This cornbread recipe is a little less dense than traditional southern cornbread, and a touch of honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. I recommend making this cornbread recipe in a cast-iron skillet for a nice crispy outside with a tender crumb and delicious inside that is cornbread perfection!
Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk
I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like homemade cornbread, but for as many people as there are that like cornbread, there are probably that many different ways to make cornbread.
Cornbread comes in all different shapes, flavors, and textures. If you like a sweeter cornbread with a moister, cake-like texture, then this Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk is for you!
This is my absolute favorite homemade cornbread recipe. I make it for Thanksgiving and everytime I make my Slow Cooked Chili Recipe. Cornbread and chili are made for each other. The sweetness of this cornbread recipe balances out the spiciness of the chili and leaves you feeling, in that moment, like everything is right with the world!
Northern Cornbread vs Southern Cornbread
Northern Cornbread tends to use yellow cornmeal with flour for a more cake-like texture. Northern cornbread is sweeter as it is made with sugar, and Northern cornbread is typically made in a baking dish.Southern Buttermilk cornbread is definitely more savory and more dense than Northern cornbread as it is made with mostly all cornmeal and no sugar. Additionally, traditional Southern cornbread uses white cornmeal instead of yellow cornmeal, and Southern cornbread always uses buttermilk. And don't forget the bacon grease and cast-iron skillet when making a traditional cornbread recipe!
My Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk is more of a Northern cornbread recipe, but I do make it in a cast-iron skillet to get the best crust on the outside. Taking the best parts from both types of recipes results in the BEST cornbread recipe, IMO!
Ingredients
- Yellow cornmeal - I prefer yellow cornmeal as it is a little bit sweeter than white cornmeal
- All-purpose flour - be sure you are using the proper flour for best results
- Honey Granules (can substitute granulated sugar in equal amount) - granulated honey is honey that has been crystallized into tiny granules
- Baking powder - always triple check you are using baking powder (not baking soda)
- Kosher salt - I don't recommend using table salt, but if it's all you have on hand, be sure to cut the amount in half or the cornbread might turn out too salty
- Unsalted butter - I always use unsalted butter as I prefer to control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter on hand, be sure to cut down on the amount of salt you add to the batter
- Whole Milk - for best results use regular milk so you don't change the fat content of the recipe as it could affect the texture and flavor of the recipe
- Egg - when a recipe calls for eggs, I always mean grade A large eggs
How to Make Cornbread without Buttermilk
- Put 10.25" cast iron skillet in oven and preheat to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix by hand, using a wooden spoon, just until combined. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes
- When the oven is preheated, carefully remove the cast iron pan and add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Spread the melted butter to coat bottom of skillet
- Pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet. Put the skillet back in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Recipe Tips
- Leave the cast iron pan in the oven while it is preheating. This will heat up the skillet which is key to getting a nice crispy outside on this cornbread
- For best results, allow the milk and egg to come to room temperature first and use a separate bowl to mix the wet ingredients
- Be careful not to over-mix. The cornbread will be a little lumpy
- Always allow the batter to rest before putting it in the hot skillet. I recommend mixing up the batter first and then preheating the skillet and oven. The time it takes to preheat the oven allows enough resting time for the cornbread batter.
- Preheating the cast iron pan will get the skillet and handle very hot. Be sure to use oven mitts when handling
- If, by chance, you don't eat all of this cornbread in one sitting, store leftovers in an airtight container
You might also like my recipe for Honey Cornbread Muffins. It's the same delicious Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk made into corn muffins using muffin tins. It's another great recipe!
Cornbread Topping Suggestions
- Your favorite honey drizzled over a slice of warm cornbread is divine
- Butter your cornbread with creamy, salted butter because you only live once
- Just the thought of honey and butter together on cornbread makes me want to go whip up another skillet of this cornbread recipe!
- Your favorite jelly or jam makes the perfect cornbread topping, especially for a quick breakfast
Cornbread Serving Suggestions
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili - we love to crumble cornbread in our chili
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork - cornbread goes great with all things BBQ, but we especially love it with BBQ pulled pork
- Beer Braised Pulled Pork
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
- Cowboy Baked Beans
Yield: 8
Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk will be your GO-TO cornbread recipe. It is an easy recipe & uses common ingredients you may already have
Ingredients
Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Honey Granules (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Place an oven-safe, 10.25" cast-iron pan into oven and heat to 400°F.
- In a large bowl combine 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Honey Granules (see notes), 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk to mix well.
- In a microwave safe medium bowl or large measuring cup, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add 1 cup of milk. Whisk and then add 1 egg. Whisk to combine.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and gently mix until until just combined. Don't over-mix. Allow mixture to sit, undisturbed, for about 10 minutes.
- Carefully, remove the skillet from the oven and put 1 tablespoon of butter into the skillet. Swirl butter to cover bottom of skillet. Add the cornbread batter to the skillet and spread evenly. Put the skillet back into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes:
- Honey granules can be found at most grocery stores near the flour
- Substitute 1/2 cup sugar in place of the honey granules if desired
Nutrition Facts
Calories
242.15Fat (grams)
8.92Sat. Fat (grams)
4.99Carbs (grams)
37.63Fiber (grams)
1.82Net carbs
35.81Sugar (grams)
10.78Protein (grams)
5.05Sodium (milligrams)
291.75Cholesterol (grams)
43.85Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
What is the conversion if you don't have honey granules?
ReplyDeleteGreat question, Susie! You can use regular white sugar in place of the honey granules, so 1/2 cup of white sugar. Have a wonderful week!
Delete~Marion
what if you want to use honey but dont have honey granules do you know the conversion?
ReplyDeleteAshley, because this is baking it is a challenge to sub honey in place of the granules. Baking relies on a chemical reaction to take place, so the measurements can be pretty scientific to get it to work together. I do know you would use much less honey than granules and would also have to reduce the other liquid in the recipe in order to balance out the wet to dry ratio. I know there are specific rules about it, but I've never tried them, so I'm not confident enough to tell you go for it in case it didn't work and end up wasting all those ingredients. I'm sure you can Google 'sub honey in place of sugar in baking' and come up with an answer. I just don't know if it will work. Sorry, I'm not much help. If you try it, I'd love to hear how it goes! Have a super week ~Marion
Delete