Table of Contents

• Why This is the Best Southern Cornbread Recipe
• Professional Tips for Making Moist Cornbread
• Essential Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
• Delicious Variations to Try
• What to Serve with Savory Southern Cornbread
• How to Make the Perfect Southern Cornbread
• Chef Lindsey’s Expert Recipe Tip
• Frequently Asked Questions About Cornbread
• Moist Southern Cornbread Recipe Card
• Before You Go!

Why This is the Best Southern Cornbread Recipe

• Moist, Savory, and Exceptionally Flavorful: This isn’t just an easy cornbread recipe; it’s a testament to authentic Southern tradition. It achieves a perfect balance of moisture and flavor, remaining true to its savory roots, much like my beloved buttermilk biscuits. The careful combination of ingredients ensures a tender crumb that melts in your mouth, making every bite a delightful experience.
• Incredibly Versatile and Adaptable: Whether you’re feeding a small family or a large gathering, this recipe scales up effortlessly. Beyond adjusting quantities, it’s a fantastic canvas for creativity. Feel free to stir in shredded cheese for a gooey texture, diced jalapeños for a subtle kick, crispy bacon bits for smoky depth, or a medley of fresh herbs to enhance its aromatic appeal. The possibilities are endless for customizing this classic.
• The Ideal Base for Amazing Cornbread Stuffing: Not all cornbread recipes are created equal when it comes to stuffing, but this one is a champion. Its robust structure means it holds its shape beautifully, preventing it from dissolving into a mushy mess when moistened. It readily absorbs liquids and other flavors, providing a rich, savory base that enhances any stuffing. It’s perfect for my mushroom cornbread stuffing or combined with cubed bread for a flavorful apple sausage stuffing.
• Developed in Restaurant Kitchens and Perfected by a Pastry Chef: This recipe has a professional pedigree. It’s an adaptation of the cornbread I was tasked with baking for my first Thanksgiving at Restaurant Marc Forgione. While it initially made fantastic stuffing, I refined it further as a pastry chef to enhance its standalone qualities, making it even more moist, flavorful, and utterly delicious as a solo side dish.

Professional Tips for Making Moist Cornbread

• Prevent Overbaking with Careful Monitoring: Achieving a perfectly moist cornbread hinges on precise baking. The exact bake time can vary significantly based on your chosen dish. A sheet pan or a classic cast iron skillet, for instance, will typically bake faster than a thicker glass baking dish. Keep a close eye on your cornbread, and use the “clean toothpick” test as a reliable indicator of doneness. Overbaking is the quickest way to dry out your cornbread.
• For Crispy, Buttery Edges, Preheat Your Pan: If you dream of those coveted crispy, buttery edges, this tip is a game-changer. Place your cast iron skillet in the oven as it preheats. Once hot, carefully add a generous tablespoon (or even two!) of butter or bacon drippings to the pan. Swirl to coat, then immediately pour your cornbread batter into the sizzling hot pan. This initial burst of heat creates a beautifully crisp crust and aids in a better rise.
• Crème Fraîche: A Worthwhile Indulgence for Superior Moisture: While perhaps not strictly traditional, seeking out crème fraîche for this recipe is highly recommended. Crème fraîche boasts a higher fat content and a thicker consistency compared to sour cream, and it’s notably less tangy. These characteristics contribute to an exceptionally moist and flavorful cornbread, elevating its richness to a truly wonderful level. It’s a deviation that pays off significantly in texture and taste.

Essential Ingredients & Smart Substitutions

Crafting the perfect moist and savory cornbread requires a selection of quality ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and how you can make smart substitutions without compromising on taste or texture:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and a tender crumb to the cornbread.
• Granulated Sugar: While this recipe is designed to be savory, a small amount of sugar (1 tablespoon) enhances the overall flavor and helps with browning. You can certainly omit the sugar entirely if you prefer an absolutely unsweetened, traditional Southern cornbread, especially if using a flavorful stone-ground cornmeal.
• Cornmeal: In professional kitchens, we often use finely ground, mass-produced yellow cornmeal, rather than self-rising mixes. This is what’s most accessible and affordable for many home cooks, and it works beautifully here. If you can find artisanal, stone-ground cornmeal (like Bob’s Red Mill), you’ll discover a deeper, more inherent sweetness and flavor, allowing you to confidently omit the granulated sugar. Medium or finely ground cornmeal is ideal for the desired texture, and white cornmeal can also be used for a slightly different aesthetic without altering the taste significantly.
• Baking Powder: Instead of baking soda, I opt for baking powder. This leavening agent provides a more consistent and even rise, contributing to a wonderfully tender and light crumb that sets this cornbread apart.
• Kosher Salt: Essential for balancing the flavors and enhancing the savory notes.
• Large Eggs: Eggs are crucial for binding the ingredients together, adding richness, and contributing to the moist texture and overall structure of the cornbread.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and flavor. Melting it with the milk ensures even distribution throughout the batter, contributing to the cornbread’s tenderness.
• Milk: I prefer whole milk for its higher fat content, which directly impacts the moisture and richness of the cornbread. However, any cow’s milk or even almond milk can be used, though note that the resulting cornbread might be slightly less moist and rich due to lower fat content.
• Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream: This is a key ingredient for ultimate moisture! Crème fraîche truly makes the best cornbread because of its superior fat content and lower moisture compared to sour cream, plus it’s less tangy. This results in an incredibly rich and velvety texture. That said, full-fat sour cream or even full-fat Greek yogurt are excellent and widely available substitutes that will still yield a fantastic, moist cornbread. Use whatever you have on hand and feel confident in your choice.

