Classic Southern Buttermilk Cornbread with Honey made in the Cast Iron Skillet is the perfect side to all your holiday dishes. Be it aside a warm pot of Chili or Stew or a Hearty bowl of Fall Soup, Cornbread is one of our favorites and most loved side. This Buttermilk Cornbread has a moist and fluffy center while the edges are crispy, crusty and buttery.

Cornbread is one of those recipes which we make so often that we often forget to think about it. Its like a staple side dish to our holiday dinner table. It's one of the most popular Southern Side Dishes.
And when the fall season rolls in this becomes almost a regular. I love to serve this with Roasted Chicken, Curries, Stews, Soups, and ofcourse, Chili!
This is one of those recipes which is most often underestimated, but without this as a side, all other main dishes fails to cast their charm.
Difference between Northern and Southern Cornbread
Cornbread tastes different depending on which part of the country you are. if you're in North, you'll be likely be served a sweet Cornbread which is moist, soft and very cakey.
This is because its used mostly using jiffy mix and if made from scratch they add a lot of sugar.
Also Northern Cornbread is baked in a baking dish.
Many of the items fresh berries are added to it. Summer Blackberry Cornbread is a typical sweet Cornbread recipe made just like the Northerners.
While Southern Cornbread recipe with Buttermilk is the most common Southern Cornbread recipe you will find all throughout the South.
Generally no sugar is added to Southern Cornbread recipe which makes it for a hearty and favorable side dish besides meaty dishes like Chili or topped over Collard Greens.
Cornbread is also used to make Southern Cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving or for a classic old school treat, Cornbread is just crumbled over buttermilk and served! YUMM!!!
Easy Buttermilk Cornbread

I think more than most times while preparing a meal, we focus on the main dish and ignore the sides. Whereas it should be the other way around.
This Easy Buttermilk Cornbread is sooo good. Its super simple and delicious in terms of taste and flavors. I love the fluffy and soft cornbread and when you add butter and honey over it before serving!! It's just heavenly...!😋

The sides should be pleasing enough for you to get to the mains. The mains should be simply hearty and comforting so that you eat to your heart's content!
Southern Recipes has that simplicity in itself. This is why, its so popular and loved.
Jump to:
- Difference between Northern and Southern Cornbread
- Easy Buttermilk Cornbread
- 🥘 Ingredients to make Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread
- 👩🍳 Instructions on making Buttermilk Cornbread
- Old Fashioned Southern Cornbread in a skillet
- 🧊 How to Store Cornbread?
- What to serve with Southern Cornbread?
- FAQs:
- What's the difference between Cornbread and Southern Cornbread?
- Do Southerners Put Sugar in their Cornbread?
- Why is Cornbread so Popular?
- Southern Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk?
- OTHER SOUTHERN SIDES
- Southern Buttermilk Cornbread in Cast Iron Skillet
🥘 Ingredients to make Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread

- AP Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cornmeal
- Buttermilk
- Unsalted Butter
- Brown Sugar (optional)
- Eggs
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities. Also, watch the video for a quick visual.
👩🍳 Instructions on making Buttermilk Cornbread
Looking for the best Southern Cornbread recipe with buttermilk. You'll love how easy this Southern Cornbread recipe with buttermilk is! Not only for holidays but this makes for a perfect side dish for every occasion.
STEP 1: MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS
- Preheat the oven to 400F or 200C and position a rack in the middle. Grease a Cast Iron Skillet with butter or oil and place in the center of the rack.
- Whisk Flour, Cornmeal, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Kosher Salt in a bowl
- Add the Brown Sugar and whisk until combined. (only if you want it sweet)

STEP 2: ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS
- Crack in the Egg and pour the Buttermilk and Honey in the mixture and fold until everything gets combined.
- The Cornbread batter should be thick and smooth

STEP 3: BAKE
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven.
- Remember to wear oven mitts while doing this step

- Pour the batter in the skillet and place it back in the oven and bake for 20-21 minutes OR Until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remember that the Skillet will be very hot. So remember to wear Oven Mitts while removing it from the oven.
Hint: You can also heat the skillet on the Stovetop with some oil and butter and then pour the batter and then place it in the oven to get baked.

