Easy Buttermilk Cornbread -- The Side Dish That Made Everyone Come Back for Seconds

Memorial Day weekend was hot and full. We had a family barbecue in the backyard. I made the sides — potato salad with mustard and pickles, baked beans with a little brown sugar, and cornbread. Everyone liked them and I felt useful standing there watching people go back for seconds.

Jamal and I argued over who got the last piece of chicken. Mama made us split it and we ended up laughing about it later on the porch. Kayla watched the whole thing with wide eyes and then asked if she could have the wishbone.

Jada slept over on Saturday night and we stayed up talking about high school next year until Mama told us to go to sleep. She said she was nervous about making new friends. I told her we would make them together.

Saturday MawMaw Shirley told stories about tough times and how food kept the family going. I listened hard and tried to picture her as a young woman cooking through hard seasons.

At night I felt grateful for simple summer days. Thirteen was teaching me that celebration and rest both mattered. I wasn't rushing anything. I was stirring with a full heart.

That cornbread was the one thing I kept checking on while everything else was happening — the laughing over chicken, Kayla and the wishbone, MawMaw Shirley’s stories about cooking through hard seasons. There’s something about a warm pan of cornbread that feels like it belongs at every table where people are really present with each other. If you want to bring that same simple goodness to your next gathering, this Easy Buttermilk Cornbread is exactly where to start — golden on the outside, tender inside, and honest all the way through.

Easy Buttermilk Cornbread

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 9

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter (for the pan)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet or square baking pan in the oven while it heats so the pan gets hot — this gives the cornbread its golden, crispy bottom.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.
4. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are perfectly fine and will keep the cornbread tender.
5. Prepare the pan. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the vegetable oil or butter, swirling to coat the bottom and sides. The fat should sizzle immediately.
6. Pour and bake. Pour the batter into the hot prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool and serve. Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing into squares or wedges. Serve warm with butter.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 290mg