This southern style buttermilk cornbread is quick bread you can make in minutes. It’s buttery, fluffy interior with delicious crispy/crunchy crust. Easy to make. A perfect side dish for soups, stews and chili’s. Unlike other cornbread, this buttermilk cornbread is not too sweet and has amazing flavors in the bite from brown butter.
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Buttermilk cornbread
The big debate about southern buttermilk cornbread whether sugar should be added or not. While some add sugar to cornbread recipe, some strictly oppose and get offended just with the thought! Especially a Southern won’t add any sugar.
Back in the day, sugar was luxury ingredient and too expensive to be added to everyday buttermilk cornbread recipe. If you are looking for true southern style buttermilk cornbread recipe just like grandma used to make, leave out the sugar.
After testing a couple of times I found adding little sugar helps balance the tangy flavors of buttermilk and help in browning (caramelizing) the bread.
If you love sweet cornbread for breakfast or as side dish feel free to double the sugar in the cornbread recipe.
Cornbread tastes best when made in cast iron skillet. You’ll love the way it looks, makes brown crust and keeps warm while serving.
To add sugar or not?
Well, I’d say it completely up to you.
If you are looking for true southern style buttermilk cornbread recipe just like grandma used to make, leave out the sugar.
To balance the flavors in cornbread add a hint of sugar. I prefer to use less sugar in the recipe. It helps balance the tang of buttermilk and helps brown the bread. It has beautiful balanced flavors of tang, sweet and amazing flavors from browned butter.
If you love sweet cornbread for breakfast or as side dish feel free to double the sugar in the cornbread recipe.
Ingredients you’ll need
It’s the simplest bread you’ll make with these ingredients-
- 1 ½ cup cornbread or polenta
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoon butter, melted browned (for extra flavor), divided
How to make buttermilk cornbread?
- Pre-heat oven at 425F.
- In a wide bowl add cornmeal, all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder.
- In another bowl mix buttermilk, egg, sugar and 3 tablespoon of melted brown butter.
- Pour wet mix into flour mix and stir using rubber spatula. Do not over work the batter.
- Add remaining butter to hot cast iron pan.
- Heat a cast iron skillet in oven until hot.
- Carefully scoop cornbread batter into hot cast iron pan and spread it evenly. Cast iron skillet will be hot and have a sizzle when you add the batter.
- Place into oven and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the skillet comes out clean.
Let it cool for 5 minutes.
Slice and serve warm with butter and honey if preferred.
Tips to make best buttermilk cornbread
- Cornbread tastes best when made in cast iron skillet. You’ll love the way it looks, makes brown crust and keeps warm while serving.
- It’s absolutely important to heat cast iron pan before you add the batter. Heat butter in it for added advantage. It not only greases the skillet, helps form beautiful brown crusty edges on the bread.
- Melt butter until brown before you use in the recipe. This is optional step but highly recommend you don’t skip. Brown butter adds rich amazing flavors to the bread.
- If you are looking for true southern style buttermilk cornbread recipe just like grandma used to make, leave out the sugar. If you love sweet cornbread for breakfast or as side dish feel free to double the sugar in the cornbread recipe.
FAQS
You can use both. Yellow cornmeal or polenta is best option for get a beautiful yellow cornbread.
Buttermilk is fermented milk brings a rich flavor to baked food. It provides extra moistness to the bread.
No, this recipe don’t make sweet bread.
Cornbread recipe is versatile. You can make it sweet by doubling the sugar in the recipe. Or leave out sugar completely for true southern style bread.
Yes you can use glass pie dish or 8×8 casserole dish to bake the bread. You can use about any baking dish to make cornbread – glass, ceramic and cast iron skillet works best.
If you want brown crispy/crunchy crust, absolutely use cast iron skillet.
MORE SIDE DISH
SAUTEED GREEN BEANS
MELTING POTATOES
GARLIC BUTTER INSTANT POT POTATOES
INSTANT POT CRANBERRY SAUCE
HONEY GLAZED CARROTS
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
HASSELBACK BUTTERNUT SQUASH
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📋Easy Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup cornmeal or polenta
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoon butter melted browned (for extra flavor), divided
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven at 425F.
- In a wide bowl add cornmeal, all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder.
- In another bowl mix buttermilk, egg, sugar and 3 tablespoon of melted brown butter.
- Pour wet mix into flour mix and stir using rubber spatula. Do not over work the batter.
- Add remaining butter to hot cast iron pan.
- Heat a cast iron skillet in oven until hot.
- Carefully scoop cornbread batter into hot cast iron pan and spread it evenly. Cast iron skillet will be hot and have a sizzle when you add the batter.
- Place into oven and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the skillet comes out clean.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve warm with butter and honey if preferred.
Video
Notes
- Cornbread tastes best when made in cast iron skillet. You’ll love the way it looks, makes brown crust and keeps warm while serving.
- It’s absolutely important to heat cast iron pan before you add the batter. Heat butter in it for added advantage. It not only greases the skillet, helps form beautiful brown crusty edges on the bread.
- Melt butter until brown before you use in the recipe. This is optional step but highly recommend you don’t skip. Brown butter adds rich amazing flavors to the bread.
- If you are looking for true southern style buttermilk cornbread recipe just like grandma used to make, leave out the sugar. If you love sweet cornbread for breakfast or as side dish feel free to double the sugar in the cornbread recipe.
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