All those tasty little air pockets
This is a very simple and very plain corn bread recipe. It is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and is the best recipe I have found for plain cornbread. That said, it could be improved with the addition of honey both in the mixture and brushed on top after baking. I’ve omitted the sweetener, because I use this recipe mostly as a base for stuffing or as a quick side to dunk in chili or stews. It freezes very well also. I prefer yellow cornmeal, but white cornmeal can be substituted. If you do not have a cast iron pan, a metal or Corningware baking pan will work. Want a fancier version? Check out our jalapeno cheddar cornbread or head over to Sweet Pea’s for her savory southwestern version. Cook, Eat, Live Vegetarian has a great zucchini green chili cornbread. She also has a wonderful tutorial on corn flour.
Corn Bread
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Grease a 9” cast iron frying pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl mix together all the wet ingredients making sure to beat the eggs well. Add the wet to the dry and mix to a smooth batter. Pour into the cast iron pan and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. A toothpick should pass through cleanly.
One of my fall staples is chili! Will have to give this a try on the side and see how it compares to my current cornbread recipe :)
Looks great! I’m envious of your cast iron skillet.
You are The Man. I just made some cornbread in a cast iron yesterday. So please get out of my head. Anyway, great recipe, it works well. And cornbread really goes with anything, even ice cream… and of course, bacon.
I’ve never had cornbread before, this looks really tempting and I’ve added it to my list of must try’s! Do you always eat it only with chilli?
No it goes with anything simple. Chili, beans, stews, even just chicken.
This looks great, light and fluffy! I’ve never made cornbread! Can you believe it??
You did a wonderful rendition of cornbread. I know a lot of people like to add jalapeno and other things to their cornbread.. but cornbread just seems to taste better when added to southern cuisine for me lol. Maybe because that’s the way I’m used to eating it. Very nice recipe
Lovely simple picture – love the black pan with the yellow bread
With chili season just around the corner, your recpe for simple, tasty cornbread could not be better timed. And I totally agree about not sweetening the batter, especially if the bread is to be used in stuffing. Great pic, too, by the way.
corn meal is a staple ingredient here so I shall have to get some to try this recipe :)
I need to try this. Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall made one of these on River Cottage – must be one of the quickest breads to make, which si nice since I don;t always have a few hours spare to bake normal bread.
Now this looks GOOD! I love that it´s not sweet too as most of the corn bread I have eaten is a bit sugary for me. Now I am craving chilli with corn bread :)
Another great pair for roast chicken.
Yum. Makes me crave corn bread stuffing — Thanksgiving isn’t that far away!
I hadn’t thought to bake in the cast iron skillet.
About 10 years ago we changed out ALL of our non-stick cookware to cast and enamel (you should see my biseps!) I love cornbread, I usually make mine in a corn shaped or cactus shaped (cast) pan, the round frying pan version looks great, so simple too!
Ha, cooking as a workout. That’s awesome.
Simple perfection. Side to dunk in chili sounds just right. Have you ever tried substituting sour cream or buttermilk for regular milk and then a bit of baking soda? Never sweetened is best I agree. Great recipe for the beginning of chili season.
Buttermilk is a staple here, but I’ve never tried it with sour cream. I love sour cream in doughs.
Ahh, a real taste of home! Everyone here in the Notheast sweetens cornbread so it tastes like a muffin…
One thing my Mom and Grams did different: After you grease the skillet (We use butter) stick it in the oven until it’s hot. Pour your batter in, and bake. Makes the best crust you ever had!
Of course, if you have bacon drippings for greasing, it’s even better!
Such a great tip. I need to remember it next time I make cornbread. I’ve heard it before and never remember to do it!
Lovely cornbread, Greg! I don’t make it very often, but we both love it… also, I do what gardenfresh mentioned, place the skillet in the oven with either butter or oil in it, and pour the batter once it’s all very hot. It’s amazing, what it does for the crust
I like a plain version like yours, but will check out the one you mentioned with the zucchini. Sounds interesting
I swear BH&G has the best recipes. Alot of my favorites are from some of their old books. I like the sounds of the zucchini/green chile version. Heading over there now. Loved your comment and the idea of “ski Little Rock” … as I look out my window we’re getting our first snow fall.
Snow! Gosh I hope we don’t have that much this year. It shuts down the city! Katherine really swears by that cookbook. What’s great is they have almost anything and it’s easy to build on their recipes. I turn to it a lot too. There are pages you can tell we’ve turned to more.
Love corn bread especially with honey just from the oven! I just made my first batch for the cooling season of corn pudding. Old fashioned and southern…delicious comfort food. : )
I have been making this exact corn bread for years, and I agree: it’s a great staple; and a pat of melted butter on top along with a drizzle of honey/molasses/maple syrup makes it a wonderful treat.
