Crispy Hot Water Cornbread Recipe - Southern Style - Butter & Baggage (2024)

Hot water cornbread is a Southern staple with a unique combination of textures – a crisp, golden crust around a soft, creamy cornbread center. Boiling water creates a unique texture to these small patties and frying them in just ¼ inch of oil gives them a crispy texture without being greasy. Great with a bowl of taco soup or short rib chili.

Boil Water for some Southern Hot Water Cornbread

In less than 30 minutes, you can be enjoying this homemade old fashioned treat, a far cry from the often-dry, flavorless boxed versions of cornbread. Stir together a simple batter (I like to put some half-and-half in mine), shape it into patties, and fry until golden. Spread a bit of butter on top with a drizzle of honey just like you would with traditional cornbread.

We love our cornbread in the South, there’s just something about the unique flavor that cornmeal adds whether you’re making cornmeal muffins, cornmeal biscuits, or Tex-Mex cornbread with chilies. But this version is so old that you may not have had an opportunity to try it. Since it’s fried you might think it tastes like a hush puppy, but it’s completely different.

Crispy on the outside like a hush puppy, but not as bready as cornbread, instead the boiling water added to the batter creates a soft interior. You might find it hard to believe, but there’s no buttermilk in this recipe. Just a little half-and-half to help with the creamy texture.

I think this type of cornbread kind of went out of style because you have to fry it. However, you just need about ¼ of an inch of oil in your skillet to get that crispy golden exterior and it’s not greasy.

What is Hot Water Cornbread?

While most cornbread is baked in the oven, this one yields flat, patty-shaped pieces of cornbread that have been deep-fried until perfectly crisp and golden. A little like a cornbread pancake. The steps are easy to follow, and it takes just a few minutes to prep. They’re small enough you can eat them with your fingers.

What cornmeal is best for this cornbread?

Fine white cornmeal is the best to use for this style of cornbread. In order to soften the cornmeal before frying, it’s soaked in boiling hot water, hence the name. Medium or coarse cornmeal doesn’t soften as fast, so your final patties might end up dense instead of soft, and more gritty in texture.

Is hot water cornbread greasy?

Even though hot water cornbread is fried in oil, it’s not greasy if cooked properly. The most important thing is to make sure you set your batter into oil that’s very hot. It needs to be 375°, or simmering without smoking. That’s hard to guess if you don’t fry a lot of food, so pull out a kitchen thermometer to make sure. If you set your dough into oil that’s too cool, it will soak up the oil and your final cornbread will seem greasy, too hot, and it will brown too quickly.

Why You’ll Love this Southern Side

• Both Soft and Crispy – While baked cornbreads can sometimes end up dry, this recipe is difficult to mess up, so you get flavorful cornbread every time, with that perfect crunchy outside and soft inside.
• Versatility is key – Hot water cornbread goes well with just about anything! A pot of stew, pork tenderloin roasted in the oven, or even just a pat of butter – these are easy to serve any time of day.
• Doesn’t Take Up Oven Space – If you’ve got a casserole or a roast in the oven, you can still enjoy cornbread. This recipe lets you make it on the stovetop instead.
• Pantry Staple Magic: This recipe doesn’t require a shopping trip. It uses common kitchen ingredients you likely already have on hand, so you can make it in a pinch or when last-minute guests show up.

Simple Ingredients You Probably Have

• White cornmeal – Yellow cornmeal can be substituted (the flavor will be stronger), but no matter what cornmeal you use, make sure it’s a finely ground.

• Half-and-half – I really like the creamy texture I get when I add some half-and-half, you can get buy with whole milk instead.

• Vegetable oil – You’ll need a bit in your batter, but then enough to fill a skillet a ¼ inch for frying.
  
• Pantry staples – Baking powder, salt, sugar, water.

How To Make Crispy Cornbread

Step 1: Begin the batter.

In a medium glass or metal mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the half-and-half and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Step 2: Add water.

Gradually add the boiling water. Begin with 1 cup, and add more (just a little at a time) as needed. The batter should be thick – about the consistency of grits or polenta – too thick to pour. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. This allows the cornmeal to soften.

Step 3: Heat up the oil.

Add some vegetable oil to an iron skillet, or to a deep, heavy-duty pan (like a Dutch oven). Set the skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the oil to 375°. If you have an instant read thermometer, it’s really helpful to bring the oil to the perfect temperature.

Step 4: Cook the cornbread.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop ¼ cup scoops of the cornbread into the hot oil. The batter shouldn’t spread as it cooks. Resist the urge to flip the batter over. Just allow it to cook until the bottom side is golden brown. It will take a couple of minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, then use a spatula to remove them from the pan.

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Step 5: Serve.

Let the cornbread set on a cooling rack to drain. Cover the rack with paper towels to make clean up easier. After a few minutes, they’ll be ready to serve. Great warm or at room temperature.

While great on their own, I love these with butter and honey!

A Few Recipe Notes

• Make sure the water is boiling when you add it to the cornmeal. Don’t boil it ahead of time. Pour it right out of the pot or kettle into a measuring cup while it’s boiling, then add it directly to the cornmeal.
• If you only have medium ground cornmeal, you might have to use more water. Boil a few cups and begin by adding one cup as directed. Add up to another whole cup until the mixture is the right consistency.
• Make sure you let the batter rest for 10 minutes. The boiling water will basically cook the cornmeal as it sits creating the soft interior.
• Be really sure the oil is hot before you add the batter. Be patient and use a thermometer to test the oil temperature if you have one.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan because you don’t want them to stick together

How to Store Leftovers

Don’t toss the leftovers! You can absolutely eat your leftover cornbread. You can reheat it or eat at room temperature.

At room temperature – Your hot water cornbread should be fine kept on the counter for 2-3 days. Just put it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag so it doesn’t dry out. Make sure it’s cooled completely first!

In the fridge – Once the cornbread is fully cooled, you can put it in the fridge for up to 5 days in a container with a lid.

In the freezer – You can freeze these for long term storage! While I like them better fresh, it’s still worth freezing them to enjoy later. Let them fully cool completely before storing in an airtight container where they should keep for 3 months.

How to reheat – The goal is to try to capture some of the original crispy texture when you reheat hot water cornbread. You can use the microwave, but I find it makes the cornbread soggy. Instead, preheat the oven to 350°F. Reheat for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.

More Delicious Meals to Serve with Cornbread

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