introduction

There are few dishes as hotly debated as Southern cornbread. Whether it’s served alongside a bowl of beans, slathered with butter, or crumbled into buttermilk, cornbread holds a special place on the Southern table. Yet, the question of whether or not to add sugar sparks heated arguments among cooks and food lovers alike. Some will tell you that real Southern cornbread never contains sugar, while others swear by a hint of sweetness to balance the savory flavors. So, what’s the truth behind this culinary controversy?

a brief history of southern cornbread

Corn has been a dietary staple in the Southern United States for centuries. Indigenous peoples of the region first cultivated maize and used it to create simple flatbreads and porridges. Early settlers adopted these practices, and cornbread became a cornerstone of Southern cooking. The recipes varied depending on what ingredients were available, leading to a diverse array of cornbread styles. In the 20th century, prepackaged mixes like Jiffy introduced sweeter cornbread to the American palate, but traditionalists argue that these versions stray too far from cornbread’s savory roots. Historically, Southern cornbread was made with stone-ground cornmeal, water or buttermilk, and a touch of fat—often lard or bacon drippings. Sugar was rarely added, but as milling processes improved and Southern cooks began experimenting, a pinch of sugar found its way into some recipes.

the anatomy of perfect southern cornbread

Perfect Southern cornbread is all about balance. It should have a golden, crispy crust and a tender, moist interior. The flavor should highlight the natural sweetness of the corn without tipping into dessert territory.

• cornmeal
  • Stone-ground cornmeal is the gold standard, providing texture and depth of flavor. Be sure not to confuse this with corn meal mix, which contains not just cornmeal, but also flour, salt, and leaveners, usually baking soda and/or baking powder. Honestly, they never seem to get the proportions right, the cornmeal texture is always gritty, and the flavor is just flat, so I highly suggest you double check when you buy cornmeal and avoid cornmeal mixes altogether.
  • I also avoid self-rising cornmeal because, in my experience, they never get the ratio of baking soda right, and the cornmeal itself is rarely stone-ground and usually too fine and gritty for my taste.
  • I will note that corn meal mix is not the same thing as corn muffin mix (like Jiffy) or cornbread mix (like Krusteaz), which will yield you (marginally) better texture but usually wander into “cake” territory in terms of sweetness. My advice is to skip anything that says “mix” and get the real deal: plain white or yellow stone-ground corn meal.
• fat
  • While you can make cornbread with vegetable oil, melted butter or shortening, bacon grease, or even rendered lard, there are distinct advantages to going the oil route. For one thing, the texture will be lighter and less dense, in part because the oil is entirely liquid and won’t solidify at room temperature like the others.
  • Secondly, while some may argue that butter enriches the flavor… honestly, I don’t know about you, but I’m probably going to be buttering my slice just before enjoying it anyway, and I’m more interested tasting the goodness of sweet corn than the butter. Besides, we’re going to be using buttermilk, which brings a lot of richness itself.
  • For me, corn oil is the most obvious choice, and what I almost always reach for. There are healthier options here, but cornbread is an indulgence these days, anyway. Canola, safflower, or other vegetable oil can be substituted, though I would advise against olive oil. The flavor profile is wrong, I think, and I’ve found the texture suffers, as well.
• liquid
  • While it is technically possible to make cornbread with sweet milk, why on earth would you do that when buttermilk is so easily available and makes such a big difference! Not only does it bring that extra richness we mentioned earlier, it imparts more flavor and contributes to a light, fluffy crumb thanks to its reaction to the leavening agents (like baking soda).
  • I reach for the full-fat version when possible, but the reduced- or non-fat varieties work, too. I also keep buttermilk powder on hand at all times, for when those days when I suddenly need cornbread but don’t want to make an grocery order or go out to the store. One thing to remember about this fabulously convenient product: keep it in the fridge once you open it, without fail. If you don’t, you’ll wind up with a block of buttermilk roughly the consistency of sandstone. I speak from experience.
• leavening
  • I recommend a mixture of baking soda and baking powder for the fluffiest crumb. If you’ve ever wondered just how these leaveners work, you can geek out on that over here.
  • Be sure to check your supplies and make sure they don’t expire, become stale, or pick up “off” flavors while being stored. This is never a problem in my house, since I go through it so fast! But if you only bake occasionally keep your eye on the expiration dates.