Spoon bread is a southern staple and classic here in Kentucky! Think grits meets cornbread in all the right ways. The ultimate southern comfort food!
What in the world is spoon bread you may be asking?!
Oh, sit back and let me tell you. Because it is one of my most favorite things in the world!
This is something my mom would make growing up every now and then and we would demolish it! It is so comforting and a perfect dish side/bread to any meal.
If you have ever had grits and if you have ever had cornbread - think if those 2 got married and had a baby. That is what spoon bread is.
Can you get that visual haha? ?
Southern spoon bread is more of a souffle type dish made with common pantry ingredients like
- cornmeal
- milk
- butter
- eggs
- salt and baking powder
The base of milk and cornmeal is cooked on the stove until it's nice and thick and creamy. Then the rest of the ingredients are added and it is baked off until it's a light fluffy DELICIOUS dish ready to be devoured!
Why is it called Spoon Bread?
It gets its name because it is so soft that it is literally eaten with a spoon. Hence - SPOON BREAD. Get it?! Clever lol ?
And THE ONLY PROPER way to eat it is with a big pad of butter on top of it straight out of the oven! This dish is best enjoyed hot and right away. And all those puddles of melted butter running through it.....BLESS IT!
This is not for your no-carb low-fat diet plan over here. Sorry. It can wait. This treat is #worthit!
How to Make Southern Spoon Bread from Scratch
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan, add the cornmeal and milk and place on the stove on medium heat. Whisk continually until thick, about 10-15 minutes.
- Once thick, remove from the heat and all the butter, salt, and baking powder. Whisk until mixed.
- Slowly add the beaten eggs to the cornmeal mixture until everything is incorporated together.
- Pour into a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately hot out of the oven. Best enjoyed with a pad of butter on each serving!
What Dish Do I Bake it in?
My mom, as well as I now, make southern spoon bread in the same vintage CorningWare dish every time.
The recipe calls for a 1 ½ quart baking dish - which can be in a couple of different shapes.
We have used something deep and square with high sides - as seen in the pictures.
But there are also some round quart baking dishes and more oval-shaped as well that would work.
You just need this dish to be more small and deep (more bowl-like), instead of large and thin (more cake and brownie-like).
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What is the Difference Between Spoon Bread and Cornbread?
Cornbread is made with just a couple of ingredients: cornmeal, buttermilk, oil, and egg. It bakes in a cast-iron skillet and is sliced, held, and eaten just like bread.
Spoonbread is made with more eggs and baking powder resulting in a fluffier almost souffle-like consistency, resulting in needing to be eaten with a spoon and not held.
Can You Make Spoon Bread Ahead of Time?
Unfortunately, in my opinion, no. Because this has a delicate souffle-like texture, this is best eaten fresh and hot right out of the oven and needs to be made right before getting ready to enjoy.
No. For the same reasons above. Because this has a delicate souffle-like texture, this is best eaten fresh and hot right out of the oven and needs to be made right before getting ready to enjoy. It cannot be premade and frozen, and leftovers do not keep well enough to freeze.
Yes, however, in my opinion, they are not as good. As spoon bread cools and sits in a fridge overnight, it becomes denser and less fluffy. It loses the souffle-like texture. You can definitely still enjoy, just warm in the microwave and top it with butter. But it is still best enjoyed fresh.
More Bread Recipes
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
- Homemade Yeast Rolls
- Cheddar Swirl Bread
- 1 Hour Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Garlic Knots
- Potato Rolls
Southern Spoon Bread
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Spoon bread is a southern staple and classic here in Kentucky! Think grits meet cornbread in all the right ways. The ultimate southern comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cornmeal
- 4 Cups Milk
- 3 Tablespoon Melted Butter
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 4 Eggs - whisked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan, add the cornmeal and milk and place on the stove on medium heat. Whisk continually until thick, about 10-15 minutes.
- Once thick, remove from the heat and all the butter, salt, and baking powder. Whisk until mixed.
- Slowly add the beaten eggs to the cornmeal mixture until everything is incorporated together.
- Pour into a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately hot out of the oven. Best enjoyed with a pad of butter on each serving!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 205
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 531.6 mg
- Fat: 11.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 116.6 mg
Keywords: Southern Spoon Bread
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