Southern Soul Food Cornbread
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At the heart of Southern kitchens, cornbread serves as a testament to the rich history of soul food. For generations, this staple has nourished Native American and African American families, becoming an integral part of Southern culture.

Today, I am reimagining this traditional dish, soul food cornbread, by incorporating ingredients that elevate its simplicity into a luxurious indulgence. By blending the culinary heritage of soul food with a contemporary flair, this recipe promises a homemade cornbread that honors its soulful roots while providing a sumptuous new experience.
What is the difference between cornbread and Southern cornbread?
Unlike Southern-style cornbread, Northern cornbread is less sweet because it uses eggs as a binder and yellow cornmeal, resulting in a crumbly texture.
In contrast, Southern-style cornbread can be made with either white or yellow cornmeal. It has a buttery finish and typically includes a cream, which gives it a cake-like texture.

Black folks’ cornbread recipe
Is sugar in cornbread a Southern thing? Sugar in cornbread might indeed be a (proud) Southern thing. And an African American thing! Many Southern Black recipes tend to favor sweet cornbread over a dry, crumbly version.
According to the Charlotte Observer, this difference may stem from changes in the industrial processing of cornmeal that contribute to the racial divide on this issue.
Ingredients
Making cornbread is a delightful journey into the culinary traditions of soul food. This dish holds significant historical importance within soul food and Southern cuisine. My family’s recipe for soul food cornbread adds an upscale touch by including heavy whipping cream and softened cream cheese, creating a luxurious twist on this classic favorite for a truly homemade treat.
- Cornmeal – Brings a robust flavor and grainy texture, making it the soul of soul food cornbread. (No cornmeal on hand? Check out my recipe for Jiffy cornbread with cream cheese HERE!)
- All-purpose flour – Works harmoniously with cornmeal to form a tender crumb, essential for that comforting bite.
- Baking powder – Acts as a leavening agent, ensuring the cornbread rises to the occasion with an ideal fluffiness.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the savory elements with subtle sweetness, harking back to traditional recipes yet adding a modern twist.
- Butter – Infuses the recipe with rich, creamy undertones, contributing to a moist interior beneath a golden crust. Southern cooks prefer using butter instead of oil when making homemade cornbread due to the rich, buttery flavor it imparts.
- Cream cheese – Introduces a velvety texture and delectable complexity, ensuring each bite is memorably indulgent.
- Heavy whipping cream – Elevates the luxuriousness, adding a moist and silky depth that distinguishes this cornbread in Southern cooking.

Why do Southerners put sugar in cornbread?
Southern cornbread was traditionally made with sweet white cornmeal until industrial milling emerged in the early 20th century. After this change, steel mills began using yellow corn harvested before it ripened. As a result, the cornmeal became less sweet, often necessitating the addition of sugar in homemade cornbread recipes.
What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling?
Creams like heavy cream, sour cream, yogurt, or cream cheese will create a moist, Southern-style cornbread instead of a dry, crumbly version. This recipe uses both cream cheese and heavy whipping cream.

How to make Southern skillet cornbread
Making homemade Southern cornbread for a gathering or family meal showcases the richness of soul food recipes and the warmth this dish brings to the table. Baking cornbread is almost a ceremonial act, connecting us to centuries of Southern cooking and culinary heritage. Once it has baked and rested, it slices perfectly, with each piece reflecting the love and care that goes into this comforting soul food.
- Melt the butter in the skillet or baking pan that will be used to bake the cornbread.
- Mix the ingredients with the cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl and mix until combined.
- Pour the prepared cornbread batter into the baking pan or skillet and bake.

What is the ideal cornbread texture?
The perfect cornbread strikes a delicate balance between crispy edges, a moist interior, and flavorful sweetness. My recipe achieves this balance beautifully by using cornmeal for those ideal edges, incorporating heavy whipping cream for a rich and moist texture, and blending sugar, butter, and cream cheese to create the ultimate harmony of savory and sweet flavors.
How to know when Southern cornbread is done
The best way to determine when cornbread is done is by checking its color. If the edges are golden brown, it’s likely ready. Another method is to insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and then pull it out. The cornbread is not yet fully cooked if the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

What do you serve with Black folks’ homemade cornbread?
Cornbread is traditionally paired with Southern soul food entrées.
Here are some delicious ideas to add to your meal-planning menu: Southern fried chicken, Southern candied yams, soul food collard greens, and soul food baked mac and cheese.

