Hoe Cakes

Growing up, I couldn’t get enough of old school Hoe Cakes. They are legit the perfect blend of fried cornbread and pancakes. I love them fried crisp on the outside with a nice tender fluffy inside. Just a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup is all you need to set these off.

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Hoe cakes in a giant stack on a white plate with butter on them and honey in the background

Johnny Cakes Ingredients

Flour, sugar, butter, egg, cornmeal in white bowls on white countertop
  • Self-Rising White Cornmeal: Make sure it is fine and not medium or coarse.
  • Self-Rising Flour: Make your own if you don’t have any. For every cup of self rising flour you need, whisk together 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt.
  • Sugar: Granulated is best. However you can substitute with brown sugar to kick it up a notch.
  • Buttermilk: Just like in cornbread, it’s a must. None around? Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of whole milk and letting it sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Large Egg: This helps bind everything.
  • Bacon grease: That grease adds so much flavor. You can swap in fried chicken grease for a soul food twist, classic butter, or vegetable oil.
  • Butter and Vegetable Oil for Frying: I like to combine both for flavor and a higher smoke point so they stay golden, crispy and not burnt.

How to make hoe cakes

Mix the Batter

Dry ingredients in a glass bowl on a white countertop

Step 1: Grab a bowl and with a wooden spoon, stir together your dry ingredients.

Buttermilk added to dry ingredients in a glass bowl on white countertop

Step 2: Pour in the buttermilk slowly.

Egg added to johnny cake batter in a glass bowl on white countertop

Step 3: Crack that egg in and give the yolk a little nudge with the edge of your spoon.

Smooth hoe cake recipe batter in glass bowl on white countertop

Step 4: Add water and your choice of fat or oil, and stir well. You’re aiming for a thick soup texture, but be ready to add a splash more water if necessary.

Fry them up

Johnny cake batter being fried in a cast iron skillet on white countertop

Step 5: Preheat your skillet. make sure it’s well greased with your chosen fat. Use a 1/8 cup measure to drop the batter in, watching as they transform into golden circles of deliciousness.

Flipped over hoe cake in a cast iron skillet being fried

Step 6: Once the edges start bubbling and the center sets, flip those cakes and fry until perfection. Drain on paper towels if needed and serve em hot!

Hoe cakes in a giant stack on a white plate with butter on them and honey in the background

Hoe Cakes Recipe

These Southern Hoe Cakes are small, round, and crispy fried cornmeal pancakes with a crunchy exterior that stay wonderfully soft and delicious inside.
4.37 from 22 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup self-rising white cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk I used coconut milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup water or more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons melted fat or oil bacon grease, fried chicken grease, butter, or vegetabile oil
  • Butter or mixed butter and vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk slowly. Mix in the egg, cutting into the yolk with the spoon’s edge to help it mix in better. Add the water and fat or oil and stir well. The texture should be like thick soup, so you may need to add more water.
  • I like to fry the cornbread cakes in my grandmother’s cast-iron skillet or on a flat iron griddle, but any skillet or grillded will be fine. Heat the skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease it well with the fat of your choice (butter is delicious, but it tends to burn unless you mix it with a little oil). Once the skillet is hot and the fat is sizzling, drop the batter from a 1/8 cup (2-tablespoon) measure into the skillet, in batches if necessary. Fry the cakes until the edges are bubbling and the centers are set, then flip with a spatula to fry them on the other side until they’re done. Like with pancakes, you can’t say how long it will take, but the second side always cooks faster than the first. If the cakes seem greasy, drain them on paper towels before serving hot.

Notes

To store your leftover hoe cakes, place them in an airtight container or wrap them securely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring they are fully cooled first to maintain their texture. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a longer shelf life of up to 2 months.
To reheat them, add to the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes if refrigerated, or longer if frozen, until they’re heated through and regain their crispy exterior. I don’t recommend the microwave since they won’t stay crisp.

How to store & reheat hoe cakes

To store your leftover hoe cakes, let them cool completely them place them in an airtight container or wrap them securely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil then pop in the fridge.
To reheat them, add to the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes if refrigerated, or longer if frozen, until they’re heated through and regain their crispy exterior. An air-fryer is great too for keeping them crispy. Forget the microwave for reheating these boo.

