This is Southern buttermilk cornbread with no sugar, the way it's been made since cast iron ruled the land and nobody needed dessert pretending to be bread. Crisp edges, tender crumb, and a quiet understanding that if you want sweet, there's a pie cooling somewhere-this pan knows its purpose.
Table of Contents
- 🥰 Is this Southern cornbread recipe for you?
- 📖 Recipe
- 🧾 Ingredients you'll need to make this traditional cornbread recipe
- 🔪 How to make Southern buttermilk cornbread with no sugar
- 😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
- 👩🍳 Any questions?
- 📚 Other cornbread recipes you'll love
- 🏡 Heirloom cornbread recipe for a reason
- 💬 Comments
🥰 Is this Southern cornbread recipe for you?
- you believe cornbread is bread, not cake in a casserole dish
- sugar in cornbread feels like a personal betrayal
- you want crisp edges, a tender crumb, and zero stickiness
- you cook with buttermilk and trust it to do the heavy lifting
- chili, beans, greens, or a fried egg need something solid to lean on
- you learned cornbread from someone who didn't measure and didn't apologize
Grab the free buttermilk cornbread cheat sheet- more FAQs, variations, storage, and the little Southern tricks that make it crisp, tender, and right every single time. Tape it inside a cabinet, pass it down, or guard it like a family secret.
📖 Recipe
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread (no sugar recipe)
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, or omit and use an extra tablespoon of butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the egg and buttermilk until combined, then mix in the melted butter and bacon drippings.
- Quickly stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Spoon the batter into a greased 9x9-inch square baking dish, smoothing the top.
- Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
To make cornbread in a cast iron pan
- Preheat the oven to 425° with a 9-inch cast iron skillet in it.
- Mix the cornbread batter as directed above.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (use pot holders it will be hot!) and add a tablespoon or two of butter or bacon grease.
- Move the butter quickly around the skillet with a spatula to coat the entire surface.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared skillet and bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until the interior is 200° on an instant read thermometer.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes and serve right from the pan.
Notes
- Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry finish up quickly. When baking soda gets wet it begins to "work" and if you wait too long to bake the batter it won't rise well.
- Cornbread is one of those things that is best the day it's made. Eat it or store it in the freezer. Leftovers can be used for dressings and other dishes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🧾 Ingredients you'll need to make this traditional cornbread recipe
This ingredient list is short, opinionated, and fully committed to the cause. If you keep buttermilk in the fridge and cornmeal in the pantry, you're already halfway to cornbread glory.
- Cornmeal - the backbone, the attitude, the whole point
- Flour - just enough to keep things tender without getting soft
- Baking soda - the quiet lifter doing the heavy work
- Salt - non-negotiable. Corn needs backup
- Melted butter - richness, depth, and a little drama
- Bacon drippings - optional but spiritually correct
- Egg - binds it all together like a family secret
- Buttermilk - tang, tenderness, and Southern authority in liquid form
🔪 How to make Southern buttermilk cornbread with no sugar
This is a stir-it-up, pour-it-in, let-the-oven handle the rest situation. No fuss, no gymnastics-just trust the process and don't overthink what Southern cooks have been doing right forever.
- Whisk the wet ingredients until they're friendly and fully committed.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl like you know better than to rush them.
- Bring the two together and stir just until combined-no overhandling, no nonsense.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, slide it into the oven, and let cornbread magic happen.
Pro tip: once that buttermilk hits the mix, don't lollygag-get it in the oven fast unless you like your cornbread sad and flat.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
🌽 Too dry and crumbly
You went heavy-handed with the cornmeal or light on the fat. Next time, measure with intention and don't skip the butter or bacon drippings.
🌽 Dense instead of tender
That batter got overmixed. Stir just until combined-cornbread doesn't like being bossed around.
🌽 Pale and sad on top
The pan wasn't hot enough or your oven runs cool. Preheat properly and don't be afraid of a little color-it's flavor.
🌽 Greasy bottom
Too much fat pooled in the pan. Grease it, don't drown it. Cast iron wants confidence, not fear.
🌽 Bitter or flat flavor
Old cornmeal or forgotten salt. Fresh cornmeal matters, and salt is not optional in this relationship.
You're not bad at cornbread. It just needs boundaries and a little respect.
👩🍳 Any questions?
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments or grab the free buttermilk cornbread cheat sheet.
Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a one cup measure then fill with whole milk. Set aside for 5 minutes or so and it will be ready to be used in your recipe! See this post for even more buttermilk substitutes.
You can use plain yogurt measure for measure instead of buttermilk OR you can use a mixture of half Greek yogurt and half whole milk.
I use white cornmeal - I think it tastes better and it's more traditional in the south. If you'd like to use yellow cornmeal go right ahead!
📚 Other cornbread recipes you'll love
If cornbread is your love language, there's a whole family reunion waiting. Southern cornbread salad turns leftover wedges into something layered, messy, and better than it has any right to be-cold, creamy, crunchy, and a little dramatic. Cornbread with creamed corn leans softer and richer, the cozy cousin who brings a casserole dish and stays late.
Feeling feral? Cauliflower casserole with cornbread topping walks the line between virtuous and indulgent like it's got secrets. And Jiffy cornbread casserole-yes, that one-shows up when you need comfort fast and judgment nowhere nearby. Different moods. Same devotion. Cornbread always finds a way.
🏡 Heirloom cornbread recipe for a reason
This classic Southern buttermilk cornbread is no-nonsense, no-sugar, and no time wasted-just good, hearty flavor that's been stretching meals (and paychecks) for generations. With a handful of pantry staples and about 30 minutes, you've got the perfect sidekick for chili, greens, or any dish that screams "bless your heart."
It's tender but not crumbly, has a thin, crisp layer of crust, and the flavor is divine. It's perfect with butter melting into the top and honey dripping down the sides.
This is the perfect side to all of those soups, stews, and chilis that we crave all winter long! I've made cornbread recipes of all kinds for years and this one is my absolute favorite.
I bet it'll be yours, too.
William G Bates says
Only one problem, REAL SOUTHERN CORNBREAD never had regular flour when i was growing up in the 40's. My grandm other purchased STONE GROUND WHEAT FLOUR which is what she used. My with however just used regular cornmeal only for her cornbread for over 40 years we were married. Of course, she only made cornbrea when getting ready for the holidays and makeing cornbread dressing.
Paula McAuley says
Loved it great results husband usually has a hard time eating cornbread but found this one delicious. Was wondering if you have any sweet recipes using cornmeal?
Marye says
These are sweet muffins. https://www.restlesschipotle.com/copycat-cracker-barrel-corn-muffins/
Bet Mansfield says
Perfect!