Southern Skillet Cornbread
This old fashioned Southern Skillet Cornbread without sugar produces a light, fluffy classic cornbread that complements any Southern meal! Takes 5-minutes to mix up the batter… this foolproof cornbread never fails and is much better than the Aunt Jemima Cornbread recipe.
Cook the batter in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes, then bake in the oven to a beautiful golden brown!
This family gem comes from my great grandmother and even though we’ve never found an actual handwritten recipe, we do have an email from the 80’s from my Mom claiming she got this recipe in 1960, when she married my Dad.
The batter is first cooked in a skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes, to develop a crisp bottom crust, then baked. (You can also preheat the skillet an oil in the oven- either way works.) This first step ensures a crispy bottom crust.
Cornbread pairs beautifully with purple hull peas or a big bowl of speckled butter beans and a slice of fresh tomato! And don’t forget the sweet tea!
Some call this “skillet Cornbread” or “cast-iron” cornbread, but I just call it darn delicious! And it goes great with homemade chili, fried catfish or a big bowl of red beans and rice!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
Southern skillet cornbread is easy to make! First, you start it on the stove top to get a crispy crust, then transfer it to the oven and bake to a golden brown!
Nothing goes together better than a bowl of purple hull peas and cornbread- except maybe a bowl of Southern pinto beans and rice or Louisiana red beans and rice.
- No sugar cornbread recipe…this goes without saying, but cornbread should not contain sugar in my opinion-we like Southern skillet cornbread without sugar!
- Simple ingredients – you have most of these in your pantry right now!
- Can be a lifesaver – if all you’ve got is some dried beans and cornbread, you’ve got a complete meal!
- Cheap – homemade cornbread made from scratch costs little to nothing
- Better than Jiffy™, Martha White™ or Aunt Jemima’s™ boxed cornbread mixes
Skillet cornbread doesn’t have to be made in a cast iron skillet, but I’ve tried to make it in other pans and it doesn’t turn out right. I highly recommend using a seasoned cast-iron skillet.
Ingredients for skillet cornbread with no sugar
The ingredients for this delicious cornbread recipe are pretty simple and you probably already have them in your pantry.
- All-purpose yellow cornmeal (not self-rising cornmeal)
- All-purpose flour (not self-rising flour)
- One large egg
- Baking soda – make sure it’s fresh
- Baking powder-make sure it’s fresh, too!
- Milk – 2% or whole milk
- Buttermilk – 2% or whole
- Oil – vegetable oil or canola oil (see recipe notes below)
- Salt-just plain table salt
How to make cast iron Southern skillet cornbread
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder
- In a separate bowl, combine a slightly beaten egg, milk, buttermilk and baking soda in another bowl. Note: The baking soda goes into the wet ingredients!
- Using a large mixing bowl, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, combine well and add a little vegetable oil; stir till well blended
- Heat cast iron skillet with a little oil on medium high heat on the stovetop; add 2 tablespoons of heat-tolerant oil (vegetable or canola oil) into skillet; let it get hot then pour batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle. Cook on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes then transfer to 375-400ºF oven and bake until the top is golden brown.
Note: this is not pan fried cornbread; we’re just cooking it on the stove long enough to get a crispy cornbread crust.
This is, in my opinion, the easiest and safest way to heat the oil without burning yourself.
Another way to heat the oil to ensure a crusty bottom is to put a little oil in the cast iron skillet and put the skillet in the hot oven for a few minutes; use an oven mitt to remove the hot skillet, pour in the cornbread batter and replace in the hot oven.
Whenever I make this no sugar southern skillet cornbread, I heat the oil on the stovetop because I’ve burned myself before when removing the hot skillet with oil from the oven.
Tips
- Use a cast iron skillet for your homemade cornbread
- Use all-purpose flour; do not use self-rising flour and do not use self-rising cornmeal or a “cornmeal mix” which contains self-rising meal.
- Use canola or vegetable oil, not olive oil; you can use Crisco shortening if you like or use strained bacon grease
- Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet; pre-heat the oil in the skillet before you add the batter; you can do this on the stovetop or in the oven.
- For best results, do NOT overcook the cornbread crust on the stovetop; you want to cook it for 2-3 minutes at the most, then transfer to an already preheated, hot oven.
