Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

What Makes It Moist

• Buttermilk. Its acidity tenderizes the crumb and reacts with baking soda for lift.
• Sugar plus a spoonful of honey. The honey holds on to moisture, so day-two cornbread is still soft.
• Melted butter. More flavor and a moister crumb than oil.
• A light hand. Stir just until the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing builds gluten and makes it tough.
• A five-minute rest. The cornmeal soaks up liquid, so the texture isn't gritty.

Ingredient Notes

Cornmeal. Fine or medium-grind yellow cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal, like polenta, makes it sandy.

Flour. Equal parts flour and cornmeal give a tender crumb that still tastes like corn.

Baking powder and baking soda. You need both. The soda reacts with the buttermilk, and the powder adds extra rise.

Eggs and buttermilk at room temperature. Cold ones can make the melted butter seize into little clumps.

How It Comes Together

Put the empty skillet in the oven as it heats to 400°F. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the buttermilk, eggs, honey, and melted butter in another. Pour wet into dry, stir gently, and let the batter sit for 5 minutes. Pull out the hot skillet, swirl in a tablespoon of butter until it sizzles, and pour in the batter. You'll hear the edges start to crisp right away. Bake 20–25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then let it cool for 10 minutes so it slices neatly.

Sweet, Savory, or In Between?

Variations

• Cheddar jalapeño. Fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1–2 diced jalapeños. Add 2–3 minutes to the bake.
• Corn kernel. Add 1 cup of kernels, patted dry.
• Bacon. Fold in 6 slices of crumbled cooked bacon and grease the skillet with bacon fat.
• Muffins. Bake in a greased 12-cup tin at 400°F for 14–16 minutes.
• For dressing or stuffing. Cut the sugar to 1 tablespoon, skip the honey, and let the cubes dry overnight.
• Glass dish. Don't preheat glass, since it can crack. Butter an 8x8 glass dish and bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes. The edges won't be as crisp.

Storing and Reheating

Wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5. Cold cornbread tastes dry, so warm it before serving: 8–10 minutes at 350°F, or 15–20 seconds in the microwave per slice. Slices freeze well for up to 3 months, wrapped individually. Reheat straight from frozen at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

What to Serve It With

A wedge next to a bowl of Instant Pot white chicken chili or any beef chili is the classic move. It's also great with chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits, BBQ ribs, pulled pork, or collard greens. On a holiday table, set it beside green bean casserole from scratch. And if you're baking for a crowd, the easy homemade cornbread is another dependable skillet version to keep in your back pocket.

Cook's Tips

• Start checking at 18 minutes. Ovens vary, and dry cornbread is almost always overbaked. Pull it when a toothpick comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.
• No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It won't be quite as thick, but it works.
• Protect your hands. A cast iron handle at 400°F will burn through a thin towel. Use a thick oven mitt, and drape a towel over the handle once it's out as a reminder that it's hot.