Crisp, perfectly crunchy, easy to make and absolutely irresistible, this Hot Water Cornbread, very different from these delicious Corn Muffins , this Southern Cornbread or Mexican Cornbread in texture, is the best and easiest way to have cornbread on your dining room table in mere minutes. Serve with my Collard Greens recipe or my Mustard Greens recipe for a true down home Southern meal!
If you grew up around tables in the South, you are very familiar with hot water cornbread. It was a mainstay bread dish accompanied by Southern Collard Greens recipe, butter, syrup, hot sauce and fried chicken gizzards. Because of its few ingredients, it became a staple that was low cost and quick to make for busy country families.
What is Hot Water Cornbread?
If you love traditional cornbreads like my Mexican Cornbread or Corn Muffins, the texture, time commitment and ingredients are quite different. To make Hot Water Cornbread, you only need the following ingredients:
- Cornmeal (I prefer yellow from Martha White or even Quaker Oats for a brand)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Boiling Water
That’s literally it!
How to Make Hot Water Cornbread
All of the ingredients are tossed into a bowl and combined. You can really adapt this recipe to fit your needs and preferences for consistency. I give some leeway for the amount of water you add because it comes down to your preference. I like my hot water cornbread mixture to be thick but a bit looser than some recipes I’ve tried in the past.
I add about a cup and a half and then mix until well combined. Next I check the consistency and add a bit more water until it is well mixed and easier to spoon out into the oil for frying. You really can gage it to make it the way you love it.
I think about 2 tablespoons of batter per hot water cornbread is enough as far as size however you can vary this depending on your preference.
I fry them in vegetable or canola oil or any neutral oil heated to about 375 degrees. I would not suggest anything like a strong olive oil since too much of that flavor will take away from the cornbread. You want to fry each side until golden brown which doesn’t take more than about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and enjoy! It is really that easy.
Do you make it how I make it differently? How do you serve your Hot Water Cornbread? Do you serve with butter or syrup or along with greens? What is your favorite way to eat them?
The BEST Southern Hot Water Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt can go up more if you want more for taste
- 1 2/3-2 cups boiling water
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Add cornmeal, sugar and boiling water to a medium sized bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add oil to 10 inch cast iron skillet and heat over medium high heat until temperature reaches 375.
- Drop 2 tablespoons of batter into oil and fry on both sides until golden brown then drain.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email 
This was delicious and easy!
I love you recipe whenever I want to cook something and am not sure I goggle you. Thanks so much always on the money
Re-read your instructions. You say, ” I would suggest anything like a strong olive oil since too much of that flavor will take away from the cornbread.” Don’t you mean “wouldn’t suggest”?
Yes exactly wouldn’t. It was a typo. Thank you for seeing that!
Going to try your recipe. I use one cup each of flour and cornmeal and some baking powder along with the sugar and salt.
Just like my Mammy used to make!
My grandma made a small skillet size cornbread and she was from the south (Georgia) but she did not make individual cornbreads hers was size of probably smallest cast iron frying pan (that is what it she cooked it in) i don’t remember it being sweet at all can you make this recipe that way, and is this cornbread recipe sweet?
You can add sugar to this recipe if you want to sweeten them and you can make them in a smaller size. Is that what you are asking?
I love your recipes, I was just about to request a recipe for hot water cornbread then I saw you already had one, I can’t wait to make it on New Year’s day with my black eyed peas. Thank you for sharing the love.
Too funny that the day I cooked a favorite, hot-water I noticed your suggested with gizzards and collard greens with rice is exactly what we had for dinner. Love your recipes
Just wanted to suggest an edit. I think you wanted to say “I would not suggest olive oil”. Love your recipes. Haven’t had this since I was a little girl and my neighbor Grandma Scott from NC made these with white cornmeal. She just called them “bread” <3
In Puerto Rico we have a different take on this recipe. It’s pretty much the same ingredients except we make finger sized corn sticks then we fry. We also stuff them with cheese or make them sweeter (or not). We usually serve with a pink sauce made with half mayo and half ketchup. We call them surullos.
Very interesting