Cornbread

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated Oct. 15, 2024

Cornbread
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cybelle Tondu.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(1,744)
Comments
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This easy skillet cornbread comes together with just a handful of ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand. It’s a firm-crumbed but light quick bread that can hold its own as a side slathered with salted butter, or it can be used as a base for cornbread dressing. The buttermilk gives the toasted corn flavor a pleasant tartness — full-fat buttermilk is preferred, but low-fat will do in a pinch.

Featured in: These Thanksgiving Recipes Aren’t Just Side Dishes. They’re My Memories.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 8tablespoons/115 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the pan
  • 1½cups/250 grams medium-coarse yellow cornmeal
  • ¾cup/114 grams all-purpose flour
  • ¼cup/55 grams granulated sugar
  • 3½teaspoons baking powder
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
  • ¼teaspoon baking soda
  • 2cups/470 milliliters buttermilk, preferably full-fat
  • 2large eggs, lightly beaten
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

340 calories; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 331 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch skillet or cast-iron pan and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk and eggs. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until incorporated. Fold in the melted butter.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and smooth the top.

  4. Step 4

    Bake until the top is lightly browned and the sides pull away cleanly from the skillet, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely and serve warm or room temperature, or reserve to make cornbread dressing.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,744 user ratings
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Comments

marcus

You can use olive oil instead of butter, but make sure it is hot when you add it to the batter. And sugar? Save that for corn muffins or cake…sugar has no place in cornbread

Diane K. Martin

I like a little sugar in my corn bread, whatever your grandmothers say. So sue me.

Barbara S. Good

Stone ground white cornmeal is best, and cornbread should definitely not be sugared.

jonnyboi

I made this for Thanksgiving this year and everyone loved it. It came out soft and fluffy with a nice tangy flavor likely from the buttermilk. For anyone wondering, though there is sugar in the recipe it's barely noticeable and definitely not sweet. So easy to make and definitely saving for next year.

Christine

115g of butter seems like way too much. All I tasted was butter. Is this a mistake?

Theo

Have been searching for the perfect cornbread recipe and this is it! Perfect texture, crispy crust, and not dry! I used fine ground as that’s all I had but think this would be even better with a coarser grind. Didn’t bake in a skillet but a stoneware 9x13 and doubled the recipe - left some Crisco in the pan while it was preheating so the batter sizzled when it made contact, gave it a lovely crust on the bottom and sides to match the crispy crust on top. Browned the butter in the batter too, but don’t think this is necessary. I always go back and forth about adding sugar but the little bit of sugar in this recipe is the perfect middle ground - doesn’t taste sweet but brings out the natural flavor of the corn. This is the perfect starting point for experimenting further - whether trying a different sweetener, adding cheese, whole corn or other mix-ins. Will be returning to this again for sure.

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