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A pie server lifting up a slice of golden brown cornbread from a cast iron skillet.
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4 from 2 votes

Perfect Cornbread

This cornbread is perfectly moist and sweet with a golden brown top, crusty edge and soft center. It bakes up beautifully every time!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups fine yellow or white cornmeal
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (see notes)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk (see notes)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil, melted butter or bacon fat, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet (see notes) with 1 tablespoon canola oil, melted butter or bacon fat. Place in oven as it preheats so it gets nice and hot.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir well. Add the milk, eggs and remaining 3 tablespoons of canola oil, melted butter or bacon fat. Mix until just combined.
  • Carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and add the cornbread batter to it.
  • Return to the oven and bake at 425 for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown.

Notes

Cornmeal: You can use white or yellow cornmeal, just make sure it’s finely ground for an even texture.
Flour: All-purpose flour works great here, as does a white wheat or whole wheat flour.
Sugar: I think 3 tablespoons of sugar offers the perfect amount of sweetness. However, you can adjust and use anywhere from 1-4 tablespoons of sugar to suit your tastes. 
Milk: I’ve used skim milk, whole milk and buttermilk and all work just great, so use what you have on hand. 
Fat: You can use canola oil, melted butter or bacon fat for greasing the pan and adding into the cornbread. (I prefer melted butter myself, for the ease and the flavor, but all three work.)
Pan: Using a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet for cornbread is preferred because it helps develop that crusty edge. However, you can also use an 8-inch square baking dish or use muffin tins. You can also use a corn stick pan (you’ll need 3) and adjust the time to bake for just 11-12 minutes.
Additions: Try these add-ins for a flavor twist.
  • ½ to 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup cooked, crumbled bacon
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, drained
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
  • 1 small onion, chopped and sautéed until tender
Leftovers: Once cooled, you can store the cornbread in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. (I often just cover the cast iron pan and leave it on the counter.) Enjoy at room temperature or warm through in the microwave or toaster oven. (Just be sure not to dry it out too much.) You can also cover it and refrigerate it to extend the shelf-life to up to a week.
Reheating: You can reheat cornbread in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes to warm it through. It helps to cover it with foil so it doesn’t dry out. Or microwave cornbread for 30-40 seconds for a quick fix.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 401mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g
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