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    Home » Bread

    Published Nov 8, 2021 (Updated Feb 8, 2023) by Heather Bilyeu

    Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

    ★★★ from 1 reviews·
    2 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Cast iron skillet cornbread is a southern staple and a must-have alongside any bowl of chili! Tender and savory with crunchy edges, you will quickly fall in love with this easy recipe!

    There are some recipes from my childhood that were staples and that can instantly bring me back to a moment in time. And I love them for that. This cast iron skillet recipe is one of them!

    My mom has so many different cast iron skillets, and they are all so old! Like I am talking about my great-grandmother's skillets that we were using on a regular basis for making cornbread growing up. She also had these fun corn-shaped and mini bundt muffin cast iron pans that she would make cornbread into too that I loved!

    2 slices of Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread with honey butter on top.

    That is the beauty of cast iron. IT LASTS FOREVER! And the older and more seasoned it is, the better!

    There is no other way to cook cornbread than in a cast iron. Period.

    So today I am going to walk you through step by step how my mom made and how I now make old fashion southern cornbread!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to Make Your Own Buttermilk
    • Where Can I Buy or How Do I Get Bacon Grease for This Recipe?
    • How to Make
    • More Bread Recipes
    • Soup Recipes Perfect to Pair with Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread!
    • Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

    Ingredients Needed

    The good thing about cornbread is it is a simple basic recipe. Requiring just a couple of pantry staples such as:

    • Self Rising Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix
    • Buttermilk
    • Oil
    • Egg
    • Bacon Grease
    milk, cornmeal, oil, and eggs in separate clear bowls on a white table.

    How to Make Your Own Buttermilk

    I never keep buttermilk in my fridge. So for those recipes that call for it, I just make my own!

    For 1 cup of buttermilk, you will need just shy of 1 cup of whole milk and about a tablespoon of vinegar (to give you 1 cup in total). Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Use as directed in the recipe.

    Whalaa! You know have your own buttermilk!

    Where Can I Buy or How Do I Get Bacon Grease for This Recipe?

    No proper southern home is complete without a mason jar of bacon grease in the fridge. I don't use it for anything but cornbread, but you bet I have a full quart jar in my fridge always! 😉

    If you don't have bacon grease, buy a pound of bacon, fry it up in a skillet to eat for breakfast, or have it for any recipe, drain the drippings into a glass jar, and done!

    You know have bacon grease. Keep covered and stored in the fridge - well - forever 🙂

    3 slices of Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

    How to Make

    1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. This is super important! You need the skillet to be smoking hot!
    2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together gently with a spatula.
    3. Once the oven is heated, remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Let melt. Pour the cornbread mixture right over top in the hot skillet.
    4. Place back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
    5. Remove and enjoy with chili, butter, or honey butter!

    PRO TIP - store any leftovers in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and use for Southern Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing when Thanksgiving rolls around!

    cornbread mix in a clear bowl.
    bacon grease melting in a cast iron skillet.
    cornbread mix in a cast iron skillet before going in the oven
    Is cornbread better in a cast iron skillet?

    In my opinion, yes it is! A crucial part of this recipe is to place the skillet in the oven while heating it up, to be piping hot when you pour the cornbread batter inside. A well-seasoned skillet is thick and heavy enough to reach the temperature needed to cook cornbread properly. Resulting in a crispy crunchy edge and soft interior!

    Why does my cornbread stick to my cast iron skillet?

    You have not put enough grease in it beforehand. Do not use cooking spray. Once you have removed the skillet from the oven, place 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the hot hot skillet and then pour in the cornbread batter directly on top. This will prevent and ensure no sticking!

    Do I use yellow or white cornmeal for cornbread?

    It doesn't matter - either works. The yellow color the cornbread gets is more from the eggs than the cornmeal.

    More Bread Recipes

    • Cheddar Swirl Bread
    • Jalapeno Cheddar Drop Biscuits
    • Cheesy Breadsticks
    • 1 Hour Wheat Dinner Rolls
    • Cheddar and Chive Popovers

    Don't forget to use this in Southern Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing when the holiday season rolls around! It is also delicious smothered in honey butter!

    Soup Recipes Perfect to Pair with Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread!

    • Chili Con Carne
    • Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
    • Butternut Squash Soup
    • Instant Pot Taco Soup
    • Instant Pot Potato Soup
    cast iron skillet cornbread with honey, plated, and butter next to it
    Print
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    cast iron skillet cornbread with honey, plated, and butter next to it

    Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread


    ★★★

    3 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Heather
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 8 slices 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Cast iron skillet cornbread is a southern staple and a must-have alongside any bowl of chili! Tender and savory with crunchy edges, you will quickly fall in love with this easy recipe!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 Cups Martha White Self Rising Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix
    • 1 ⅓ Cups Buttermilk
    • ¼ Cup Oil
    • 1 Egg
    • 1-2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. This is super important! You need the skillet to be smoking hot!
    2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together gently with a spatula.
    3. Once the oven is heated, remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Let melt. Pour the cornbread mixture right over top in the hot skillet.
    4. Place back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
    5. Remove and enjoy with chili, soup, butter, or honey butter!

    Notes

    • Keep leftovers in a ziptop bag for 2 days or store in the freezer to use in Southern Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing for Thanksgiving.
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Category: Bread
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 slice
    • Calories: 231
    • Sugar: 2 g
    • Sodium: 519.2 mg
    • Fat: 11.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 27.8 g
    • Fiber: 2.4 g
    • Protein: 5 g
    • Cholesterol: 29.3 mg

    Keywords: Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @fuelingasouthernsoul on Instagram and hashtag it #fuelingasouthernsoul

    Please rate and review below!

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    Filed Under: 4th of July, Bread, Christmas, Easter, Fall, Southern, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Cornmeal

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jen says

      May 21, 2022 at 8:20 am

      We never use bacon grease in our cornbread mixture. Absolutely unnecessary. And I am very Southern.

      ★★★

      Reply
      • Heather says

        May 24, 2022 at 4:45 pm

        The bacon grease is added to the skillet so that the cornbread doesn't stick to it - the added flavor is just a bonus! If you don't prefer bacon grease you can sub a flavorless oil instead.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Heather! Grab a glass of wine, a blanket, and a cozy seat on your back porch. I am so glad you are here! Born and raised in Kentucky and with proper southern roots, my love for entertaining and hospitality runs deep within my soul. There is nothing that I love more than having people around my table and loving them through food and drink!

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