Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

High-quality stone-ground cornmeal is all you need for excellent Southern-style unsweetened cornbread.
If you can't get high-quality cornmeal, a small amount of sugar helps to balance the flavor.
Preheating the skillet produces a cornbread with crisp edges.

One hundred and fifty-eight years ago, Abraham Lincoln famously prophesied that the United States would have to make a nationwide decision on the issue of slavery. "A house divided against itself cannot stand," he said, and he was right—more than half a million men died to settle the matter. Thankfully, the decidedly less pressing question of sweetened versus unsweetened cornbread, which continues to split the North and the South, isn't quite contentious enough to drag us back into a civil war.*

*For weak scientific evidence of the dead-even divide, seethe results of our recent Twitter poll.

A born-and-bred Yankee myself, I'd never even tasted the South's unsweetened cornbread until relatively recently. The only kind I knew as a kid was that yellow, cake-like confection from above the Mason-Dixon, and I always loved it, for the same reason that all kids love eating dessert alongside their dinner. I still have a soft spot for it, which I am totally unapologetic about, but I've since been won over by the Southern version, made with stone-ground cornmeal and not a trace of sugar or wheat flour.

If you're curious about why the two versions exist in the first place, you need to readRobert Moss's piece"The Real Reason Sugar Has No Place in Cornbread."In a nutshell, though, the key points are that the corn milled for cornbread used to be left to ripen longer in the field, leading to a higher natural sugar content, and was stone-ground to produce cornmeal with a texture that varied from powdery flour to larger grits. With the advent of industrial milling techniques, the corn was picked when it was less ripe and ground with rollers, creating a consistently coarser grind that didn't work as well with leavenings. Sugar was therefore added to offset the significantly less sweet corn, while fine wheat flour was added to correct the grind issue.

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (1)

With the resurgence of small-scale milling, though, the original type of cornmeal is increasingly available. I ordered a handful of bags of white and yellow cornmeal fromAnson Millsto test my recipe here, and I highly recommend you also seek out the best stone-ground cornmeal you can, whether by ordering online or seeking out a local mill. That's because, based on my rounds of testing, the cornmeal itself has the single biggest impact on the final cornbread. The difference is staggering—the good stone-ground stuff produces a bread that's light and fluffy, interspersed with pleasantly crackly bits of corn grit, and loaded with a rich corn flavor.

What does cornbread taste like when it's made with a lower-quality cornmeal and no sugar? Strangely, it tastes like a black hole has formed within the crumb and all the sugar molecules have been sucked into it, never to be tasted again. The flavor doesn't register merely as a zero on the sweetness scale, but dips down into the negative numbers. It's not unlike drinking totally pure distilled water—the absence of minerals is completely bewildering. Cornbread needn't be overtly sweet, but itdoesneed just enough sweetness to avoid tasting like the fabric of the universe has been torn asunder and you're hopelessly trying to lick the rift.

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (2)

Now, if you can't get your hands on the good cornmeal, the solution is to get a bag of mass-market stone-ground cornmeal and add just a wee bit of sugar to it. I find that about three teaspoons of granulated sugar per three cups (15 ounces) of cornmeal is just about right. You won't end up with a sweet Northern cornbread with that amount of sugar, but you will end up with something that tastes complete.

Beyond that, the rest is very simple: Start by preheating a well-seasoned cast iron skillet in the oven. While it's in there, mix the cornmeal with baking soda, baking powder, salt, and—only if needed—a tiny bit of sugar. Mix that with buttermilk, eggs, and fat. (I use melted butter here, but lard or bacon fat is also great, if you have it.)

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (3)

Even if you've lived your whole life on the sweet side of the cornbread debate, I challenge you to try making it with a worthy cornmeal. You may just be converted. And if not...well, just drizzle some honey or sorghum syrup on top and keep your opinion to yourself, because, even today, there are other, more important things to fight about.

November 2015

Recipe Details

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread

Active20 mins

Total60 mins

Serves12 servings

Makes2 1/2 pounds

Ingredients

15 ounces (3 cups) stone-ground cornmeal (see notes)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons sugar(optional; see notes)
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, divided

Directions

Place a well-seasoned 12-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack of the oven and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk cornmeal with salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar (if using).
In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk with eggs until hom*ogenous. Whisking constantly, drizzle in all but 1 tablespoon melted butter.
Whisk liquid ingredients into dry ingredients just until thoroughly mixed; avoid over-mixing.
Pour remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter into preheated skillet and carefully swirl to coat bottom and sides. Scrape batter into prepared skillet, smoothing the top gently with a rubber spatula. Bake until cornbread is lightly browned on top and a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Let cool for about 15 minutes in skillet, then serve warm. (Cornbread does not keep well and will lose its texture as it cools, so it's best to eat it while it's still fresh.)

