Updated Nov 4, 2025: When I volunteered to make the cornbread for our Thanksgiving stuffing back in 2012, I thought I’d be using a mix. But since we didn’t have any, I went truly old-school — straight from the Pioneer Corn Meal bag. Just like my Granny’s skillet cornbread, it turned out simple, golden, and perfect. Over the years, we’ve kept this recipe in our holiday rotation because it’s easy, dependable, and the perfect base for dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Pioneer Yellow Corn Meal
- 1/3 cup of flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2/3 cup of milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening (I used the vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 F while you’re making the batter.
Mix the corn meal and all the other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then stir in the egg and milk. Once it’s mixed together, add the oil or shortening and mix it all thoroughly. Pour it into an oiled cake pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Now, you’ll see in my picture that I am using a large skillet. This came from my grandmother and it’s about 12 inches wide. My first batch of batter barely covered the bottom of the skillet so I quickly made a second batch and poured it right on top of the first batch. You really can’t have too much cornbread in my house and it’s going into a stuffing so I probably would have needed to make a second batch anyhow.
Cornbread from Scratch — Simple, Southern, and Just Like Granny Made
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) while you prepare the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the beaten egg and milk, stirring until just blended.
- Mix in the vegetable oil (or melted shortening) until smooth and evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased cast-iron skillet or cake pan.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool slightly before serving — or let it rest and use it as the base for your cornbread stuffing.
- 💡 Tip: If using a large skillet (around 12 inches), double the recipe so it fills the pan evenly.
Notes
- You can make this cornbread ahead of time for stuffing — just crumble it and let it dry overnight.
- Add 1–2 teaspoons of honey for a touch of sweetness.
- Leftovers are perfect warmed with butter and a drizzle of honey or hot sauce.
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