Skillet Cornbread: the best recipe for a classic Southern side dish

No barbecue or potluck is complete without a side of homemade skillet cornbread. With its light, fluffy texture and a sweet yet savory flavor, skillet cornbread is a versatile side dish that goes with just about anything. It's great with grilled chicken, baby back ribs, pulled pork, grilled sausage, and more. It's a classic Southern side dish that's perfect for summer, but don't be surprised if you make this easy skillet cornbread all year round.

Baked in a cast iron skillet (hence the name), skillet cornbread is crispy around the edges and incredibly soft and fluffy on the inside – much more than regular baked cornbread. The best part is you can customize your skillet cornbread in loads of different ways. Add other ingredients to make it sweeter or more savory, or even add some spice!

Skillet Cornbread Ingredients

One of the beauties of this amazing skillet cornbread recipe is that you don't need any fancy ingredients. You probably have most of them in your kitchen, jus make sure they are at room temperature!

You'll need cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, egg, milk, and oil. Oil and milk will help make your cornbread moist and fluffy. Baking powder leavens the cornbread, giving it an also cake-like crumb. Sugar gives the cornbread a lovely sweetness, but you can adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe to suit your palate.

How to Make Skillet Cornbread

If you've never made skillet cornbread before, don't fret. It's nearly foolproof. To make homemade skillet cornbread, start by greasing your cast iron skillet with butter. Turn your oven on and heat it to 400F – hot is key for moist, fluffy cornbread. Next, mix your dry ingredients in a bowl.

In a second bowl, combine the wet ingredients until the mixture is totally smooth. Beat the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Don't overmix your batter, then pour it into your skillet. Bake the cornbread for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool slightly before serving.

Tips for the Best Skillet Cornbread

If you don't like your cornbread too sweet, you can reduce the sugar in this recipe to 1/3 cup.

Swap out the sugar for sweetener if you'd like to avoid sugar altogether.

Make vegan skillet cornbread by substituting the butter for foil, using a flax egg instead of a chicken egg, and swapping out the milk for your preferred plant-based milk.

Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour to make gluten-free cornbread.

Jazz up your skillet cornbread by adding extra ingredients to it. Chopped jalapeños, grated cheese, bacon, sausage, pancetta, green onions, fresh corn, fresh herbs, garlic, and roasted peppers are delicious options. Spices like paprika, cayenne powder, or your favorite seasoning mixes are all great additions. Or go in the sweeter direction and add honey, maple syrup, candied nuts, pumpkin spice, orange zest, and dried fruit.

How to Store Skillet Cornbread

Wrap your cornbread in cling film, then place it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to one week.

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Grease a cast iron skillet with butter.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.

In a second bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and oil until smooth.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture.

Mix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet.

Spread it evenly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Take the cornbread out of the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Slice and serve it with a knob of butter. Enjoy!