Fried Cornbread Recipe

An overhead of fried cornbread on a white background

4.96 from 23 votes

This fried cornbread recipe is made with pantry staples in one bowl, then shallow pan-fried up crispy with a golden crust on the outside. Ready in about 20!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: pieces

Calories: 157kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ½ cup cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
½ cup vegetable oil divided

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, self-rising flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix evenly with a fork.
In a measuring cup, add buttermilk and egg and mix to combine. Pour wet mixture into bowl of the dry ingredients and mix until there are no more visible dry ingredients. This will look like a dough more than a batter.
Add first ¼ cup vegetable oil to 10-inch skillet and heat over medium heat. Portion a heaping tablespoon of dough into the oil, cooking three or four at a time in each batch. Cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, then flip carefully and cook an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side.
Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, while cooking remaining cornbread. About halfway through the batches, you will need to add the remaining ¼ cup to the skillet to continue cooking.
Once all cooked, serve immediately as an appetizer or side.

Notes

Storage: Once your cornbread cakes have cooled down, store them in an airtight container and add to the fridge. They'll stay good for about 3 to 4 days. If you've got a bunch, layer them with parchment so they don't stick.

To reheat, warm them up in a skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side or add to an air fryer to keep them crispy.

Freezer: Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then put them in a freezer bag. They'll keep well for about 2-3 months.

Nutrition