Cornbread made in a cast iron pan is a staple for many Southern cooks. It's an easy quick bread recipe that bakes up with a crispy crust and a rich corn flavor that's perfect to serve with meats, veggies and soups. As a lifelong Southerner, I can verify this is a real Southern cornbread recipe!
Southern-style cornbread has a savory taste, not sweet. Although this recipe contains the tiniest amount of sugar to help achieve the golden brown edges that are so delicious! Serve it with a pat of butter or cover it with some black-eyed peas for the full experience.
If you're more of a sweet Northern cornbread person, you should try out my gluten free skillet cornbread or these amazing Jiffy copycat gluten free corn muffins. As far as I'm concerned, there's room for all the corn bread on my table!
Ingredient Notes
This classic Southern cornbread recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients that you may already have on hand. It's both gluten free and dairy free as written, but I've included notes on substitutions below if you don't have dietary restrictions.
- Vegan Butter - I have used Country Crock plant butter to make this recipe, although any stick type of vegan butter will work fine. If you're not dairy free, you can substitute regular unsalted butter in the same measure. Or for true Southern flavor, use bacon grease in place of butter.
- Non-Dairy Milk + Apple Cider Vinegar - For dairy free folks, this combination is the replacement for the buttermilk that's normally used in Southern-style cornbread. Any plant based milk will work fine, although you will get a little more lift from using soy milk due to the high protein content. If you're not dairy free, omit the vinegar and use buttermilk instead.
- Gluten Free Cornmeal - If you're following a gluten free diet, you will want to make sure to use a corn meal that is marked gluten free. My regular grocery store doesn't carry any gluten free brands of yellow cornmeal, but I have found them at Whole Foods. Otherwise, I usually order from Amazon and keep it in my freezer.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour in this recipe. You can use your favorite brand, but make sure it contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. I haven't tested this recipe with any other brands, so your results may vary.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Bacon Grease - If you keep bacon drippings on hand, you can replace the butter with an equal measure of bacon fat.
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy butter in place of vegan butter. Omit the vinegar and replace the plant based milk with buttermilk. The measurements will be the same.
- Not Gluten Free - Use the cornmeal of your choice, just make sure it's not self-rising cornmeal since we are adding our own leavening agents. For flour, you will need about ⅔ cup of all purpose flour to replace the ½ cup of gluten free flour.
- No cast iron skillet - You can bake this recipe in an 8-inch or 9-ich square pan. You will not need the melted butter for the pan.
How to Make Southern Cornbread in a Cast Iron Skillet
I always bake this cornbread in my cast-iron skillet, which produces those perfectly crispy edges that are almost like fried bread. With a well-seasoned pan, the cornbread should release perfectly.
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can bake this in an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan, but make sure you either grease it well or line it with parchment paper. You will not use the melted butter in the square pan.
STEP 1: Combine the vinegar and milk in a measuring cup. Stir well and set aside to sour. Note: If you're using buttermilk you can skip this step.
STEP 2: Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to mix well.
STEP 3: Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, the buttermilk mixture and the two beaten eggs to the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold together with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
STEP 4: Allow the cornbread batter to rest while you prepare the pan.
Place the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in your cast iron skillet and put the pan inside the oven to melt the butter. Once the butter is bubbling, you're ready to add the batter.
STEP 5: Once the butter is bubbling, remove the pan from the oven and gently pour batter into the hot skillet. You will notice some butter pooling around the outer edges of the pan. Now you're ready to bake!
Expert Tip
To ensure your cornbread is completely baked, gently poke the top center of the cornbread with your finger. If it springs right back, it is done. If it feels soft or leaves and indent, then you should bake 2-3 more minutes and test again.
Immediately after it comes out of the oven, turn the cornbread over onto a serving plate revealing the golden crust. Now you can slice and serve warm.
Storage
Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I like to reheat slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds prior to serving.
More Southern cooking to try:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter divided
- 1 ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Cornmeal
- ½ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C)
- Add 4 tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet and set aside.6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- Combine the milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and stir well. Note: you can skip this step if you're using buttermilk.1 ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk, 1 ½ Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well.1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Cornmeal, ½ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 Tablespoon Sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and pour into the dry ingredients.
- Add the soured milk and beaten eggs and mix well.2 Eggs
- Set the bowl aside to rest while you heat the skillet.
- Place the skillet with the butter into the preheated oven. Allow the butter to melt and begin to bubble.
- Remove the pan from the oven and gently pour the cornbread batter into the pan. Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center springs back when gently poked.
- Remove from the oven and turn over onto a serving plate.
Notes
- Bacon Grease - If you keep bacon grease on hand, you can replace the butter with an equal measure of bacon fat.
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy butter in place of vegan butter. Omit the vinegar and replace the plant based milk with buttermilk. The measurements will be the same.
- Not Gluten Free - Use the cornmeal of your choice, just make sure it's not self-rising. For flour, you will need about ⅔ cup of all purpose flour to replace the ½ cup of gluten free flour.
- No cast iron skillet - You can bake this recipe in an 8-inch or 9-ich square pan. You will not need the melted butter for the pan.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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