Cornbread
- Yield
- 4 servings
Cornbread baked in a hot cast-iron skillet gets a crackling brown crust that no other pan gives you. This version sits in the middle of the long sweet-or-not argument, with a little sugar you can raise or leave out, and it teaches the hot-pan pour you'll use again and again.
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Ingredients
Batches and reset
4 servings · US measures · 1 batch
Batching
Bake each batch in its own preheated 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and mix each batch just before it goes into the oven. Baking time does not change with the number of batches.
Original recipe: 4 servings.
Extra fine sea salt or granulated sugar added at the tasting step is not included in the base nutrition scenario.
Before you start
- Read through the recipe before heating the oven. Gather the bowls, tools, oven mitts and measured ingredients.
Directions
Read and gather
For the whole recipe
Read through the recipe and gather the equipment. Use the ingredient lines to prepare and measure everything, and set the eggs on the counter. Everything is measured and the oven mitts are within reach.
Heat the oven and skillet
For each batch
Heat the oven to 425°F with the 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the middle rack. After the oven has reached temperature, keep the skillet in the oven so it heats through, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the dry ingredients
For each batch
Meanwhile, whisk the cornmeal and flour in the large bowl. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda until the mixture looks even, with no soda clumps.
Whisk the wet base
For each batch
Whisk the buttermilk, 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 3/4 tsp fine sea salt in the medium bowl until no sugar grit shows against the bowl.
Taste the base
For each batch
Taste the base before the butter and eggs go in. Aim for tangy and savory with a gentle sweetness, salted enough to taste rounded rather than sour. If it tastes flat, add fine sea salt to taste; for a sweeter bread, add granulated sugar to taste, no more than 2 tbsp more for this batch. The base tastes tangy, gently sweet and well salted.
Move the skillet and melt the butter
For each batch
Move the hot 10-inch cast-iron skillet to the stovetop with oven mitts, keeping the burner off. Add the butter and swirl until it melts and foams. Pour the melted butter into the heatproof cup, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet, then return the skillet to the oven. The butter is melted and the skillet is coated.
Whisk in the butter and eggs
For each batch
Whisk the melted butter from the cup into the base, then whisk in the eggs until the base is smooth and evenly yellow.
Pour and stir
For each batch
Pour the wet base into the dry ingredients and stir with the spatula just until no dry pockets remain, working quickly. The batter is thick but pourable, with a few small lumps.
Move the skillet and bake
For each batch
Move the hot skillet back to the stovetop with oven mitts and pour in the batter; the edges should sizzle. Smooth the top and bake on the middle rack at 425°F until the top is golden, the edges are deep brown and pulling away, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Set and rest
For each batch
Set the skillet on a trivet and rest the cornbread until the edges firm up and a knife cuts cleanly, about 5 minutes. Cut it into 8 wedges in the skillet.
Divide and serve
For the whole recipe
Divide the wedges into 4 servings, 2 wedges each, and serve warm. The cornbread is cut and portioned.
About this recipe
Research preview: these details come from our sourced research and haven't been reviewed by our chef yet.
Why it works
Associated with
Native American, Southern US (Black and white Southern home cooking), American
Native peoples cooked maize for thousands of years before European contact; early colonial cornbread was cornmeal and water baked at the hearth. In the 18th and 19th centuries buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, baking powder and pork fat changed its texture. Sugar and wheat flour became common only in the 20th century, after steel roller mills produced finer, less sweet yellow meal, which started the sweet-versus-savory debate.
Taste
- Sweet
- Sour
- Salty
- Bitter
- Savory
- Heat
crackling brown crust from the hot skillet, crumbly-tender inside · warm
Skill level
Easy
Tagged beginner; the hot skillet is the main hazard.
Allergens
Diets
Vegan: Doesn't fit as written
Occasions
Thanksgiving (US), Halloween (editorial), Catholic Lenten Fridays (abstinence from meat)
Serving and keeping
Leftovers: warm in the oven
Food safety
- center springs back and a toothpick comes out clean (step 7)
- skillet and handle are at oven temperature (425°F); use dry mitts
- raw egg and raw flour; do not taste batter after eggs are added (the recipe tastes the egg-free base in step 4)
Nutrition notes
note: Added sugars about 6 g per serving (2 wedges), about 12% of the 50 g Daily Value.
