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    Home » Baking & Desserts

    Crunchy Cast Iron Cornbread

    Published: Nov 11, 2019 · Modified: May 26, 2023 by Tammy Circeo · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Yum
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cornbread was a staple in my childhood home and has remained so in my adult home. I remember Mom serving it with pinto beans and chili, for sure, and my dad loved it broken into a tall glass (or Mason jar!), salted, and soaked with buttermilk. This recipe for Crunchy Cast Iron Cornbread is simple … nothin' fancy! But it's a sure fire way to have a crunchy crust and a tender inside.

    A wedge of cornbread with butter next to a skillet of cornbread and a dish of butter

    This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click them and purchase something, I get a little commission. Thank you for your support.

    Cornbread History


    Cornbread has a long history in the United States having originated with the Native Americans in the South before the European immigrants arrived. Corn grew very well in the heat of the South and was more prominent than wheat even after it was introduced to the farming crops. Cornmeal was later most happily adapted by the colonists and their enslaved Africans. In fact, much credit must be given to the enslaved Africans for the many ways they adapted cornmeal into the cuisine they helped develop.

    Cornbread mis-en-place with a cast iron skillet

    A Recipe Quote:

    Irene Robertson, a former slave from Arkansas, had the following recipe for bread:

    “Sift meal add salt and make up with water, put on collard leaf, cover with another collard leaf put on hot ashes. Cover with hot ashes. The bread will be brown, the collard leaves parched up…” 14 You can read more HERE.

    Cornbread may have come from humble beginnings, but it still holds a place of honor in southern cuisine. And there's no doubt, it has certainly spread to all areas of our country! Even when it was only found in the South, there wasn't only one recipe that encapsulated all that cornbread is to the cuisine. That is because the South is a large area of land and the people of each region have their own preferences. Such as … sweet or absolutely not sweet (this isn't a North-South difference as is commonly believed)… cast iron or baking dish … white cornmeal or yellow … add-ins or never add-ins …

    Cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt whisked together in a large mixing bowl

    I don't remember how I arrived at this recipe, but it's exactly what I like in cornbread … crunchy, fluffy, salty, simple, versatile.

    Just mix the dry ingredients, then stir in eggs and buttermilk.

    Pouring the buttermilk into the cornmeal mixture

    The very last step is to pour in hot bacon grease (or shortening), listen for the sizzle, stir it in, then put the batter in the hot pan.

    Melted bacon fat being poured into the cornbread mixture

    You'll know that the pan wasn't hot enough if you didn't hear the sizzle. The sizzle is imperative! But be careful, you don't want the bacon grease (or shortening) to start smoking. That's a bit too hot.

    Cornbread batter poured into the hot cast iron skillet

    Bake it hot … like 450 degrees hot! That will keep the crust crunchy, but the insides still soft.

    Cornbread baked in the cast iron skillet

    Why cast iron for cornbread?

    Besides baking-in-leaves in the super early days (see the story above), cast iron was the baking/cooking dish of choice. And there are reasons:

    • Heating it with the oil allows it to arrive at a high temperature so that when the batter is poured in, the crust starts forming immediately.
    • Cast iron distributes heat evenly so it cooks thoroughly and easily throughout.
    • It holds heat so that foods remain at serving temperature longer.
    Cornbread cut into wedges

    Do you see that crust in the photo above?! That started the moment I poured the batter in the heated skillet and it just got crunchier as it baked … all while the insides got fluffy and soft.

    Pro Tip!

    Be sure to turn the cornbread out of the skillet immediately after taking it out of the oven. If you don't, it will steam in the skillet, full on ruining that crust you worked so hard to create!

    My favorite thing to do … and it's hard to resist! … is to cut the cornbread into wedges immediately, put a substantial slab of grass-fed butter on one side, and top it with the other side so that the butter melts into both sides.

    That, my friend, is hard to resist.

    A wedge of cornbread with a slab of butter on it

    Once you know how to make a beautiful cornbread, you can make it to accompany soups, chilis, and slow-cooked beans. It's just perfect for soaking up all those delicious sauces and soups. And it sure comes in handy to make Cornbread Dressing at Thanksgiving!

    Other Recipes You Might Like:

    • Homemade Corn Tortillas
    • Jalapeno Cornbread Poppers
    • Salsa Verde Braised Pork
    • Grilled Corn Salad
    • Vanilla Bean Flan

    Recipe

    A cast iron skillet with Crunchy Cast Iron Cornbread cut into wedges

    Crunchy Cast Iron Cornbread

    Tammy Circeo
    This recipe for Crunchy Cast Iron Cornbread is simple … nothin' fancy! But it's a sure fire way to have a crunchy crust and a tender inside.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Breads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1½ cup cornmeal
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 eggs
    • 1½ cup buttermilk (see notes)
    • ¼ cup bacon fat melted in the skillet (see notes)

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oven to 450°F.
    • Put the shortening or bacon fat in the skillet and set it over medium high heat. Keep an eye on it while you mix the cornbread up. You want it to get fairly hot, almost smoking, so KEEP AN EYE ON IT!
    • Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk or stir well to combine.
    • Break the eggs into the dry mixture, then pour in the buttermilk. Stir well to combine.
    • Turn the heat off under the skillet and pour the hot grease into the batter. Stir to combine, then pour the batter into the hot skillet. You should hear it sizzling.
    • Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a platter.
    • Cut into 8 wedges and serve immediately with lots of BUTTAH!

    Notes

    The all-purpose flour can successfully be substituted with 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. 
    If you don't have buttermilk, put 1 ½ Tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar (apple cider or white) in the measuring cup, then pour milk in to equal 1 ½ cups.
    I use bacon lard or beef tallow because they are healthier than shortening, which is what was used for many years.
    Keyword cast iron, cast iron cornbread, cornbread

    Yum

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    About Tammy Circeo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dan

      February 14, 2025 at 8:59 pm

      It does not get any better than this recipe. A true cornbread, not a sweet cake. Thank you

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        February 15, 2025 at 1:45 pm

        Ah Dan ... Thank you for your comment! I'm not a fan of sweet cornbread although I know many are.

        Reply
    2. Heather

      September 26, 2024 at 6:52 am

      I don’t have a skillet can I use a cake tin? Do I use normal cups?

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        October 02, 2024 at 9:15 am

        You can use a cake tin, yes. You will likely not have the same crispy crust as is achieved with cast iron. I'm not sure what you mean about "normal cups". Do you mean measuring cups?

        Reply
    3. Diane Sargent

      November 21, 2023 at 5:09 pm

      My mother never used sage. I’m thinking she didn’t like it. I fine myself not liking cornbread dressing with sage in it. I was wondering why so many cornbread dressing recipes still have sage in it?is there something I’m missing by not using sage?

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        December 14, 2023 at 11:15 am

        I think cornbread dressing traditionally has sage in it, but if you don't care for it, you can make your own flavor profile with the herbs you like.

        Reply

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    I have always loved nurturing and feeding people. My cooking style is influenced by my Southern parents, time living in Europe, and the foods available in the Pacific Northwest, where I lived for over 20 years. I cook from scratch and strongly support local farms and producers, believing that food plays a pivotal role in our quality of life.

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