Eastern Tennessee Cornbread (3-Ingredient Iron Skillet Classic)

It might not be fancy, but it’ll fill you up and warm your soul.

Let’s be honest—cornbread isn’t trying to win any beauty contests. It’s not one of those fussy side dishes with drizzles, glazes, or twelve ingredients you can’t pronounce. It’s just honest, golden bread. The kind you bake when you’ve got a pot of beans on the stove and nothing but time and buttermilk in the fridge.

In my neck of the woods—Eastern Tennessee, right in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains—we like our cornbread plain, proud, and skillet-born. No sugar. No flour. No banana hiding in the batter (unless it’s banana bread, of course—which has its place, just not here).

What we do have is White Lily self-rising buttermilk cornmeal mix, a splash of actual buttermilk, and one egg. We grease up a cold cast iron skillet with bacon grease or lard, pour in the batter once it’s hot, and let it bake until the top is just set. Not too dark—we like it moist and tender, not dry and crumbly.

So if your cornbread comes from a different part of the country—or the world—I’d love to see it! Maybe you add cheese, jalapeños, or bake it sweet as cake. But here in Appalachia, this is the one we come home to.

How to Make Eastern Tennessee Cornbread

This is as easy as it gets, and the results are anything but boring:

Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Toss your cast iron skillet in the oven with a scoop of bacon grease or lard. Let it heat up while you mix the batter.
Mix your ingredients:
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups of White Lily cornmeal mix, 1 egg, and just enough buttermilk (about 1⅓ cups) to make the batter thick but pourable. You don’t want it runny—think pancake batter consistency.
Pour into a hot skillet:
Carefully pull the skillet from the oven and swirl to coat the bottom with melted grease. Pour in the batter—it should sizzle when it hits the pan.
Bake:
Return to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the center is fully set.
Cool & slice:
Let it rest a few minutes before slicing into wedges or squares. Serve warm with butter, beans, soup, or just on its own.

Appalachian Cooking Tips

Don’t overbake it. If the top is getting too brown, your cornbread might end up dry. A pale top is totally okay—and often preferred in these parts!
Use what you have. Bacon grease gives the best flavor, but lard or vegetable shortening will do the job just fine.
White Lily Cornmeal Mix already contains salt and leavening, so if you’re substituting with plain cornmeal, make sure to add 1 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt per cup.

And if you’re wondering—yes, I used to wear a size 7½ shoe. I’m a size 8 now. Cornbread isn’t to blame, but it sure hasn’t helped.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of cornbread that’s not trying to impress, and somehow still does. It’s steady, filling, and always there when you need it—especially on chilly nights or alongside a bowl of beans or soup.

So tell me, what does your cornbread look like? Drop a photo or share your recipe in the comments. Sweet, spicy, cheesy, skillet or oven dish—I want to see it all. Let’s get this global cornbread tour going!