For your food tracker
Fields for MyFitnessPal and other trackers
- Recipe url
- https://isthebestrecipe.com/breads/cornbread
- Name
- Cornbread
- Servings
- 4
- Recipe yield
- 4 servings
- Recipe ingredient
- about 1 cup fine or medium-grind yellow cornmeal, about 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned into the cup and leveled, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, about 1 1/4 cups buttermilk well shaken, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, 3 oz unsalted butter, 2 whole large eggs
- Nutrition information
- Nutrient 1008
- 487.39
- Nutrient 1003
- 11.57
- Nutrient 1004
- 21.35
- Nutrient 1005
- 62.40
- Nutrient 1079
- 2.21
- Nutrient 2000
- 11.09
- Nutrient 1093
- 991.44
- Nutrient 1258
- 12.14
- Nutrient 1253
- 141.75
- Nutrient 1087
- 249.13
- Nutrient 1089
- 3.72
- Nutrient 1092
- 239.02
- Nutrient 1114
- 0.50
- Nutrient 1190
- 224.40
- Nutrient 1110
- 21.27
- Nutrient 1018
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1259
- 0.71
- Nutrient 1260
- 0.44
- Nutrient 1122
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1185
- 1.73
- Nutrient 1105
- 192.54
- Nutrient 1275
- 0.45
- Nutrient 1279
- <0.01
- Nutrient 1292
- 6.25
- Nutrient 1293
- 1.56
- Nutrient 1265
- 5.45
- Nutrient 1266
- 2.42
- Nutrient 1268
- 5.52
- Nutrient 1269
- 1.20
- Nutrient 1270
- 0.29
- Nutrient 1057
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1058
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1104
- 776.92
- Nutrient 1106
- 199.92
- Nutrient 1107
- 68.29
- Nutrient 1108
- 22.05
- Nutrient 1246
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1242
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1178
- 0.43
- Nutrient 1278
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1280
- <0.01
- Nutrient 1261
- 0.26
- Nutrient 1263
- 0.57
- Nutrient 1264
- 1.66
- Nutrient 1272
- 0.01
- Nutrient 1120
- 2.25
- Nutrient 1062
- 2040.05
- Nutrient 1090
- 30.55
- Nutrient 1091
- 241.53
- Nutrient 1098
- 0.10
- Nutrient 1101
- 0.29
- Nutrient 1187
- 35.78
- Nutrient 1162
- 0.77
- Nutrient 1165
- 0.48
- Nutrient 1166
- 0.53
- Nutrient 1177
- 146.55
- Nutrient 1007
- 4.17
- Nutrient 1051
- 99.24
- Nutrient 1271
- 0.05
- Nutrient 1276
- 0.00
- Nutrient 1277
- 0.03
- Nutrient 1262
- 0.56
- Nutrient 1095
- 1.11
- Nutrient 1103
- 23.73
- Nutrient 1109
- 0.85
- Nutrient 1123
- 701.18
- Nutrient 1167
- 3.66
- Nutrient 1170
- 0.84
- Nutrient 1175
- 0.15
- Nutrient 1180
- 97.26
- Nutrient 1186
- 111.12
- Copy action wording
- Copy recipe and estimated nutrition
Sources
- Cornbread (Wikipedia (English), 2026-10-02)
- Food Allergies (major food allergens under FALCPA and the FASTER Act) (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026-03-11)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II: Substances or products causing allergies or intolerances (legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) rendering of the EU text, 2011-10-25)
- Home Food Storage (storage chart) (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, UNL Food)
- Handling Flour Safely: What You Need to Know (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024-03-05)
- What You Need to Know About Egg Safety (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024-03-05)
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024-03-05)
- 21 CFR 101.54 Nutrient content claims for 'good source,' 'high,' 'more' (Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (reproducing the eCFR))
- Sodium in Your Diet (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Make it the best
Copy this recipe and make it your own. Change amounts, swap ingredients, rewrite steps. The original stays as it is.
Nutrition Values
Estimated nutrition
Cornbread
4 servingsOne serving is one equal share of the selected recipe yield.
