Hey, y'all! Growing up on the family farmland, I've had my fair share of southern meals. That said, there's no dish that I associate more with my family than my MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread. MawMaw was my Great-Grandmother; now, my Grandmother Judy makes this and I will continue to do so for generations to come. While I might be biased, this is - to understate - the best cornbread that I've ever had.
MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread

If you're looking for a southern buttermilk cornbread recipe, look no further.
MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Ingredients
- 2 ¾ c. self-rising corn meal
- 1 egg
- 1 ⅓ c. buttermilk
- 1 c. milk
- 1 tbsp. water
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil

How to Make My MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 450F. Pour 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil into a well-seasoned 9 in. cast iron skillet. Place the skillet with the oil in the oven while it is preheating, allowing the oil to get very hot.
- Mix together self-rising corn meal, the egg, buttermilk, milk, and water. Mix until well-combined.
- Once the oven has preheated, remove the skillet from the oven. Pour half of the hot oil in the bottom of the pan into the batter. Mix the hot oil into the batter and then pour the batter into the skillet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until hot, crispy, and brown. Serve warm with salted butter. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions
Good cornbread is made with self-rising corn meal - that said, the secret is to use both buttermilk and normal milk. Pouring half of the hot oil in the skillet, along with using a hot cast iron skillet, allows for the crust to be perfectly crispy.
It's the way my MawMaw always did it - thus, decades later, we still do it exactly like that.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Make sure you use a 9 in. cast iron skillet when making my MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread.
- Having a hot cast iron skillet to pour your batter into makes all of the difference. This cornbread bakes hot and quick!
- Use both milk and buttermilk - you cannot substitute the buttermilk for traditional milk in this recipe.

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MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe

MawMaw's Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ c. self-rising corn meal
- 1 egg
- 1 ⅓ c. buttermilk
- 1 c. milk
- 1 tbsp. water
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Pour 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil into a well-seasoned 9 in. cast iron skillet. Place the skillet with the oil in the oven while it is preheating, allowing the oil to get very hot.
- Mix together self-rising corn meal, the egg, buttermilk, milk, and water. Mix until well-combined.
- Once the oven has preheated, remove the skillet from the oven. Pour half of the hot oil in the bottom of the pan into the batter. Mix the hot oil into the batter and then pour the batter into the skillet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until hot, crispy, and brown. Serve warm with salted butter. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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My best,
JC
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Lisa Arekion
Running to the store for buttermilk so I can make this!