Southern-Style Unsweetened Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do Southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread

It's flavor is classic, without sweetness or too much saltiness, but it's a white cornbread. Don't expect it to turn golden yellow the way other cornbreads might.

The yolk will make the texture more dense and smooth, a bit brownie-like, while the fact that your original batter was too thick means that the additional liquid will help the baking powder achieve better leavening, giving you an airier texture.

The exact nutritional profile of cornbread can vary depending on the specific recipe and ingredients used. However, cornbread generally contains high amounts of carbs, phosphorus, and sodium in each serving. One piece of cornbread prepared from a commercially prepared mix contains ( 2 ): Calories: 198.

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

In 1892, a Times correspondent, after enumerating the many types of corn-based breads eaten in Virginia, noted, "It will be observed that in none of them is sugar used. There are cornmeal puddings served with sweet sauces, but no Southern cook would risk the spoiling of her cornbreads by sweetening them."

Corn pones are a staple of Southern U.S. cuisine and have been discussed or referenced by many American writers, including Mark Twain.

It SHOULDN'T have sugar in it. That's Yankee style southern cornbread. It should be made with an egg, buttermilk, baking soda, a dash of salt, a little flour, and finally cornmeal- preferably the yellow.

In the south it is debated all the time whether or not cornbread should have sugar in it. Really it comes down to personal preference, one thing's for certain though: savory cornbread is usually better for you than sweet cornbread. It is common to add sugar to cornbread. Most areas use some, but some regions use a lot.

What is a substitute for brown sugar in cornbread? ›

Brown Sugar Substitute: White Sugar

Quite possibly the easiest sub for brown sugar is using granulated white sugar. For every cup of packed brown sugar, swap in 1 cup of white sugar. Just remember: Since brown sugar adds moisture to baked goods, you'll notice a difference in texture (like your cookies being crisper).

Martha White purchased The Ballard brand many years ago and pulled the Ballard Mix. While the regular Martha White is a fine cornbread mix it is defiantly different than Ballard was. By popular demand Martha White brought it back!

Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein. As Fine Cooking explains, when the protein in eggs combines with the protein in flour, they produce the overall structure of the baked good.

Heat and spices

You can stir in 1 cup of roasted chopped jalapeños or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne into the batter. Or, you can mix in 3 tablespoons of your favorite chile paste. Fields also recommends trying a little NOLA flair by adding a rounded ¼ teaspoon Cajun spice blend to your cornbread mix.

Cornbread FAQ

Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.

That doesn't mean that cornbread doesn't include sugar; it just means that more often than not, Southern cornbread doesn't have sugar in it. So, back to what I said above, “if a Southerner put sugar in their cornbread, then there's sugar in Southern cornbread.

I recommend. The two tablespoons of sugar doesn't make it sweet. This isn't a sweet corn bread. Closer to a no sugar version than not but definitely the right balance.

Some cornbread has a little bit of sugar (less than a tablespoon) to help it brown. Some has nothing but cornmeal, hot water, and a pinch of salt. And some versions are quite sweet, almost as sweet as cake. It's a matter of regional style and personal taste.