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!
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.
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.
The batter comes together in a jiffy, and when made in a small skillet, this cornbread's small size delivers big flavor!
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What you need
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.
Cornmeal 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.
Because the baking soda needs to react with an acid, buttermilk steps in. However, I use sweet cream 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. I have a couple of substitution ideas in the Pro Tip below.
The rest of the ingredients for this skillet cornbread recipe are all pantry staples: flour, sugar, milk, an egg, butter, and salt.
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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.
Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir until the batter is just combined (photo 2).
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.
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).
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
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.
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.
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.
Pro Tip: Replacing 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 sweet cream 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.
Golden cornbread goodness
Cast iron skillet cornbread makes a quick and easy snack or side dish to serve at any time of the day. It's sweet and fluffy interior begs for a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey.
This small batch cornbread is so easy to throw together, and its size is perfect for serving two people. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days, or refrigerated up to a week. Cornbread can also be frozen, well wrapped and stored in an airtight bag, for up to 3 months.
You can also double the recipe and bake in a 10¼-inch cast iron skillet for 25 to 28 minutes. Makes enough for 10 to 12 slices of golden cornbread goodness!
Baking in a cast iron skillet produces a buttery crust and crispy edges, making this cornbread a crowd-pleaser at any meal or gathering. Whether enjoyed as a side dish to chili or soup, or as a breakfast option with eggs and bacon, this cast iron skillet cornbread is sure to satisfy!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
There are many ways to enjoy a smaller version of a treat if you're looking for portion control. Here are some ideas that have been scaled down for small servings, and I have many more. Have a go!
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Recipe
Small Batch Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup cornmeal, coarsely ground
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet cream 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
Instructions
- 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. The reserved melted butter will be used in the skillet later on.
- Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir until it's just combined.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place 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. Don’t overfill the skillet - instead, use any extra batter to make muffins.
- 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.
- Allow the cornbread to cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve directly from the skillet. Enjoy!
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days, or refrigerated up to a week. Cornbread can also be frozen well wrapped and stored in an airtight bag, for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Check to make sure your cast iron skillet fits in your air fryer, and preheat the skillet at 400˚F for 5 minutes.
- Make the batter as instructed above. Just be very careful if you remove and return the skillet from the air fryer 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.
- Reduce the temperature to 350˚F and bake the cornbread for about 15 minutes, or until the center is firm and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
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