Notes

A lot of industrial cornmeal is made from underripe corn and then ground using modern methods for a very consistent grind. That kind of cornmeal does not make a good Southern-style unsweetened cornbread. For best results here, use a high-quality, fresh stone-ground cornmeal, such as from Anson Mills, Old Mill of Guilford, or Nora Mill; these cornmeals do not need additional sugar. If you use a more mass-market source, consider adding the optional sugar to help balance the flavor.

Special Equipment

12-inch cast iron skillet

The Real Reason Sugar Has No Place in Cornbread

Cornbread
Sides
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Christmas Sides

Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is southern cornbread not sweet? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

What is the difference between cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

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Do southerners add sugar to cornbread? ›

Sugar Is Optional

Whether to include sugar or not in a southern cornbread recipe is an issue for debate. We've included as an option a tablespoon which just intensifies the flavor of the cornmeal; it doesn't make the cornbread sweet. The choice is yours as to whether or not to include it.

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What is a substitute for brown sugar in cornbread? ›

Brown Sugar Substitute: White Sugar

Quite possibly the easiest sub for brown sugar is using granulated white sugar. For every cup of packed brown sugar, swap in 1 cup of white sugar. Just remember: Since brown sugar adds moisture to baked goods, you'll notice a difference in texture (like your cookies being crisper).

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What is the best non sweet cornbread mix? ›

Betty Crocker Cornbread & Muffin Mix

A brand that's been around for generations, Betty Crocker has mixes for just about every baked good you'd want to make, including this cornbread mix that's not too sweet and not too salty. It's great as-is, and also a perfect addition to other recipes–specifically stuffing.

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What is the difference between yankee cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

There are some basic differences between Southern corn-bread and what many people call "Yankee" cornbread. Southern cornbread, besides being made from white corn meal, has very little sugar in it - between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. And it is made with buttermilk.

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Should you add sugar to cornbread? ›

With 2 whole cups of cornmeal, you get lots of corn flavor and wonderfully crunchy edges. Sugar: I prefer granulated sugar as it enhances the pure flavor of the cornmeal. You may substitute a little brown sugar for the granulated sugar for a touch of molasses flavor but it will dilute the corn flavor.

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What kind of corn is best for cornbread? ›

But one of the easiest ways to jazz up a basic cornbread is by adding sweet corn, which creates more layers of that sweet and sunny flavor. Fresh corn is always best if it's in season, cut straight off the cob, but frozen is nearly as good. Just let the corn thaw and then drain it completely, patting dry if needed.

Is Southern cornbread good for you? ›

Cornbread is a quick bread usually made using cornmeal, flour, vegetable oil, baking powder, and eggs. Although it's relatively high in carbs and sodium, it contains several important nutrients, including phosphorus, selenium, and B vitamins.

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What is southern cornbread called? ›

Hot water cornbread

This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" or "scald meal" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in cornbread? ›

A. It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

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What happens if you use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar? ›

Brown sugar is the simplest substitute for granulated sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar as a 1:1 substitute. It makes for darker, denser baked goods with a more caramel or molasses flavor, which is wonderful for classic chocolate chip cookies, but less desirable for delicate cakes.

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How do you make brown sugar if you don't have any? ›

Combining white sugar with molasses may be a better brown sugar substitute, but if you don't have molasses, other liquid sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar will work as well. You should mix a tablespoon or two of the liquid sweetener into a scant 1 cup of white sugar to replace a cup of brown sugar.

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Is real southern cornbread sweet? ›

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.

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Is cornbread not supposed to be sweet? ›

Southern cornbread has traditionally been made with little or no sugar and smaller amounts of flour (or no flour), with northern cornbread being sweeter and more cake-like. Southern cornbread traditionally used white cornmeal and buttermilk. Other ingredients such as pork rinds are sometimes used.

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What brand of cornbread is not sweet? ›

Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread & Muffin Mix

It doesn't produce a sweet cornbread, though there is just a hint of corn sweetness. It manages to have a good salt-forward flavor without being salty, so if you're looking for a fairly neutral cornbread, this is a good pick for you.

Did cornbread originally have sugar? ›

Early cornbread consisted of cornmeal, water, and salt and was baked over a fire or in a hearth. Without milk, eggs, or sugar, early versions of the bread were quite different than what we eat today, but they offered a vital source of energy.

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