Southern Spoon Bread Recipe
Southern Spoon Bread is an old-fashioned recipe for souffle-like cornbread with a custardy texture that you scoop with a spoon instead of slicing. This delicious bread can stand in for traditional cornbread with any meal you will fall in love with the texture and flavor!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 206kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups whole milk or 2%
- 1 cup stone ground cornmeal yellow or white, fine-ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar optional
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons melted butter unsalted
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 350°F. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch square baking dish and place it in the oven while it preheats.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the cornmeal and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk to a medium saucepan and heat it on the stovetop over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges, but it is not boiling.
- Slowly pour in the cornmeal while stirring with a wooden spoon so lumps do not form. Cook the cornmeal mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the warm cornmeal mixture to the beaten eggs and whisk the ingredients together. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons of the cornmeal mixture. This step is called "tempering" or warming the eggs so they do not scramble when added to the batter.
- Now, pour the tempered egg mixture into the pan with the remaining cornmeal mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, and melted butter. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the batter into the hot dish.
- Place the dish back in the oven and bake the spoon bread for 35 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown on top, set in the center, and a toothpick comes out clean. Serve spoon bread warm with pats of butter and a drizzle of honey!
Notes
- I recommend using good-quality, fine stone ground cornmeal for the best flavor and texture! Yellow or white cornmeal is fine. Do not use cornmeal mix as it has leavening agents and other ingredients added.
- While spoonbread tastes best fresh from the oven, it can be made a day or two in advance and reheated in the oven, covered with foil, when ready to serve. The batter can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Leftover spoon bread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.4g | Protein: 5.9g | Fat: 11.9g | Saturated Fat: 6.6g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 352mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 8.8g | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg