Baking

Homemade Cornbread: Sweet, Buttery, Cast Iron Queen

2 min

Drop two tablespoons of butter into a skillet that's been heating at 400 for fifteen minutes and it'll foam up almost instantly. That sizzle when the batter hits the hot iron is what sets the crust, so don't skip the preheat. I keep the mixing light here, just enough strokes to wet the cornmeal, because a stirred-to-death batter bakes up tight and gummy. This is a sweet version, half a cup of sugar plus an optional honey pour, closer to a Northern-style cake than the savory Southern kind.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Cornbread comes straight out of Native American cooking, where ground maize was baked or griddled long before European settlers arrived and borrowed the technique. The North-versus-South sweetness argument is real and old: Southern cooks traditionally went savory with white cornmeal and little to no sugar, while Northern recipes leaned sweet and cakey. This recipe lands firmly on the sweet side, so consider it a friendly provocation if you grew up on the unsweetened kind.

Cornbread is simple. Cornbread is magic.

This one hits every note: golden crust, moist crumb, slightly sweet. Bake it in a cast iron skillet for those crispy, buttery edges. Slather with honey. Die happy.

1 1

Preheat and Prep

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up.

2 2

Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3 3

Mix Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and honey.

4 4

Combine

Pour wet into dry. Stir until just combined (don’t overmix).

5 5

Skillet Time

Carefully remove hot skillet from oven. Add 2 tbsp butter, swirl to melt.

Pour batter into hot skillet. It should sizzle.

6 6

Bake

Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes. Slice. Serve warm with butter and honey.

Summary

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20-25 minutes | Total Time: 30-35 minutes

Yield: 8-10 servings

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Room Temp:

Store in an airtight container for 3 days. Wrap in foil to keep moisture.

Freezer Friendly:

Freeze for 3 months. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Pro Tip:

Hot skillet = crispy crust. Don’t skip preheating the pan.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

20-25 minutes

Total

30-35 minutes

Yield

8-10 servings

Ingredients

Serves 8-10.

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
2 large eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, melted (plus 2 tbsp for skillet)
¼ cup honey (optional, for extra sweetness)

Instructions

1
Preheat and Prep. Preheat and Prep. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up. 2 2
2
Mix Dry Ingredients. Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 3 3
3
Mix Wet Ingredients. Mix Wet Ingredients. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and honey. 4 4
4
Combine. Combine. Pour wet into dry. Stir until just combined (don’t overmix). 5 5
5
Skillet Time. Skillet Time. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven. Add 2 tbsp butter, swirl to melt. Pour batter into hot skillet. It should sizzle. 6 6
6
Bake. Bake. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Slice. Serve warm with butter and honey

Swaps & Substitutions

Buttermilk → no buttermilk on hand, stir 1 tbsp vinegar into 1 cup milk and let it sit five minutes until it curdles slightly.
Unsalted butter → if you only have salted, use it but cut the added salt to a pinch so it doesn't get sharp.
All-purpose flour → a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend works; the crumb is a touch more fragile, so cool it the full 10 minutes before cutting.
Honey → maple syrup swaps in at the same quarter cup, or just leave it out if you want it less sweet.
Cast iron skillet → a metal cake pan or muffin tin works, but preheat it dry and add the butter right before the batter to chase that crisp edge.
Sugar → drop it to 2 tbsp for a savory, more Southern-style cornbread that pairs with chili and greens.

Questions & Answers

Why did my cornbread turn out dense and gummy?

Almost always overmixing. Stir just until the dry streaks disappear; a few lumps are fine and the batter should look a little rough.

Do I really need a cast iron skillet?

It's what gives you the crackly fried edge, so yes for the full effect. You can bake it in a metal pan, but preheat the pan and add butter before the batter to get close.

How do I know when it's done?

The top should be golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, usually 20 to 25 minutes. If the edges are browning fast but the middle is wet, give it a few more minutes and tent loosely with foil.

Can I make this less sweet?

Yes. Cut the sugar to 2 tablespoons and skip the honey for a savory loaf that goes with chili or barbecue. Going fully sugar-free changes the texture slightly, leaving it a bit drier.

How should I store leftovers?

It keeps three days at room temperature in a covered container, or freeze it up to three months. Reheat slices in a dry skillet to bring back some crisp; the microwave makes them soft.