Southern Buttermilk Cornbread with Bacon Drippings

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A moist and savory Southern cornbread made with creamy buttermilk and enriched with flavorful bacon drippings for a perfect side dish. This American-inspired comfort-food recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs white cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Serves 8 American cuisine 220 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 slices cooked bacon

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups white cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp granulated sugar until combined.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, beat 2 large eggs, then whisk in 1/4 cup bacon drippings and 1 1/4 cups buttermilk until smooth.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined — do not overmix; some lumps are okay.
Step 4: Chop 4 slices of cooked bacon into small pieces and fold them into the batter.
Step 5: Pour the batter into a well-greased 8x8-inch baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.