Classic Soul Food Cornbread Skillet (Printable version)

Golden southern-style cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet, served warm with luscious honey butter for comfort.

# What You 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 and slightly cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ For Skillet Preparation

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Honey Butter

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

# Step-by-step guide:

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 together 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, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into 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 an hour and tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The contrast of crispy edges against that tender, buttery crumb is genuinely addictive.
  • Honey butter melting into warm cornbread feels like a small luxury you can offer yourself on an ordinary Tuesday.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the most common mistake and it will absolutely flatten your cornbread into something tough and sad, so stir only until the white streaks of flour disappear.
  • The skillet temperature is non-negotiable; a lukewarm skillet gives you pale, dense results while a properly heated one creates those golden, crispy edges that make people reach for seconds.
03 -
  • If buttermilk isn't in your regular rotation, you can create a substitute by stirring a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes before using.
  • Let your butter soften completely at room temperature before beating it with honey, because cold butter won't incorporate smoothly and you'll end up with little honey streaks instead of a cohesive, fluffy spread.
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