- The amount of oil you use to cook the crispy crust depends upon the size of your skillet. I cook cornbread in a 12″inch skillet and add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of oil. If you use a smaller skillet, use less oil to cook the cornbread crust on the stove.Make sure your oven is preheated to the recommended heat
- Make sure your baking soda is fresh; baking soda is a leavening agent that gives this skillet cornbread a semi-fluffy texture. If the baking soda isn’t fresh, the cornmeal won’t “fluff.”
- Put the baking soda in the wet ingredients – not the dry ingredients- it should fizz a little when you add it to the milk and buttermilk mixture
Recipe FAQ
For best results, cast-iron is recommended. You can cook Southern skillet cornbread in a stainless steel skillet, but I always use cast iron. Some cooks have a designated cast iron skillet as their “cornbread pan”!
I do not recommend using a non-stick skillet because the non-stick Teflon™ coating seems to give an odd flavor to the cornbread…could be that non-stick skillets aren’t designed for such high heat.
A 10″inch or 12″inch cast iron pan works best for this sugar free cornbread recipe. Both sizes yield about 8 slices of cornbread; the 12″inch skillet yields a thinner cornbread, where the smaller skillet – 10″inch- makes a taller cornbread.
This skillet cornbread recipe is not gluten-free, as it calls for a 1/2 cup flour; however, you can use a certified gluten-free cornmeal and apply the same cooking method.
Some cornbread mixes use self-rising cornmeal which typically contain a little flour.
Use plain, or all-purpose yellow cornmeal – not self-rising cornmeal. The inclusion of the baking soda causes it to rise a little. If you substitute with self-rising cornmeal, do not add the baking soda.
This Southern skillet cornbread recipe provides a semi-fluffy, non-sweet cornbread. Typically, Southern cornbread doesn’t contain sugar; however, some folks do add it to their recipe. I prefer cornbread without sugar; if it has sugar, then it’s cake in my opinion.
Make your own! Pour milk into measuring cup and add the juice of 1/2 a large lemon. Let it sit for 5-8 minutes, the pour into the batter.
Reheating
The easiest way to heat this up is to wrap a slice in a damp paper towel and put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Storage
Keep this wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the fridge if you have any leftover. Note: if you’re making Southern cornbread for Cornbread dressing, you’ll want to leave it out on the counter, covered for about 2 days so it can dry out.
How to serve cornbread
Some Southern cooks flip their skillet cornbread out onto a plate upside down; I’ve found the easiest way is to just slice it like you’d slice a pie. Naturally, you’ll want to add a pat of butter or two to the top of the warm cornbread!
I like to serve Southern skillet cornbread with Collard greens, Pinto Beans and Rice, Southwestern Navy Bean Soup and homemade Texas Chili! It’s also a good snack when submerged in a glass of plain milk or buttermilk!
This also pairs beautifully with Hoppin’ John or purple hull peas for your New Year dinner!
Related recipes
- Classic Meatloaf
- Southern Fried Catfish
- Easy Mashed Rutabagas
- How to Season and Cook Purple Hull Peas
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Turnip Green Cornbread Casserole
- Sauteed Yellow Squash and Onions
- How to Season and Cook Southern Greens
- Soups and Stews
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
- Cajun Braised Cabbage Wedges
♥ If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating below! Thank you!
Southern Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal yellow, regular-not self-rising
- ½ cup flour , all-purpose
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt , table
- 1 whole egg , lightly beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk , 2% or whole
- ½ cup milk ,2% or whole
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , make sure it's fresh
- ¼ cup oil , vegetable or canola; NOT olive oil; this is for the batter –
- 2 tablespoons oil , for the skillet (see recipe notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º – 400º F
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in cast iron skillet on medium heat on the stovetop (see recipe notes)2 tablespoons oil
- Meanwhile, combine all dry ingredients into one big bowl EXCEPT the Baking Soda1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a smaller bowl, combine all the wet ingredients AND THE BAKING SODA1 whole egg, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup milk, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Combine well and pour wet ingredients into the big bowl of dry ingredients
- Add ¼ cup oil to batter; combine well¼ cup oil
- Your cast-iron skillet with oil should be hot by now. Pour batter into the skillet and shake it to even out the batter. This step ensures a crusty bottom.
- Cook on the stove top for 2-3-minutes; then transfer to hot oven; bake uncovered for about 30-45 minutes at 375-400ºF until top is golden brown
- Remove from oven; slice into quarters; melt butter on top and serve!
Notes
- Make sure your baking soda is fresh; when you add it to the milk and egg mixture, it should fizz a little
- Some folks like to add stuff to their cornbread like corn or jalapenos, or even cheese.