I love cornbread – and this looks delicious!
I’ve made this recipe before, it’s so easy and one of my kids favorites with chili! Thanks for sharing!
Everyone needs a simple cornbread recipe – especially if it requires a skillet.
I’m a sucker for honey-cornbread, though I’ve never made it before – we usually cheat and do the Marie Callendar kind…
That is some beautiful cornbread- so fluffy. I love that the recipe is so easy– perfect to make during the week (I’m thinking with some good chili). :) And mixing in some honey is a great idea too! Yum!
Or just smother a piece of hot corn bread with honey and call it dessert!
This is so EASY– I usually do the box mix– I thought it was hard….I am definitely trying this– maybe this afternoon— thanks!!!!! :)
A tasty cornbread that goes with other dishes as you mentioned. Even as an accompaniment to a fast lunch of scrambled eggs and salsa if you’ve got nothing else in your fridge. :)
It freezes well too. It’s nice to have some I can just pop out of the freezer.
I love discovering the myriads of corn recipes on your blog. This one looks very versatile and I love your pure, elegant photo.
There you go with the cornbread again! Love it! The versatility of this bread is so much fun. ;)
Wow! Love the texture of the bread, yumm!
Delicious!
Nothing like cornbread . . . hot from an iron skillet. :D
Corn bread is one of my favorites!
I always use that recipe as well, although I do add a little sugar since I grew up eating Jiffy (you probably don’t even know what that is!). The other BH&G recipe I really like is the sauce for a beef stir-fry (don’t remember the name off the top of my head).
It comes in the blue and white box!
Simply scrumptious. :-) Mandy
I’ve been a hankerin’ for cornbread – I LOVE to pour honey over it after dinner for dessert. You guys are the best!
I’d put that fresh honey on about everything!
simple is sometimes better!!
I love cornbread! The Jalepeno Cheddar Cornbread sounds great, too!
Ah, this reminds me of a brown sugar corn bread recipe that Martha Stewart published in her magazine years ago. I love the cast iron skillet!
It’s funny because now that I have access to the family cast-iron pan, the appeal of using it has somewhat dimmed. I think it’s the cleaning of it I find annoying, but this recipe will make me remember why I love cast-iron cookware so much!
Also, cornbread stuffing is incredible, are you posting a recipe for it soon? Thanksgiving is almost here!
We’ll be posting it as part of our Thanksgiving lineup. Does that make us sound sad that we have a lineup?
I love cornbread – My wife made some a while back – I can’t believe it’s not common in Europe – it’s freaking amazing. And when it’s all old and stale you can drench it in sauce and make a sweet-ass salad! :D
Need to have some smoky pulled pork with that corned bread. Looks delicious!
Really? Corn bread is this easy? I feel shame… I buy corn bread mix and I have corn meal that I bought a long time ago that I’m not using for anything. My kids love corn bread too. Thank you truly for this recipe. It’s just a perfect timing for soup/stew season and this recipe will be REALLY handy.
It’s so easy to gussy up too! Start with the simple version and you can dress it up however you need.
I love the little air pockets! Thanks so much for the link and I am so envious of that cast iron skillet, I want one!!
So that’s what corn bread looks like… perfect for a little dunking I say.
That’s my fail safe recipe as well! Yours looks perfect.
Love the skillet and the jalapeno version is a favorite of mine.
Thanks for a corn bread recipe WITHOUT buttermilk! Buttermilk is only sold in quart containers here and since I don’t use it very often, it goes to waste…although I suppose I could freeze it in icecube portions…but I’d rather try yours!
Cornbread and chilli is my favorite combo! I like making things ahead and hadn’t thought about making the cornbread ahead of time.. great tip. And also for Thanksgiving stuffing coming up; sometimes I use cornbread so freezing a batch will be helpful.
I love so much corn bread and this is a great recipe to make it, Thank you dear Greg, as soon as I want to try this bread, with my love, nia
I love it!!! I I like the fact that does not have much sugar in it!! This will be appreciated by my Italian friends. I am planning to make a Texan dinner so I am using this recipe!!! Thanks for sharing!
you know i’ve been using cast iron skillets for many years but have never made corn bread in them (i always use a loaf pan). This is far cooler – good reminder!
Mmmm..nothing like a good piece of cornbread! :)
You just can’t beat cornbread. I was raised on it and will take it over most other breads anytime. Yours looks so good. I am making some today, in fact.
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A post after my own heart, love corn bread. This looks perfect!
Oh my gosh, that looks perfect!
I’ll never turn down good cornbread, but always prefer one with jalapenos or roasted anaheim peppers…I just need the flavor!
Silly question but is yellow cornmeal also polenta? I am totally obsessed with polenta at the moment.
It’s much finer. They are similar, but the cornmeal I get isn’t ground as fine as the polenta.
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