Name: Cast Iron Cornbread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 0.5 cup unsalted butter; 1.5 cups buttermilk; 1 cup cornmeal; 2 large eggs; 3 tablespoons honey, or to taste; 0.5 teaspoon fine salt; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 1 cup self-rising flour

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Cornbread Recipe

Ingredients

cup unsalted butter
1 cups buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey, or to taste
teaspoon fine salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup self-rising flour

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Step 2: Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Once melted, turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cornmeal, eggs, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper until fully combined.

Step 4: Add the flour and half of the melted butter from the skillet to the mixture, then whisk again until smooth.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the skillet over the remaining butter. Smooth out the top to ensure even cooking.

Step 6: Bake the cornbread in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 7: Allow the cornbread to cool briefly before slicing and serving.

Chef's Notes

To make your own self-rising flour, sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and teaspoon fine salt.
If you prefer less richness, reduce the amount of butter in the batter to 4 tablespoons, and use only 1 or 2 tablespoons for greasing the pan.
For a less moist cornbread, you can decrease the buttermilk to 1 cup.
You can customize the cornbread by adding ingredients such as hot peppers, cheese, or fresh corn to enhance the flavor.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 281
Total Fat: 14g (17% DV)
Saturated Fat: 8g (40% DV)
Cholesterol: 79mg (26% DV)
Sodium: 413mg (18% DV)
Total Carbohydrate: 34g (12% DV)
Dietary Fiber: 1g (4% DV)
Total Sugars: 9g
Protein: 6g (12% DV)
Vitamin C: 1mg (1% DV)
Calcium: 117mg (9% DV)
Iron: 2mg (10% DV)
Potassium: 140mg (3% DV)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Comments

Barbara Campbell

12/27/2022 02:00:45 AM

I omitted the pepper and added 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of honey. Since I didn't have buttermilk, I used 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in room temperature milk and added 4 teaspoons of baking powder to the flour. I used 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and 4 in the mix, and also added 1 can of sweet cream corn. The mixture seemed a bit loose, but the bread rose beautifully. It took about 5 minutes longer in the oven at 425°F, but turned out great.

Alexander Gonzalez

03/19/2024 12:26:19 PM

I tried making this recipe and it turned out pretty good! Instead of using buttermilk, I substituted with evaporated milk diluted with 1 1/2 tbsp of white wine vinegar to achieve a similar effect. I also added 1/2 tsp of baking powder since I didn't have self-rising flour. The cayenne seasoning seemed a bit confusing to me, but I think adding chunks of jalapenos could work well. Next time, I plan to mix all the dry ingredients together before adding the buttermilk, whisked eggs, and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. Then, I'll mix in the melted butter and pour the batter back into the cast iron skillet. Overall, I found this recipe easy to prepare and would definitely make it again.

Karen Carter

11/21/2023 12:02:18 PM

Fantastic and simple recipe! I swapped whole milk for buttermilk and it turned out perfectly. I cooked it on the BBQ at the cottage in a cast iron pan with the lid thermometer reading 375 degrees.

Dorothy Carter

05/21/2025 04:07:24 PM

This was my first time trying cornbread, which isn't a well-known recipe where I come from in Europe, and I must say - it was absolutely delicious! It had the perfect texture, not too dry or too moist, and paired beautifully with Chef John's cauliflower gratin and some random chicken and gravy. It was so easy to make - just mix the ingredients and pop it in the oven while preparing the main dish. I used a combination of finely ground corn flour and coarse cornmeal, and it turned out just right.

Raymond Gomez

04/02/2023 04:48:53 AM

The dish turned out amazing! My husband really enjoyed it. I used a combination of olive oil and butter, and sprinkled some sesame seeds on top. It was moist, soft, and incredibly delicious.

Edward Miller

07/03/2023 08:43:52 AM

Chef John is a culinary genius! I absolutely adore his cornbread recipe - it's so good that I ended up doubling it. Every last crumb was devoured in no time. Simply amazing! ★★★★★

William Nelson

09/18/2022 11:34:55 PM

Here is your revised review: "Hey! I have a quick question – Can I use egg substitutes instead of regular eggs?"

Sharon Jackson

04/28/2025 06:46:14 PM

The texture of this dish was fantastic, reminiscent of a delicious applesauce cake - moist and spongy. However, the flavor was disappointing, akin to plain oatmeal cooked in water. I followed the recipe without any changes. I might give it another shot in the future, but with significantly more honey and perhaps some bacon crumbles, jalapeño slices, fresh corn, and other additions like others have tried.

Heather Campbell

06/14/2024 08:16:59 PM

I made some adjustments based on what I had on hand - I substituted buttermilk and honey, and omitted the peppers. Instead of self-rising corn meal, I used all-purpose flour. I opted for bacon grease in the skillet rather than butter. Despite these changes, the recipe turned out wonderfully, and the bread was delicious. A tip passed down from my grandmother is to preheat the skillet in the oven before adding the batter, a step I always follow without knowing its exact impact - it's just tradition for me!