Old Fashioned Southern Cornbread in a skillet
You really donot need any mix when you can simply make it from scratch with so much ease. Old Fashioned Southern Cornbread is a Southern Soul Food Recipe which we love! My Mom still uses a skillet to make Cornbread every single time!
🧊 How to Store Cornbread?
You can easily store Cornbread for a long time. To freeze Cornbread, wrap with foil or plastic wrap and freeze for upto 3 months.
You can also refrigerate in an air-tight container for 1-2 weeks.
What to serve with Southern Cornbread?
Hearty and Meaty Mains go perfect with this sweet Southern Cornbread recipe with buttermilk. Crumble and top over Collard Greens or serve with a meaty Chili or Blackeyed Peas or with BBQ Chicken or BBQ Pork or Cheesy Green Beans or
Southern Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Southern Louisiana Collard Greens
Southern Smothered Sour Cream Chicken
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Apricot Jam
Blackened Chicken Thigh with Chimichurri Sauce
Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo in Crockpot
FAQs:
What's the difference between Cornbread and Southern Cornbread?
The Northern Cornbread has a crumbly texture because it is not made using eggs. Southern Cornbread is made using Eggs so its fluffy and soft with a buttery crust.
Do Southerners Put Sugar in their Cornbread?
These has been so much said and told about Sweet and Savory Cornbread.
However, I am always drawn towards the slightly sweet Southern Cornbread. Its sweet but also fluffy and soft.
The Southern Cornbread is definitely got that sweetness because of Honey and Brown Sugar.
Why is Cornbread so Popular?
Cornbread got popular during the civil war, when this was made very easily and cheaply with a very few ingredients. It stood as a perfect side or just a meal in itself. And since then, this has become a part of life.
Southern Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk?
Yes! Some Southerns love their Cornbread without Buttermilk. They simply use sweet milk and it works just perfectly everytime to make sweet and fluffy cornbread.
OTHER SOUTHERN SIDES
- Southern Fried Okra
- Southern Louisiana Collard Greens Recipe "Hearty and Meaty"
- Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Vegan Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe
- Crispiest Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken Recipe with Buttermilk
- Southern Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes
- Southern Creamed Corn
- Southern Fried Corn
- Southern Fried Apples with Vanilla Ice Cream & Salted Caramel Drizzle
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread in Cast Iron Skillet
INGREDIENTS
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter melted and cooled to room temp. (or 1/4 cup of melted shortening)*
- 1 cup AP Flour
- 1 cup Yellow Cornmeal can use white cornmeal as well
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar optional*
- ½ cup Honey optional*
- 1¼ cup Buttermilk
- 1 Large Egg cracked (at room temp.)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400F or 200C. Grease a Cast Iron Skillet or Baking Dish with oil or butter and position in the middle rack of the oven to get it heated.
- Whisk Flour, Baking powder, Baking Soda, Cornmeal and Salt in a bowl. Add the brown sugar and whisk until combined (only add Brown Sugar if you like a sweet cornbread)
- Now, pour in the Buttermilk, Cracked Egg, melted butter, and Honey. Fold until combined. (again, only add Honey if you want a sweet Cornbread)
- Carefully, get the hot skillet out of the oven wearing oven mitts. Pour the batter in the sizzling hot skillet and place it back in the oven to get baked @200C or 400F for 20-21 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean
- Once the Cornbread gets baked, get it out of the oven and allow it to cool down for some time before you cut it into wedges and serve with a pat of butter!
Toby Williams says
This is super delicious 😋
Anjali says
Thanks Tobe!!
Taimi Tillinghast says
This is absolutely delicious!! I would like to add, in your listed ingredients it calls for a 1/2 room temp. melted butter but it the instructions it didn't say where to add the butter so, I figured it was the oil base that would be mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes.
Anjali says
Yeah, we've updated that. So glad you liked this.
Anjali says
Hi Taimi,
Glad you liked this Cornbread recipe. I'm sorry I forgot to include the butter in the instructions. It goes along with all the wet ingredients. Hopefully you make this recipe again! Looking forward to your comments on more of my recipes.
Good day,
love!
Anjali.