Equipment
- Hand-held or stand mixer with a mixing bowl
- 8″ cast-iron skillet or an 8″ similar-sized baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal medium grind
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar granulated
- ⅔ cup cream cheese softened or whipped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter is melting, combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar) with the cream cheese and heavy cream in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the skillet or baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan or skillet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until the cornbread's edges are crisp and the top is golden. (You can insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and then pull it out. The cornbread is not fully cooked if the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.)
- Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes to make slicing easier. After resting, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Like this post? Pin the below picture to your “Soul Food Recipes” Pinterest Board!

This recipe is starving me. LOL!
I love your comment LOL! Go make this cornbread!
Absolutely delicious!!
My Granny would’ve said cornbread doesn’t use any sugar…her sister would’ve said cornbread has to have sugar, lol! The age old debate rages on… If I’m making it for myself, I’d leave the sugar out, but if I’m making it for my nephews, the sugar gets doubled, lol. Honestly, I can eat it just fine either way. I love cornbread. I’m a Kentucky girl, so pinto beans and cornbread are a staple. I think cornbread is the first thing I ever learned to make and no one ever used a recipe–they ‘eyeballed it’ because they had made it so often they just knew what it should look like. This recipe looks great!
Right, Tamra – a pinch of this and a dash of that – truly talented cooks!!
Mmm… Who doesn’t like cornbread; especially when it is home made?
I know, right!!
sounds really good. I have tried making this and it turned out really good. BUT I did not take to the taste
You may try adding or omitting the sugar to adjust to your preference.
Yum!
I love cornbread
I love corn bread…but I have never had Southern skillet cornbread from scratch
Best cornbread I’ve ever eaten! I love that there are no eggs and the cream cheese and heavy cream keep it moist and easy to eat. This is nothing like my family’s recipe, it’s 1,000 times BETTER! Thank you for sharing this recipe. ❤️
Your sweet words about my signature soul food cornbread recipe warm my heart and make my day!
We love cornbread in New Brunswick, Canada too and look forward to trying your tasty recipe. Never made it with cream cheese though. Thank you.
I DO NOT LIKE CORNBREAD LOL
I DO LIKE THIS CORNBREAD IT SO GOOD
This is the best thing I’ve heard all day! Thanks so much for your honest feedback.
Very good as an alternative to a very sweet cornbread recipe that I love. I enjoy the slight tartness from the cream cheese and like the fact that it’s not made with eggs. Drizzled a little honey butter on top. Yum!
Here’s the recipe for Southern collard greens on the stovetop. Enjoy! – https://thesoulfoodpot.com/southern-collard-greens-recipe/
This recipe doesn’t use eggs is there a reason for this
Eggs in baked dishes are usually a binding agent not needed for this recipe.
Haven’t tried your recipe yet but I am a Southerner and DO NOT use butter, eggs, cream or sugar in my cornbread. I use cornmeal (not cornmeal mix), vegetable oil and buttermilk—always cook it on or in a cast iron skillet, cast iron griddle or cast iron muffin or corn stick pans. I’ll try your recipe—hope it doesn’t taste like cake.
this looks super yum, cant wait to try in my culinary class at Rosemont High School, 6th period culinary, and show them what food with flavor taste like🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷😘😘😘😘😘😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Nice recipe! I’m a white guy living in the north but from all southern roots. Both my grandmothers made cornbread similar minus whipping cream or cream cheese – instead some salt, whole milk (straight from the cow because they were farmers) (or buttermilk) and maybe half butter half lard (because bacon fat was always saved for cooking. And it actually has a pretty neutral flavor.) The sweetness thing is interesting because I always thought it was northerners who added more sugar to their Johnnycake but maybe I’m wrong. Sugar was expensive – so very often they used just a bit of sorghum molasses as a sweetener. Wish we had sorghum up north. Love that with biscuits and butter as dessert for some biscuits and gravy I’m saving your site to follow for more recipes. Cheers!