Small Batch Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Name: Small Batch Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ½ cup cornmeal (coarsely ground); ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon buttermilk powder (see Recipe Notes); 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup water (see Recipe Notes); 3 tablespoons milk; 1 large egg (lightly beaten); ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted, divided)

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Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread is a perfect side dish for any meal of the day, any time of the year. Served hot, straight from the skillet, its buttery crust and soft sweet interior is delicious with chili, soup, and more. And a small batch cornbread, made in a mini skillet, is sized for two!

Cut cornbread topped with pat of butter in a cast iron skillet on a brown edged plate with a fork and slice on a white plate behind.

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Why this recipe works
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions for fresh buttermilk in recipes
How to make skillet cornbread
Storage instructions
Cornbread serving suggestions
Questions asked and answered
More scaled down recipes to try
Recipe
Comments

Why this recipe works

This cast iron cornbread recipe comes together quickly and easily
Preheating the skillet and adding butter gives this cornbread a crunchy buttery crust
Serve straight from the skillet for a delicious, no-fuss side dish or snack

Cornbread is one of those "back-pocket" recipes, and everyone has their own version. It's great served with traditional Southern foods like fried chicken and barbecue beef or ribs; chili and soups; or just as a quick breakfast or snack.

The batter comes together in a jiffy, and when made in a small skillet, this cornbread's small size delivers big flavor!

This skillet cornbread has a buttery exterior thanks to butter being melted in the hot skillet before adding the batter. And the fluffy interior is soft and sweet, perfect for a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey.

It's a crowd-pleaser at any meal or gathering, and is sure to satisfy!

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make this skillet cornbread recipe:

Ingredients for skillet cornbread portioned into glass bowls on a piece of burlap.

Ingredient Notes

Cornmeal: This ingredient can come in various textures (coarse, medium, and fine), and can be made from dried yellow or white corn. For this skillet cornbread recipe, use coarsely ground cornmeal.

Buttermilk powder: Because the baking soda needs to react with an acid, buttermilk steps in. However, I use buttermilk powder rather than fresh. I normally don't have fresh buttermilk on hand, and this staple keeps well in my pantry. Don't worry if you don't have the buttermilk powder or fresh buttermilk available.

Baking soda and baking powder: Skillet cornbread is considered a quick bread, like a banana bread or honey cake, since it's leavened with chemical agents (baking soda and baking powder) instead of yeast, making the batter fast and simple to make.

The rest of the ingredients for this skillet cornbread recipe are all pantry staples: flour, sugar, milk, an egg, butter, and salt.

See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions for fresh buttermilk in recipes

As I said earlier, I don't keep fresh buttermilk on hand as I don't use it that often.

That's why I like using buttermilk powder. I can whisk the dry powder in with the dry ingredients, then add the correct amount of water in with the wet. The flavor is as close to fresh buttermilk as you can get.

If that's not an option for you, there are two ways to replace one cup of fresh buttermilk in a recipe:

Whisk ½ cup cold water with ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt until smooth
Measure one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a measuring cup, then add enough milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let the mixture sit for five minutes

The flavor may not be exactly like fresh buttermilk, but the acid needed to activate the baking soda is present, and many times that's all you really are looking to get.

How to make skillet cornbread

Step 1: Mix the batter

Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Place a 6½-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat while you make the batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water, milk, egg, and all but ½ tablespoon of the melted butter (photo 1). The reserved melted butter will be used in the skillet later on.

Collage of mixing the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate glass bowls from overhead. — Mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately

Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir until the batter is just combined (photo 2).

Adding milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture in a glass bowl from overhead. — Combining the cornbread batter ingredients

Step 2: Bake the cornbread

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place it on a heat-safe trivet. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 °F.

Pour the reserved butter into the hot skillet, then add the cornbread batter. It will sizzle and the butter will pool around it (photo 3). Don’t overfill the skillet - instead, use any extra batter to make muffins in a standard muffin pan or mini muffin pan.

Collage of adding melted butter to a preheated cast iron skillet on a red trivet, then adding the cornbread batter. — Adding butter to a preheated cast iron skillet, then pouring in the cornbread batter

Place the skillet in the center of the oven and bake until the center is firm and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 24 minutes (photo 4).

Baked cornbread in a cast iron skillet on a red trivet from overhead. — Skillet cornbread, fresh from the oven

Storage instructions

Cornbread can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days, or refrigerated up to a week. It can also be frozen, well wrapped and stored in an airtight bag, for up to 3 months.

Yield Notes

A small batch skillet cornbread yields 6 to 8 slices. You can also double the recipe and bake it in a 10¼-inch cast iron skillet for 25 to 28 minutes. This makes enough for 10 to 12 slices of golden cornbread goodness!

Cornbread serving suggestions

Cornbread is a perfect side dish alongside many of your favorite foods. Here are some suggestions:

Chili: Try it with Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili, Red Chili, or No Bean Chili
Soups: Makes a nice accompaniment to Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Breakfast: It goes well with Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs
Dinners: Serve alongside Chipotle Grilled Flank Steak, Salmon Croquettes, or a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken. Or use as the topping for Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
Stuffing: Scale it up to make a southern cornbread dressing

Cornbread is so versatile, the possibilities are endless!

Whole cornbread topped with pat of butter in a cast iron skillet on a piece of burlap.

Questions asked and answered

Here are some questions you might have...

Can I use a regular pan for cornbread?

You can use any type of pan you want, including cake pans and muffin pans. It won't be necessary to preheat the pan or add the melted butter (you do sacrifice the buttery crust), so be sure to spray the pan with baking spray before adding the batter.

Can I bake the cornbread in a toaster oven?

Yes, with a caveat. This cornbread rises high in the pan, so if possible place the rack on its lowest level. It's also wise to reduce the oven temperature by 25˚F and bake for a little longer, checking to see that the top doesn't burn.

Can I bake the cornbread in an air fryer?

Yes, assuming your cast iron skillet fits in your air fryer. You'll want to reduce the temperatures by 25 °F, and bake for about 15 minutes. Just be very careful if you remove and return the skillet from the air fryer drawer when adding the butter and batter - that skillet will be hot! If you have a steady hand, you can just add the melted butter and pour the batter directly into the pan without removing it from the air fryer drawer.