Holiday Cornbread

Need a last-minute side to stretch a meal to feed surprise visitors? Skillet cornbread is speedy, easy to make from your typical pantry stash, and it will knock the socks off of your guests.

Southern Corn Bread

Southern Cornbread

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Traditional southern cornbread is often, like this recipe, unsweetened. The key to perfect cornbread is using just enough butter in a hot skillet to crisp the edges. Eat this fresh and warm, or use it as the base for cornbread dressing.

Servings: 6 (224 g )

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cook Time: 40 min.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups skim milk
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 3 cups stone-ground cornmeal
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 6 tsp. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided

Directions

  1. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
  2. Combine milk and lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  4. Whisk eggs into soured milk. Drizzle in oil and all but 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
  5. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until well mixed but slightly lumpy.
  6. Pour remaining butter into hot skillet and swirl to coat bottom and sides. Pour batter into prepared skillet. Bake until cornbread is lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 45 minutes).