preheated it cooks the cornbread quickly.
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator or at room temperature in an airtight container. The leftovers will last for up to 3-4 days.
Cornbread can easily be place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also slice the cornbread and wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to freeze so you can take out what you need.
More Easy Cornbread Recipes
Easy Side Dishes
Jalapeño Cornbread
Easy Side Dishes
Honey Cornbread Recipe
Quick Bread
Homemade Cornbread Recipe
We love to hear from you. If you make Southern Cornbread Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup bacon grease
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
- In a large bowl, mix self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, milk, eggs, and melted butter until well combined.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the bacon drippings, swirling to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Pour the excess drippings into the batter and stir quickly to incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle as it hits the pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the skillet for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
This cornbread made the perfect side to my beef stew! Had the best flavor.