Classic Soul Food Cornbread Skillet (Print View)

Moist Southern-style cornbread baked in cast-iron skillet topped with luscious honey butter for cozy enjoyment.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ For Greasing

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Honey Butter

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

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat while preparing the batter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vegetable oil until well combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
06 - Pour the batter into the hot, buttered skillet, smoothing the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - While cornbread bakes, beat softened butter with honey and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
09 - Let cornbread cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with honey butter.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, meaning you can feed people real comfort food on a weeknight without stress.
  • The crispy-edged, impossibly moist crumb is something most people chase their whole lives but rarely catch outside a grandmother's kitchen.
  • Honey butter transforms it from side dish to star, and honestly, you'll find yourself making extra just to keep in the fridge.
02 -
  • A cold skillet is the enemy; the hot iron is what creates those crispy, caramelized edges that people remember, so don't rush this step or you'll end up with cornbread that tastes fine but feels forgettable.
  • Overmixing the batter is a one-way ticket to dense, tough cornbread, so stop stirring the moment you don't see dry flour anymore and trust that it will bake up beautifully.
03 -
  • Buttermilk is genuinely worth the extra trip if you can make it; that tang makes everything taste more like itself, more like home, more like someone spent time getting it right.
  • Leftover cornbread makes transcendent cornbread panzanella salad the next day, and also toasts beautifully for breakfast if you're the kind of person who believes cornbread belongs at every meal.
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