Classic Soul Food Cornbread Skillet (Printable Version)

Moist golden cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet with sweet honey butter for a comforting side.

# 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 Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven to heat while preparing batter.
02 - In large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In 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 hot skillet from oven. Add 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat bottom and sides evenly.
06 - Pour batter into hot, buttered skillet and smooth the top surface.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
08 - While cornbread bakes, beat softened butter with honey and pinch of salt in 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 -
  • The cast-iron skillet creates crispy, buttery edges that taste like pure comfort in every bite.
  • Honey butter transforms warm cornbread into something addictive that people will ask you to make again and again.
  • It comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or last-minute gatherings.
02 -
  • Do not skip the preheating of your cast-iron skillet—a room-temperature pan will give you disappointing, pale, soft edges instead of that crispy caramelized bottom that makes this recipe worth making.
  • Buttermilk is worth seeking out if you want deeper, more complex flavor, but whole milk works beautifully too and the cornbread will still be moist and delicious.
03 -
  • Use room-temperature eggs and milk so they don't shock the batter or create lumps when you combine them with the other wet ingredients.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can mix the dry and wet ingredients up to 4 hours ahead, keep them separate, and combine them just before baking for perfectly fresh results.
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