Pioneer Woman Cornbread Recipe

Q: Can I double this recipe?

Yes, just use a bigger skillet or a 9x13 pan. Add a few more mins to baking time and watch for golden edges.

Yup. This is the Pioneer Woman Cornbread. It’s buttery, old-school, skillet-hot and crunchy at the edges. It’s the kind of thing you make once and then accidentally make every week after because it’s cheap, fast, and makes everything else on your plate taste better. Especially soup. Especially chilli. Honestly? Just make it.

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Ingredients Needed

1 cup yellow cornmeal: stone-ground if you can swing it. Texture matters here.
½ cup all-purpose flour: this softens the crumb, stops it from being dry sawdust.
1 tsp salt: brings out the corn flavour — don’t skip, even if you feel rebellious.
1 Tbsp baking powder: gives it a nice puff without turning it into cake.
1 cup buttermilk: not optional. This is where the tang lives. It’s the secret handshake.
½ cup milk: thins things just a smidge. You’ll need both.
1 egg: binds it all up. Keeps it from crumbling into sadness.
½ tsp baking soda: don’t forget this — reacts with the buttermilk for that lovely rise.
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp butter (divided): some melted into the batter, some sizzling in the skillet. That buttery crust? That’s this.

How To Make Pioneer Woman Cornbread

Mix up the dry stuff first:
Grab a bowl (I always use my sad old green one, no idea why). Dump in the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder. Stir. Doesn’t have to be pretty. It’s dry stuff.

Now do the wet stuff:
In a measuring jug — or just another bowl, doesn’t matter — mix the buttermilk, milk, and egg. Use a fork. It’ll look weird. Add the baking soda. Stir it again. It fizzes a little, that’s good.

Combine and butter it up:
Pour the wet into the dry. Stir until you don’t see dry bits. Then melt ¼ cup of butter and pour that in too. Stir again, gently. It should look like slightly lumpy pancake batter. You’ll want to keep stirring but don’t.

Preheat your skillet like your life depends on it:
Melt the 2 Tbsp butter in your cast iron skillet over medium heat. It should foam a little. Once it’s hot, pour in the batter. It has to sizzle. That sizzle? That’s the crust forming. No sizzle = start over. (Kidding. Sort of.)

Bake it, walk away, come back golden:
Pop the whole skillet into the oven at 450°F. Bake for 20–25 minutes. It should puff, brown, and pull away from the edges a little. Top should feel set if you poke it. Resist cutting into it too soon. Just breathe.

Recipe Tips

Gluten-avoiding? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour. Texture changes a bit, but it still works.
Skillet matters. If you don’t use cast iron, you won’t get the crispy edge. Still edible. Just… less magic.
Want it sweeter? Add a tablespoon of sugar or honey to the batter. Not traditional, but I’m not the cornbread police.
Leftover-friendly: Next day, slice and toast it with a bit more butter and a fried egg on top. Weirdly perfect.

How to Store & Reheat

Room Temperature: Keep it covered with foil or cling wrap for up to 24 hours.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Slice, wrap individually. Reheat in oven at 350°F or toaster. Avoid microwave — it goes rubbery.

Nutrition Facts (Approx. per serving)

Calories: 230
Sodium: 410mg
Protein: 4g
Fat: 12g
Carbs: 27g
Fibre: 1g
Sugar: 2g

FAQs

Can I use almond milk instead of regular milk?

Sure, but you’ll lose a little creaminess. Add a touch of oil to balance it out.

Is there a vegan version of this?

Kinda. Use plant milk + vinegar for the buttermilk, egg replacer or flax egg, and vegan butter. Will it be the same? No. Still good? Yeah.

Why did my cornbread come out crumbly?

You probably didn’t add enough fat or overbaked it. I’ve done that too — sad little dry triangle.

Can I make this in a muffin tin?

Absolutely. Just reduce baking time to 12–15 minutes. Keep an eye on them.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, just use a bigger skillet or a 9×13 pan. Add a few more mins to baking time and watch for golden edges.