Cast Iron Cornbread

Cast iron cornbread is the perfect filler or side to dozens of savory dishes.

Make this easy skillet cornbread recipe from scratch using only ingredients you probably already have on hand.

It’s quick, and you’ll love the flavor whether you serve it warm or cold.

Cornbread goes with so much more than the classic chili recipe. It really is such a versatile side whether you’re at a backyard BBQ or a potluck dinner.

One thing for certain; you’ll be bringing back an empty skillet at the end of the night.

Cooking cornbread in a cast iron skillet

This cornbread recipe fits perfectly in a 12″ cast iron skillet. If you have a 9 or 10″ skillet, simply half the recipe, and it will work just fine. It will be full, but it will fit!

cast iron skillet cornbread recipe

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Cornmeal
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Oil
• Butter
• Eggs
• Milk

Instructions:

Place skillet in the oven, then preheat to 400°

Whisk dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. Use a hand mixer if desired; just be careful not to overwork it.

Remove the skillet from the oven with hot pads and lightly oil the bottom.

Pour the batter into the skillet and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Top with butter and honey, and enjoy!

Notes:

Cornmeal can be substituted for ground popcorn.

Swap out the melted butter equally for your cooking oil of choice.

If you don’t have milk, you can use water, but you will want to reduce the cooking time to prevent the cornbread from drying out.

Tools you may find helpful

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• 12″ cast iron skillet
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk

Why you will love this cornbread recipe

1. Simple – Made with just the essential ingredients so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family or guests.
2. Easily adjustable – while it is a very straightforward recipe, you can easily sweeten it up with canned sweet corn or add in diced jalapenos and shredded cheese for a spicy twist.
3. Delicious – Who doesn’t love cornbread? Serve it with your favorite meal or sneak a piece to satisfy those late-night munchies.

Cornbread tips

Cornbread is generally pretty forgiving but if you do have issues, try implementing one of these suggestions.

Preheat the skillet to ensure the bread doesn’t stick and you’ll have a beautiful brown crust when it’s done.

What if the bread is too crumbly? This could be caused by a number of factors—a high cornmeal to flour ratio, not enough egg, or not enough milk.

How to keep the center from sinking in the middle. Baking Powder! You’ll have to play around with this one. With the baking powder as the leavening agent, not enough will keep the cornbread from rising and too much may cause it to collapse in on itself.

Do I have to use sugar? Certainly not. Make this healthy cornbread by substituting the sugar equally for honey.

What should I serve with my cornbread?

• Beef ribs or Pork ribs
• Baked beans
• Meatloaf
• Venison Stew
• Venison Backstrap

Cooking cornbread at home

I hope you found this recipe helpful! My goals for this were simple, delicious, and of course, something you can proudly say you made yourself.

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you!

A few more great sides:

• Fried zucchini cakes
• No-knead dutch oven bread
• Burnt ends
• Fried chicken tenders
• Korean stuffed garlic bread
• Lemon glaze zucchini bread