Crispy-crusted, buttery cast-iron cornbread — the authentic Southern style with no sugar.
Southern cornbread is a subject of genuine regional passion in America. Northern cornbread tends toward sweetness — a yellow, cakey quick bread that Southerners regard with gentle contempt. Southern cornbread is made entirely from stone-ground white or yellow cornmeal, not a cup of flour in sight, baked in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet greased with bacon drippings or lard, producing a crust that rivals the most satisfying crackers you've ever tasted surrounding a tender, slightly crumbly interior. The cast iron skillet is non-negotiable for authentic Southern cornbread — the preheated, greased pan creates an instant crust the moment the batter hits it, a sizzling sound that every Southern cook recognizes as the sound of success. The inside is tender and just barely sweet from the corn itself, not from added sugar, which many Southern cooks consider an affront to cornbread's dignity. Serve it hot from the skillet, sliced into wedges, with a slab of cold butter that melts into the steaming interior. Crumble it into a glass of cold buttermilk for the traditional Southern evening snack. Serve alongside chili, beans, BBQ or collard greens — cornbread is the South's answer to all questions about what to serve alongside.
Serves 8
Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven. Preheat to 450°F with the skillet inside. This is the most important step.
The screaming-hot skillet creates the signature crispy crust. Don't skip preheating it.
Whisk cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Stir until just combined — a few lumps are fine.
Carefully add bacon drippings to the hot skillet — they should shimmer immediately. Pour batter in; it should sizzle on contact. Bake 18–22 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board. Slice into wedges and serve with cold butter.
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White cornmeal is traditional in the Deep South; yellow is more common elsewhere — both work.
No sugar in authentic Southern cornbread. If you want sweetness, make a Northern-style recipe.
Bacon drippings or lard in the skillet create the most authentic flavor and crispiest crust.
Don't overmix the batter — lumps are fine and overmixing develops gluten, making cornbread tough.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread: fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar and 2 minced jalapeños.
Sweet Cornbread (Northern style): add ¼ cup sugar and ½ cup all-purpose flour for a cakier texture.
Cornbread Dressing: crumble day-old cornbread for Thanksgiving stuffing.
Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes. Freezes well up to 2 months.
Native Americans were making corn-based flatbreads long before European contact. Southern cornbread evolved from these Indigenous techniques combined with European baking methods after corn became the staple grain of the American South in the 17th–18th centuries. Its association with poverty and enslaved cooking has given it cultural layers that make it one of the most symbolically charged foods in American culinary history.
Traditional Southern cornbread contains no sugar. The sweet version is Northern or 'Yankee' cornbread. Whether to add sugar is a surprisingly passionate regional debate. In the South, sugar in cornbread is considered a desecration.
You can use a 9-inch round cake pan or muffin tin, but you won't get the signature crispy crust. At minimum, preheat the pan in the oven before adding the batter.
Corn muffins typically contain more sugar and all-purpose flour, making them more cakey and sweet. True Southern cornbread uses only cornmeal and no (or minimal) sugar.
Per serving (250g / 8.8 oz) · 8 servings total
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