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.
- 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

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.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Heat a skillet with most of the butter in a 220°C oven.
8 min
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 questionsFewer 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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