Cracklin Cornbread

cast iron skillet with edges of crispy cornbread showing

5 from 1 vote

Crispy, Fluffy, Crunchy Tasty Edges and a tangy center are exactly what you’ll find with this delicious rendition of Cracklin Cornbread! So easy, just mix it all together and pour it in the hot pan. It’s ready in minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cracklin cornbread

Servings: servings

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Cost: $5

Equipment

bowl
spatula
measuring cups and spoons
9” Cast Iron Skillet
oven
Rolling pin
Oven mitts
Hot pad

Ingredients

¼ Cup Butter
2 Cups Self Rising Cornmeal I use Tendabake
½ Cup All Purpose Flour I use White Lilly
2 ½ Cups buttermilk
2 Eggs large
1 Tbs Hot Sauce
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Pork Cracklins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425. Place the butter into the cast iron skillet and put the skillet into the oven while the oven heats. Once the oven comes to temperature, leave the cast iron skillet in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
While the oven is heating, mix cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce and salt together very well. (Feel free to beat the eggs before mixing, but it isn’t necessary).
Using a rolling pin, crush the cracklins into small pieces the size of a pencil eraser or smaller. Once crushed, add those to the batter and mix well.
When the skillet has been in the oven for the additional 5 minutes, remove with oven mitts (don’t burn yourself, the pan is 425 degrees!) and set on a hot pad. Add the batter all at once to the skillet and don’t worry too much about smoothing it out. Just get it right back into the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cornbread.

Video

Notes

This is of utmost importance - CRUSH those cracklins up small - like pencil eraser size or smaller. Otherwise, the cracklins become rubbery and are hard to chew. It’s not appetizing.
You are going to ask if you can substitute milk or cream or water or stock or whatever for the buttermilk. The answer is NO. Not if you want to have a big fluffy tangy piece of cornbread.
Probably gonna ask, Can I leave out the hot sauce? Well, yes, you can, but you’ll be missing some flavor.
Just so you know, this is not a sweet cornbread. It’s a savory cornbread. It’s good, you’ll like it, promise.
Can you use egg substitute? I haven’t tried it, so I can’t recommend it.

PRO TIP: Want a little EXTRA flavor? Before making this cornbread, cook 2 strips of bacon until crispy, crumble and add to the cornbread with the cracklins. This gives a delightful smoky flavor and it terrific!

Nutrition