Name: Gullah Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Gullah Geechee
Ingredients: 1.5 cups yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp sugar (or 2 tbsp for sweeter cornbread); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1.5 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup bacon fat or vegetable oil; 2 tbsp butter

Golden, moist, and perfectly crumbly. This Gullah buttermilk cornbread recipe is the essential side for every Lowcountry meal.

Ingredients

1.5 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar (or 2 tbsp for sweeter cornbread)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup bacon fat or vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and bacon fat.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
Carefully remove hot skillet from oven. Add 2 tbsp butter and swirl to melt.
Pour batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle.
Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool 5 minutes in the skillet. Turn out onto a cutting board. Serve warm with butter.

💡 Pro Tip: A hot cast iron skillet is the secret to perfect cornbread — it creates that crispy golden crust. Gullah cornbread is traditionally not very sweet.