This Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread is sweet, buttery, and super moist! Made with buttermilk and a 12 inch skillet, the recipe is easy to make and perfect for serving to a large group. Drizzle with honey and serve with soups, chilis, and bbq for the perfect meal.
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Attention, everyone: I am here to end the days of disappointing, dense, and crumbly cornbread. Because there isn’t much worse than spending 30 minutes in the kitchen just to end up with a bland and dry result that no one wants to eat (I’ve been there, friends.)
This moist Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread is a fool-proof recipe that will never leave you wishing for more. The inspiration is borrowed from All Recipes Grandmother’s Cornbread, but we adjusted the process, made it larger, and used a cast iron skillet (affiliate) instead of a regular pan.
🏅 Why it’s the best!
- Often cornbread is dry, dense, or bland. This buttermilk version is moist and fluffy, slightly sweet, and buttery. It’s delicious.
- The cast iron skillet creates beautifully golden, crispy edges that no other pan can emulate. Plus cast iron retains heat, which helps the whole thing bake evenly.
- Besides being delicious, this recipe is also as easy as can be! You’ll have a warm, homemade side ready before you know it.
🌽 Ingredients
A full list of the ingredients is in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy comments.
Buttermilk: This is essential to a moist cornbread and should not be substituted. I have found that homemade buttermilk substitutes don’t work either, so I suggest using a carton from the store.
Baking soda: The baking soda reacts with the acidic buttermilk to make the bread rise and get fluffy. Make sure your baking soda isn’t expired, or it may not work properly.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal is dried, ground corn. It is not the same as cornflour, which is ground into a much smoother texture than cornmeal. Cornflour won’t make a good substitute in this recipe, so stick with cornmeal.
Flour: Even though you are using cornmeal, it is also important to use all-purpose flour. It will help bind the cornmeal together so your bread doesn’t fall apart.
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Melt the butter in the cast iron skillet (affiliate) on the stove. This step is important - it gets the pan hot to create a crispy crust, plus it automatically greases the pan. Once melted, turn off the stove.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and melted butter from the skillet. Quickly add the eggs and whisk until combined.
- In another small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and baking soda. This allows the baking soda to start interacting with the acid. Pour the milk mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk well.
- Add cornmeal, flour, and salt to the bowl and whisk until well combined and only a few lumps remain.
- Use a paper towel to spread any butter remaining in the skillet up the sides. Pour in the batter, then bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
A 12-inch cast iron skillet (affiliate) serves at least 12 people, although it depends on the size of the slices. To serve more people, feel free to double the recipe and make two 12-inch skillets. When baking, swap the skillets on the upper and lower racks to help them cook evenly.
🌶 Variations
- Add some shredded cheddar cheese to the finished batter. Sharp cheddar is especially delicious.
- Add crispy bacon pieces for a savory kick.
- Stir in fresh chopped herbs. Sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives, or parsley would be good.
- Cook up some jalapeno slices like this recipe, then layer them on top before baking.
🙋 Questions and Answers
Two tips: First, start with a well-seasoned skillet. If you’ve never done it before, check out how to season a cast iron skillet.
Second, make sure to melt the butter in the pan, then use a paper towel to spread the excess along the sides of the pan before adding the batter in.
To make a moist and tender cornbread, we use a combination of butter (adds fat and flavor), buttermilk (adds tang and moisture), and eggs (helps hold the bread together). Also be sure to bake it just until a toothpick comes out clean. Overbaked cornbread = dry cornbread.
This recipe is made in a 12-inch skillet, so it will take quite a while to cook through. If you remove it too early, the middle will sink as it starts to cool. Be patient and allow it to cook all the way until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Yes! Buttermilk cornbread is best served warm from the pan. But if you have leftovers or want to prepare it ahead, allow it to cool completely and then store in a sealed container or zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overmix the batter or you risk it becoming dense. It should be well combined but still have some small lumps.
- Use real buttermilk, not a homemade substitute. This always gives the best results.
📖 What to serve with cornbread
- Cornbread is an excellent side for soups and chilis. Try it with this smoky White Chicken Chili stovetop recipe or this classic easy chili.
- Serve this easy cornbread with a simple chicken dish, such as this Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Chicken or this incredible Skillet Chicken with Brown Butter and Herbs.
👋🏻 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food!
📋 Recipe
Moist Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1⅓ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. This gets the pan hot, which helps create crispy edges. When almost melted, turn off the heat and allow to finish melting.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and melted butter from the skillet. Quickly add the eggs and whisk until combined.
- In another small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and baking soda to allow the baking soda to activate. Pour the milk into the sugar mixture and whisk well.
- Add cornmeal, flour, and salt to the bowl and whisk until well combined and only a few lumps remain.
- Use a paper towel to spread any butter remaining in the skillet up the sides. If it is not well coated, lightly spray with non-stick spray. Pour in the batter, then bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter or you risk it becoming dense. It should be well combined but still have some small lumps.
- Use real buttermilk, not a homemade substitute. This always gives the best results.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Doug says
We made this in a 15 inch cast iron skillet. We multiplied the recipe by 1.5 and it came out perfect. Some of the best corn bread I have had. I highly recommend this recipe.
Danielle says
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how much you loved it! Happy eating!
Viviane Van Giesen says
This is absolutely the best corn bread recipe ever!! It was good out of the oven and it is good the next day. super moist and delicious. I added extra 1/8 cup of sugar because I like my corn bread a little sweet.
Danielle says
Yay! So happy to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.