Food Edition›Cook›American›Side›Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
35 minEasyServes 8
American · Side

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Real cornbread relies on the sizzle. Forget cake-like muffins; this is a dense, savory bread meant to be torn apart while hot and eaten alongside a bowl of beans or greens.

Guide byIris·35 min·Updated 2026-05-27
Total time
35 min
Hands-on
10 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy
Before you start

Heat is everything.

If your oil isn't shimmering and hot when the batter hits the pan, you lose the crust. Use a seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet.

  • 10-inch cast iron skillet
  • large mixing bowl
  • whisk
Ingredients

What goes in.

  • 2 cupsstone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1 tbspbaking powder
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 2large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cupsbuttermilk
  • 4 tbspbacon drippings or unsalted butter
The key technique

Preheating the skillet

Place the empty skillet in the oven at 425°F while it preheats. Add the fat just before the batter; it should slide around like water, not sit still.

Step by step

The method.

  1. Heat the oven

    Set your oven to 425°F. Place the empty cast iron skillet inside to get hot.

  2. Whisk dry

    In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt until uniform.

  3. Mix wet

    Whisk the eggs and buttermilk in a separate jug. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until no large dry pockets remain.

  4. Sear

    Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Drop in the fat and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. The fat should hiss.

  5. Bake

    Pour the batter into the skillet. It should sizzle immediately. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is deep gold and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Variations

Other turns to take.

Jalapeño Cheddar

Fold in two diced fresh jalapeños and a handful of sharp shredded cheddar before pouring into the skillet.

Sweetened

Add two tablespoons of honey or molasses to the wet ingredients if you prefer a sharper contrast to the corn flavor.

Tips & troubleshooting

When it doesn't go to plan.

Tip

Do not over-mix. Lumps are expected; over-working the batter makes the bread tough.

Tip

Bacon drippings provide the best flavor, but if you do not have any, use neutral oil or butter.

Tip

Serve directly from the skillet to keep the bottom crispy until the very last piece.

Questions

The ones that keep coming up.

Can I use a regular baking pan?

You can, but you will not get the signature crisp crust that defines true skillet cornbread.

How do I know if the cornmeal is fresh?

Fresh cornmeal should smell sweet and faintly of corn. If it smells like dust or old cardboard, discard it.