Active Time

　　10 minutes

　　Total Time

　　30 minutes

　　Whether you’re a seasoned cook or new to the kitchen, this easy cornbread recipe is the answer to most questions. Need a side dish for a hearty stew or new chili recipe? Bake cornbread. Hungry for world-class stuffing that bakes up crispy and golden brown? Cornbread takes you there. Packaged cornbread mixes abound, but skillet cornbread is nearly as easy to make and similarly ready in, well, a jiffy. At any given moment you’re 30 minutes away from your very own piping hot, perfectly moist cornbread with a tender crumb.

　　Because there’s only 1 Tbsp. of sugar in the batter, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Sweet cornbread stans can increase the amount up to ¼ cup, sprinkle the top with brown sugar before baking, or slather on honey butter at the table; those who prefer to keep things savory might stir in a handful of chopped jalapeños and shredded cheddar cheese or top with a dollop of sour cream. There’s no all-purpose flour in the dry ingredients here, so depending on the type of cornmeal you use, this quick bread is even gluten-free without any fuss.

　　This recipe for homemade cornbread can be baked up to two days in advance. Store at room temperature tightly wrapped or in an airtight container. Reheat in the same cast-iron skillet you used to bake, or just pop a slice in your toaster oven. Life is complicated; cornbread doesn’t have to be.

　　

Ingredients

8 servings

　　1½ cups white or yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)

　　1 Tbsp. sugar

　　¾ tsp. baking soda

　　½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton’s kosher salt

　　2 large eggs

　　1¾ cups well-shaken buttermilk

　　¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

　　Equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Heat skillet in oven 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir together 1½ cups white or yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground), 1 Tbsp. sugar, ¾ tsp. baking soda, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton’s kosher salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together 2 large eggs and 1¾ cups well-shaken buttermilk in a large bowl.

　　

Step 3

Remove hot skillet from oven (handle will be very hot). Add butter, swirling skillet to coat bottom and side (butter may brown). Whisk hot, melted butter into buttermilk mixture and return skillet to oven (don’t wipe it out!). Stir cornmeal mixture into wet ingredients just until evenly moistened (batter may be lumpy).

　　

Step 4

Scrape batter into hot skillet and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool.

　　Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

　　Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the November 2008 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our favorite bread recipes →

　　Cooks’ Note

　　If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, use a 9-inch-square or 11x7-inch baking dish. To make cornbread muffins, grease muffin tin with butter or vegetable oil and fill muffin cups ¾ of the way with cornbread batter. Bake at 425°F for 15–20 minutes.