For precise measurements and detailed instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.

Delicious Variations to Try

While this classic Southern Cornbread recipe is perfect as is, it’s also wonderfully adaptable! Don’t hesitate to experiment with these exciting variations to customize your cornbread to your liking:

• Experiment with Coarse Cornmeal: If you prefer a more rustic texture with a distinct bite, swap some of the finely ground cornmeal for a coarser variety. When using coarse cornmeal, you might need to add approximately 2 tablespoons of extra cornmeal to achieve a consistency similar to a thick pancake batter. Remember, cornmeal brands vary, so don’t stress too much about precise measurements – trust your instinct for the right batter thickness.
• Achieve Crispy Southern Cornbread Edges: For those irresistible buttery, crispy edges, follow this pro tip: Preheat your cast iron skillet in the oven while it comes to temperature. Once hot, melt a generous tablespoon (or even two!) of butter or bacon grease directly into the skillet. Then, carefully pour your cornbread batter into the hot pan. This technique not only gives you those delightful crispy edges but also helps improve the cornbread’s rise, resulting in a lighter texture.
• Mix-Up the Flavors with Creative Additions: This cornbread batter is incredibly forgiving and can incorporate up to 2 cups of your favorite add-ins. Get creative! I’ve had fantastic results with savory combinations like bacon and cheddar cheese, sweet corn (both canned and frozen work wonderfully), or spicy cheesy jalapeño. Freshly chopped herbs like chives or rosemary also make a great addition. For a truly unique and hearty meal, I’ve even shredded leftover BBQ chicken and mixed it in. And yes, inspired by some line cooks, I once even added hot dogs – they thought it was amazing!
• Bake It into Muffins: Transform this delicious cornbread into individual portions by baking it as muffins. Simply divide the prepared batter evenly among 12 buttered standard muffin tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, which usually takes a quick 8-10 minutes. These are perfect for grab-and-go snacks or individual servings.

What to Serve with Savory Southern Cornbread

This savory Southern cornbread is a versatile star, complementing a wide array of dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• Chili’s Ultimate Companion: Cornbread is truly chili’s best friend. Whether you prefer to serve it on the side for dipping, or crumble it directly into your bowl of chili for added texture and richness (my personal favorite!), it’s a match made in heaven. Pair it with this flavorful chipotle chicken chili, a hearty steak chili, or a classic red chili recipe with ground beef.
• The Perfect Barbecue or Cookout Side Dish: No Southern barbecue or cookout is complete without a pan of delicious cornbread. It stands up beautifully to bold flavors and rich sauces. Serve it alongside your favorite BBQ chicken, succulent sweet and spicy wings, tender ribs, light and flavorful lemon roasted chicken, or classic fried chicken.
• A Delightful Array of Side Dishes: Cornbread pairs wonderfully with a variety of other Southern-inspired sides. Consider serving it with instant pot pork and beans, tender collard greens (or your favorite sautéed greens), creamy deviled eggs, rich white cheddar mac and cheese, a comforting sweet potato casserole with pecans, a crisp healthy creamy coleslaw, or delicate roasted acorn squash slices.
• Topped with Butter (and More!): The simplest way to enjoy warm cornbread is with a generous smear of salted butter – it’s a timeless combination. For an elevated experience, try it with homemade maple butter or explore any of these delightful compound butters. In the accompanying pictures, I’ve used a delicious honey butter for a touch of subtle sweetness. You could also add a dollop of vibrant mixed berry jam or a sweet and tangy easy blueberry sauce for an extra layer of flavor.

How to Make the Perfect Southern Cornbread

Follow these step-by-step instructions to effortlessly create a moist, savory cornbread every single time. For precise ingredient quantities and further details, please consult the comprehensive recipe card located further down the page.

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Vessel
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter an 8-inch baking dish or a cast iron skillet. If your goal is to achieve those irresistible crispy edges, place the buttered pan directly into the oven while it preheats. This allows the pan to get sufficiently hot, creating that beautiful crust.

Step 2: Gently Melt Butter with Milk
In a small saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave, combine the milk with the cubed unsalted butter and gently melt them together. I find the stovetop method easiest for control. The key here is to just melt the butter; avoid letting the mixture get too hot. If it becomes excessively warm, you’ll need to allow it to cool slightly before incorporating it with the eggs to prevent them from cooking prematurely.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together all of your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar (if using), cornmeal, baking powder, and kosher salt. Ensure they are well combined to distribute the leavening agent evenly. Set this mixture aside.

Step 4: Whisk Eggs and Crème Fraîche
In a separate, large bowl, whisk the large eggs vigorously until they are pale yellow and no streaks of egg white remain. Then, whisk in the crème fraîche (or sour cream). This initial whisking helps create a smooth base for your batter.

Step 5: Slowly Incorporate Wet Ingredients
With your whisk continuously moving, slowly pour the melted butter and milk mixture into the egg and crème fraîche mixture. It’s crucial to do this gradually and whisk constantly, as the milk mixture is warm, and you want to temper the eggs rather than scramble them. This slow incorporation ensures a smooth and cohesive wet base.

Step 6: Gently Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients
Now, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Start by adding a small portion and gently whisk until it’s just incorporated. Adding the dry ingredients slowly at the beginning helps prevent clumping and ensures a smooth batter.

If you tried this amazing Southern Cornbread recipe and absolutely loved it, please take a moment to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Your feedback truly makes my day and helps others discover this delightful recipe!