How long will this johnny cake recipe last in the fridge?

They can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze johnny cakes?

Absolutely boos! Wrap completely cooled johnny cakes in plastic wrap then add to a freezer bag. Toss in the freezer with the date on them. They will last for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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Recipe Tips

  1. Keep it Thick: The batter will need to be thick but you can use your gut. If it seems a bit too thick, add a little water to thin it. Just remember the thickness helps hold the shapes of the johnny cakes.
  2. Use Oil AND Butter: I love the mixture of both oil and butter so you get that nice richness and flavor but those cakes cook up perfectly without burning.
  3. Use a Cast Iron Skillet: Southerners know that an old-school cast iron skillet helps evenly coos each johnny cake.
  4. Serve Right Away: To keep that bomb texture in place, it’s best to eat these babies right after they are fried.

Recipe Variations

  • Cheese it Up: Toss in a mix of cheddar or pepper jack to add some creaminess.
  • Get Corny: I love tossing in some canned corn kernels for some added texture.
  • Get Herby: Throw in some chopped parsley or chives to add some earthy vibes.
  • Gluten-Free: The texture may change slightly but you can grab your fave gluten-free self-rising flour options.

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Hoe cakes in a cast iron skillet after being fried

What to serve with Johnny Cakes

Hoe cake recipe on white plate on white countertop with honey

Recipe help

Can I make hoe cake batter ahead?

I suggest mixing the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and storing in the fridge. When you are ready to fry, combine and cook them up.

What consistency should my johnny cake batter be?

It should be pretty thick. If it is too thin, it will spread and not cook up fluffy.

Johnny cakes on spatula to share coming out of the skillet

More cornbread recipes

Filed Under:  Breakfast, Cornbread, Southern Classics, Stovetop

Comments

  1. Also (just thought to add this,) “we” -generations of our family has fried actual pieces of leftover cornbread for breakfast with sawmill gravy. This is what I know as fried cornbread.
    Gorgeous site! Glad I found it.

  2. Love this recipe! My mom grew up in Tennessee and always called these Hoecakes if she omitted sugar, and Johnny Cakes if she used the sugar. One way or another, they are great!

    1. I definitely think it’s a regional thing. Up here in New England we’ve always called them Johnny Cakes to the extent that, at the Big E which is a state fair but for *all* of NE, there’s always a stand in Rhode Island’s building selling Johnny cakes and Johnny cake mixes

  3. I made these for my students at the end of our Little House in the Big Woods Unit and they loved them! They were super easy to make. I definitely would make these again!

  4. This is a great johnny cake recipe, but I must point out that johnny cakes are not the same as hoe cakes. Hoe cakes are closer to a mexican gordita than a johnny cake. They are made from a soft dough that doesnt contain any flour or levening. While they are really different, they both taste great.

  5. Okay, I tried this recipe because I forgot my stepmother’s recipe which I had been using for some years. I tried this recipe and man-oh-man, this will be my go-to recipe from now on. The edges were crisp and the inside was the right texture and tasted delicious. Seriously. I used whole milk because I didn’t have buttermilk but these johnny cakes still rocked! It was a pleasant surprise. Thank you, Jocelyn!

    1. Happy to hear you used whole milk instead of buttermilk and it still worked out! I’m making these tonight to go w/ some red beans and rice!

  6. So for those of us without self-rising items, would we use the same amount of regular cornmeal and flour and add 3/4 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt? Or would anything else need modification?

    1. YES you can..If it doesn’t work and when changing things like this, want work can happen. Just not always. If does not work, add a little more of each ingredient, till right. May take a few tries. Good luck what ever you do..

  7. OMG these are crazy! I saw the brown sugar ones you did and promised myself I would try them this weekend! You are amazing!

  8. love these southern johnny cakes!!! I’ll have to check out the “A Real Southern Cook” cookbook and I LOVED you on the TODAY Show! so happy for you, boo!!!

4.37 from 22 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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