Name: Whole Grain Buttermilk Cornbread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup yellow cornmeal (recommend Bob’s Red Mill brand); ¾ cup white whole wheat flour (recommend King Arthur Flour brand); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¾ teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs (lightly beaten); 1 ½ cups lowfat buttermilk; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled, plus an extra tablespoon for the cast iron skillet)

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This whole-grain buttermilk cornbread is FAR from basic - it's a favorite recipe that I love and cherish so much that I couldn't help but share it!

Video

Here's a short video to show you how I make this Whole Grain Buttermilk Cornbread:

Today we are getting back to the basics. The basics of what I like to call "back pocket" recipes that you can whip up in a pinch and will make anyone who tastes it feel super special. For Ryan and I, nothing makes a simple weeknight meal ofkale sausage and cannellini bean soup, beans and greens, or a root vegetable stew feel more cozy and comforting than a hot skillet of whole grain buttermilk cornbread. It's something fresh and scratch-made that I can add to a make-ahead meal that takes things up a notch and fills the house with the most mouth-watering aroma!

Now I know that spring is just around the corner and we are all dreaming of warm weather recipes. But we are still having some cold blustery days here in TN, and some nights we need a good meal that will help us feel warm and cozy!

A slice of cornbread cut in half and topped with butter.

Now if you were to look up the history of what makes a traditional cornbread, you would find a lot of debate on whether or not the recipe should contain flour + cornmeal, or just cornmeal, or a combo of flour and corn flour. There's also debate on how sweet the cornbread should be, how much salt should be added, and what type of fat should be used. Everyone has there preference, of course, and mine has been formed over the years of trying different recipes. I will tell you though, as a little push to try this version, that it turned a cornbread hater (my husband) into a cornbread lover, so that's a win for sure!

Overhead view of cast iron skillet with cornbread and a jar of honey.

I was raised in the South, transplanted to TX, lived in the midwest for 3 years, and now have family residing in VA. So as you might imagine, I've had ALL the cornbread versions! Ranging from dense cake-like versions that are sweet enough to be a dessert to drier, crumbly, coarser versions that "sop" up all the juices of whatever you serve alongside. My favorite version seems to land somewhere in the middle, combining a nutty white whole wheat with a coarse cornmeal, a few spoonfuls of sweet to balance the flavor and provide a tender crumb, and a subtle hint of butter laced throughout (but by no means overboard). It's moist but not cake-like, crumbles nicely on top of chili, and has a hearty whole-grain texture. We love to serve it with apple butter or the homemade hot honey drizzle from this pizza recipe.

So where are my cornbread lovers? I'd love to hear about what YOU think makes a good cornbread, so please leave a comment and let me know!

If you love a good homemade bread recipe, please check out my Meyer Lemon Rosemary Bread or this Hatch Chile Cheddar Cornbread Muffins!

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