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Total sugars
- 11 g
- Total fat
- 21 g
- Saturated fat
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 990 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 µg
- Calcium
- 249 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Potassium
- 239 mg
Estimated · Per serving · 490 kcal
| Macro | Grams | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 62.40 g | 51.14% |
| Fat | 21.35 g | 39.37% |
| Protein | 11.57 g | 9.48% |
Cornbread as listed; extra to-taste salt and sugar adjustments excluded
Nutrition details
Cornbread as listed; extra to-taste salt and sugar adjustments excluded
Main nutrients
Per serving
- Calories
- 487.39 kcal
- Protein
- 11.57 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62.40 g
- Fiber
- 2.21 g
- Total sugars
- 11.09 g
- Total fat
- 21.35 g
- Saturated fat
- 12.14 g
- Sodium
- 991.44 mg
Vitamins and minerals
Per serving
- Calcium, Ca
- 249.13 mg
- Iron, Fe
- 3.72 mg
- Potassium, K
- 239.02 mg
- Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
- 0.50 µg
- Folate, DFE
- 224.40 µg
- Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units
- 21.27 IU
- Lycopene
- 0.00 µg
- Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
- 1.73 µg
- Retinol
- 192.54 µg
- Vitamin A, IU
- 776.92 IU
- Vitamin A, RAE
- 199.92 µg
- Carotene, beta
- 68.29 µg
- Carotene, alpha
- 22.05 µg
- Vitamin B-12, added
- 0.00 µg
- Vitamin E, added
- 0.00 mg
- Vitamin B-12
- 0.43 µg
- Cryptoxanthin, beta
- 2.25 µg
- Magnesium, Mg
- 30.55 mg
- Phosphorus, P
- 241.53 mg
- Copper, Cu
- 0.10 mg
- Folate, food
- 35.78 µg
- Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
- 0.77 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.48 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.53 mg
- Folate, total
- 146.55 µg
- Zinc, Zn
- 1.11 mg
- Selenium, Se
- 23.73 µg
- Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- 0.85 mg
- Lutein + zeaxanthin
- 701.18 µg
- Niacin
- 3.66 mg
- Pantothenic acid
- 0.84 mg
- Vitamin B-6
- 0.15 mg
- Choline, total
- 97.26 mg
- Folic acid
- 111.12 µg
Other nutrients
Per serving
- Cholesterol
- 141.75 mg
- Alcohol, ethyl
- 0.00 g
- SFA 4:0
- 0.71 g
- SFA 6:0
- 0.44 g
- MUFA 16:1
- 0.45 g
- MUFA 22:1
- <0.01 g
- Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
- 6.25 g
- Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
- 1.56 g
- SFA 16:0
- 5.45 g
- SFA 18:0
- 2.42 g
- MUFA 18:1
- 5.52 g
- PUFA 18:2
- 1.20 g
- PUFA 18:3
- 0.29 g
- Caffeine
- 0.00 mg
- Theobromine
- 0.00 mg
- PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA)
- 0.00 g
- PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA)
- <0.01 g
- SFA 8:0
- 0.26 g
- SFA 12:0
- 0.57 g
- SFA 14:0
- 1.66 g
- PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA)
- 0.01 g
- Energy
- 2040.05 kJ
- Manganese, Mn
- 0.29 mg
- Ash
- 4.17 g
- Water
- 99.24 g
- PUFA 20:4
- 0.05 g
- PUFA 18:4
- 0.00 g
- MUFA 20:1
- 0.03 g
- SFA 10:0
- 0.56 g
Incomplete data
Unknown source coverage is not zero.
Calculation details
An estimate, not a laboratory analysis or regulatory nutrition label.
Calculated from retained ingredient source mappings; independent review pending.
Estimated from protein and carbohydrate at 4 kcal/g and fat at 9 kcal/g. This is not a breakdown of reported Calories; food-specific factors and carbohydrate composition can differ. Rounded percentages may not total exactly 100%; segments use exact shares.
Per serving: calculated macro energy 488.05 kcal; reported Calories 487.39 kcal. Difference: 0.66 kcal.
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Your notes
Kept on this device.Return: https://isthebestrecipe.com/breads/cornbread