- If you add ingredients (and for God’s sake No Sugar), just add it to the final batter. (This is the batter with both dry and wet ingredients).
- If you add canned corn or jarred jalapenos, be sure to drain them first
- Might wanna dice those jalapenos up into smaller pieces
- One final note: true Southern cornbread does NOT have sugar in it. I don’t care if it is on the recipe of Aunt Jemima’s Corn Meal package. Aunt Jemima’s is out of Illinois; consider the source.
Great cornbread! I cooked it in a 10″ cast iron enameled skillet for 35 min… Perfect!! Thank you for an amazing recipe
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Nanette!
The absolute very best cornbread I have ever made!! Thank you for this recipe! I had been trying for years to make this, and today I have finally found the best combination in this recipe! It does not crumble and fall apart. It had the best texture and flavor! The pan was empty in one meal!
I’m glad you liked the cornbread, Martha!
This cornbread was great! I followed your recipe and used a 10″ enameled cast iron skillet and baked at 375 for a little less than 30 min. Heating the oil on the stove was an excellent idea! Thank you for a wonderful recipe.. my go-to recipe from now on
Love it…”true Southern cornbread does NOT have sugar in it” YES MA’AM it does not!
I make this all the time but am having a party and want to double the recipe. Can I just do it in one batch in the 12 inch cast iron – it will be thicker – but that’s fine with me. I assume I just need to cook it longer? Was worried the bottom would burn. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
I don’t know why it’s so hard to find a cornbread recipe without sugar, but such is the case. I had some very special cornmeal on hand and I didn’t want no stinkin’ sugar getting in the way of that corn flavor, and this recipe was absolutely perfect.The texture is fluffy and moist, not crumbly. Flavor is unbeatable. This is my recipe now. All the children love it. Thank you!
Thanks, Rachel!
AWESOME!! I finally found a recipe just like my grandmother (from Kentucky) and my mother used to make it. Thank you so much!! I grew up on this stuff and it is SOOO good. Not like the sweet cake like stuff everyone makes these days. Grandpa used to bring home gallons of sorgum and molasses. It was good on the cornbread for dessert. Also for a snack we used to get a tall glass of milk, but in white beans and cornbread and pepper and eat it with a spoon…..the memories!
Hey Debra, this is such a great comment! This recipe came from Grandmother who lived in East Texas. And like your Grandpa, mine used to sop his cornbread in Steen’s dark cane syrup:)! Yes…the memories:)
I just made this cornbread recipe and it is perfection. I say this as a Southerner who grew up eating my mother’s homemade cornbread almost daily. This is now my cornbread recipe.
Thank you, Jackie!
Came out like grandmothers. Wonderful!
I’m so glad to hear that, Jo! Thank you for your kind words!
This recipe is perfect. Taste just like mother’s who never used a recipe.
Aww…thank you, Billie! Have a wonderful holiday!
Finally, a cornbread recipe without sugar! It’s in the oven now, but I know it will be delicious. I also love the comment “consider the source”. I’m from Indiana, but now live way up north. Thank you for sharing.
Made this recipe today and it is a blue ribbon winner!! Absolutely delicious. Used all ingredients notes with no additions. I baked mine in a ten-inch cast iron skillet on 375 for exactly 30 mins and it was PERFECT! Delicious with my bowl of chili! The only thing I did slightly differently is that I did not cook it on stovetop at all. I heated the oiled pan in my oven while mixing the ingredients, then poured the batter directly into the pan and put it back in oven. Plenty of golden crust and deliciousness! Thanks for this no-sugar awesomeness! 😊
Thank you, Tara, for your kind words! Yes, some folks prefer to heat the oil and skillet in the oven versus the stovetop. Either way works; I heat mine on the stovetop first because I don’t like having to pull a hot, heavy skillet from the oven twice! Again, thank you very much.
My mother was a Pine Bluff, Arkansas girl who made the best cornbread I ever ate. I miss her terribly, but this recipe speaks to those memories of dinners with her cornbread, collard greens, and black-eyed peas. Well done!
Thank you, Juanita! It warms my heart to know you are reminded of good memories with this recipe! Thank you for taking time to share!
Great no-sugar cornbread! My whole family loved it.
Thank you very much!
So good! It’s better than my Mother-in-Laws! Thanks for the recipe. I used coconut oil in the batter – Yum!
I’m glad you liked the cornbread recipe! Thank you!
I have made this many times and love it! Yes it is true Southern cornbread no sugar. If you want sugar make a cake not cornbread.