Classic Soul Food Cornbread Skillet (Printable)

Golden Southern cornbread baked in cast-iron skillet, topped with smooth honey butter, warm and moist.

# 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 cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil

→ Skillet Preparation

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Honey Butter

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside to heat while preparing batter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, and vegetable oil until thoroughly combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Carefully remove heated 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 with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted at center emerges clean.
08 - While cornbread bakes, beat softened butter with honey and salt in small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
09 - Allow cornbread to cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with honey butter.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The buttered skillet creates a crackling golden crust that tastes like pure nostalgia.
  • It comes together in under an hour and requires only one bowl moment of gentle stirring.
  • Honey butter melting into warm cornbread is one of those small luxuries that makes any meal feel special.
02 -
  • Don't skip preheating the skillet—that temperature difference between batter and pan is what creates the magic that makes cast-iron superior to anything else.
  • Buttermilk adds an incredible tang that deepens the flavor, so if you have it on hand, use it instead of regular milk and reduce the salt ever so slightly.
03 -
  • Bring all your ingredients to room temperature before mixing—cold eggs and milk don't incorporate as smoothly and can result in uneven texture.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, whisk a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into regular milk and let it sit for five minutes—instant tang without the specialty ingredient.
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