Cornbread
AI-generated image
Vegetarian American

Cornbread

A tender, golden American cornbread with crisp browned edges, a lightly sweet crumb, and enough buttermilk tang to keep every bite moist. Baking it in a preheated cast-iron skillet gives the classic contrast of crunchy crust and soft center.

37 min 8 servings Medium
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How to prepare

1
Place a 23 cm cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 220°C. Heat it for at least 15 minutes so the batter will sizzle on contact.
2
Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and no streaks of leavener remain.
3
In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and 60 g of the melted butter until smooth and fully blended.
4
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain; the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy. Rest it for 5 minutes while the skillet finishes heating.
5
Remove the hot skillet carefully, add the remaining 25 g melted butter, and swirl to coat the base and sides. Immediately pour in the batter; it should make a faint sizzling sound at the edges.
6
Bake on the center rack for 20 to 22 minutes, until the top is deeply golden, the center springs back lightly, and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
Golden cornbread with crisp edges baked in a cast-iron skillet AI-generated image
7
Cool the cornbread in the skillet for 10 minutes so the crumb sets, then cut into 8 wedges and serve warm.
Cornbread cooling before being cut into wedges AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

A hot, oiled skillet starts the crust browning immediately, while buttermilk and melted butter keep the interior tender. A restrained amount of sugar rounds out the corn’s natural sweetness without turning the bread into cake.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze wrapped slices for up to 2 months.

How to reheat it

Reheat individual slices in a 175°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave briefly until warm. Cover frozen slices loosely with foil and heat until hot throughout.

Nutrition / serving

263kcal
5.27 gprotein
37.66 gcarbs
10.60 gfat
P
Pantryvale editorial kitchen
Recipe prepared for publication with complete ingredients and ordered cooking steps.
Published 14 Aug 2026 · updated 14 Aug 2026