Southern skillet cornbread is a savory, unsweetened cornbread baked in a preheated cast iron skillet, so the batter sizzles the second it hits the pan and forms a crisp, almost fried bottom crust. You mix cornmeal, buttermilk, and egg into a batter, pour it into a screaming hot, fat coated skillet, and bake it until the top browns and the inside stays tender.
Cornbread has deep roots in the South, adapted from Indigenous corn based breads by European settlers and enslaved cooks who had limited access to wheat flour and sugar, both of which were expensive or scarce for much of the region's history. That history is part of why traditional Southern cornbread skips sugar entirely, unlike the sweeter, cake like cornbread more common in the North, which developed with easier access to sugar and often more flour in the mix.
Bacon grease, saved from breakfast, is the traditional fat for greasing the skillet, giving the crust a savory edge you don't get from butter alone.
What Actually Matters
Preheating the skillet with fat already in it is the single step that defines this cornbread. You heat the cast iron skillet with bacon grease or butter in the oven while you mix the batter, then pour the batter into the screaming hot pan, where it should audibly sizzle on contact. That immediate contact with very hot fat is what fries the bottom and edges into a crisp, almost crackling crust while the inside bakes up tender. Skip the preheat and pour batter into a room temperature pan, and you'll get a pale, soft sided cornbread with none of the textural contrast that makes the skillet version worth making.
Southern Skillet Cornbread Recipe (Serves 4)
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes.
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp bacon grease or unsalted butter, divided
- Place an 8 inch cast iron skillet with 2 tbsp of the bacon grease in the oven, and preheat the oven and skillet together to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg together, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet, swirl the melted grease to coat the sides, then pour the excess grease into the batter and stir it in.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet, it should sizzle on contact.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool 5 minutes in the skillet before slicing.
Nutrition (Per Serving, Estimated)
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220 kcal | 6 g | 9 g | 30 g |
These numbers are a calculated estimate for the 4 serving recipe above, not a lab verified value.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
Traditional Southern cornbread has no sugar at all, this recipe leaves it out for that reason, though a tablespoon of honey stirred into the batter is a common modern addition if you'd like a touch of sweetness. Cast iron is strongly recommended here, a regular cake pan will bake fine but the bottom won't develop the same crisp, almost fried crust. White cornmeal is traditional across much of the Deep South, while yellow is more common elsewhere, either works in this recipe. Cornbread is best fresh, but it keeps wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't there sugar in this recipe?
Traditional Southern cornbread is savory, not sweet, a legacy of a time when sugar was scarce or expensive in the region. Northern style cornbread tends to be sweeter and closer to cake.
Do I really need a cast iron skillet?
It's strongly recommended. Preheating cast iron with fat inside is what gives this cornbread its crisp bottom crust, a regular cake pan won't get as hot or crisp the same way.
White or yellow cornmeal, does it matter?
Both work in this recipe. White cornmeal is more traditional in much of the Deep South, while yellow is more common in other parts of the country.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It's best fresh from the oven, but it keeps wrapped at room temperature for about 2 days, or you can freeze it for longer storage.
Why did my cornbread turn out dense?
Overmixing the batter develops the flour's gluten and toughens the texture. Stir just until the dry streaks disappear.
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I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
If a recipe is missing something you needed, or a step didn't make sense, tell me. Get in touch and I'll fix it.
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