Classic Soul Food Cornbread Skillet (Printable)

Golden Southern cornbread baked in cast-iron skillet, served warm with luscious honey butter for a comforting treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ Skillet Preparation

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Honey Butter

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside to heat while preparing batter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vegetable oil until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix; slight lumps are acceptable.
05 - Carefully remove heated skillet from oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat bottom and sides. Pour batter into skillet and smooth top.
06 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until top is golden and toothpick inserted in center emerges clean.
07 - While cornbread bakes, beat softened butter with honey and salt in small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
08 - Allow cornbread to cool 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with honey butter.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cast-iron skillet creates a crispy, buttery crust that you literally cannot achieve any other way.
  • This recipe comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • Honey butter isn't just a topping, it's the reason people come back for seconds before dinner is even served.
02 -
  • A cold skillet will give you dense cornbread with a pale top, so that preheating step isn't optional, it's the entire technique.
  • Overmixing the batter is the number one reason homemade cornbread comes out tough instead of tender, so mix just until the streaks of dry disappear.
  • Buttermilk creates a tangier, more complex flavor than regular milk, so try it once and you might never go back.
03 -
  • If your batter sits for more than a few minutes before baking, the leavening agents start working and you'll lose some rise, so pour it into that hot skillet as soon as you're done mixing.
  • Use room temperature eggs and melted butter that's cooled slightly, because cold ingredients can seize up when they hit the hot pan and won't incorporate smoothly.
  • A dab of honey butter melting into warm cornbread is actually better than any jam or jelly you could serve alongside it.
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