Cornbread

A skillet bread — cornmeal, buttermilk, a hot pan. Sugar is a regional fight we will not pretend is settled.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.

Start cooking
Measurement system
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Rest
None
Total
30 min
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
Cornbread

About

Cornbread is cornmeal batter in a screaming-hot greased skillet so the edges fry. Southern savory versions often skip sugar; sweeter Northern-style loaves are a different bread. This is a skillet with a teaspoon of sugar as a house hedge, named as such.

What you'll need

7 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 7 ready
8 servings

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Heat a skillet with most of the butter in a 220°C oven.

    8 min

  2. Step 2

    Mix dry, then eggs and milk. Pour into the screaming pan. Bake 18–20 minutes until the edges pull away.

    20 min

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories
138 kcal
Protein
4.5 g
Carbs
12.9 g
Fat
8.1 g
Saturated fat
4.4 g
Fibre
0.9 g
Sugar
3.4 g
Sodium
279 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Wheat
  • Vegetarian

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.

Substitutions

  • Buttermilk → Plain milk

    Less tang.

Tips

  • Bacon drippings in the skillet is the usual extra.
  • No buttermilk: milk plus a spoon of vinegar, 10 minutes.

History & culture

Next to greens, beans, chilli. Indigenous maize, African and European baking meeting in a pan.

Cornbread is older than the sugar argument. Enslaved cooks and Indigenous technique sit in the pan.

Regional variation

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Cornbread take?

30 min all in — 10 min prep, 20 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 8 wedges. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Eggs, Milk, Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.

7 more questions
What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Mixing bowl, Oven, Frying pan.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.

How much sugar?

1 tsp (optional) of Sugar.

What can I use instead?

Buttermilk → Plain milk. Less tang.

Any tips from this recipe?

Bacon drippings in the skillet is the usual extra. No buttermilk: milk plus a spoon of vinegar, 10 minutes.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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