Crispy on the skin and tender on the within, scorching water cornbread is simple to make and completely crave-worthy. This can be a easy recipe for fried cornbread you could serve with your whole favourite Southern-style meals!

Outdated-Original Scorching Water Cornbread
Crispy, crunchy, scrumptious scorching water cornbread is completely completely different than every other model of this traditional facet. As you might already know, we Southerners love our cornbread. Despite the fact that I moved out of the South years in the past, I can by no means get sufficient.
We’ll gobble down this fried scorching water cornbread with a beneficiant smearing of butter, honey, or jam. It additionally makes the most effective facet dish for chili or soup for dipping! You’re going to LOVE this twist on do-it-yourself cornbread. Put together to be hooked.

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread Recipe
- Good texture. Frying makes this scorching water cornbread crisp on the skin, and tender and fluffy on the within. In the event you love baked cornbread, simply wait till you chew into these flavor-filled pillows of golden goodness.
- Straightforward to make. You’ll be able to rely the elements for this cornbread recipe on one hand. The batter comes collectively shortly, after which it’s only a matter of shaping the dough and frying. Straightforward-peasy.
- Versatile. You’ll by no means run out of how to get pleasure from scorching water cornbread. It’s good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and whilst a snack. After all, fluffy cornbread can be completely irresistible as is, smothered in butter or jam. However extra on this later!

How’s Scorching Water Cornbread Totally different From Common Cornbread?
Conventional cornbread is often made with milk, and baked in a pan or skillet. Scorching water cornbread makes use of boiling water instead of milk within the batter. The dough is then formed into small patties, that are fried in oil, quite a bit like hush puppies. It’s so tasty and the tender texture is unbeatable!

Substances You’ll Want
So, what’s scorching water cornbread manufactured from? Let’s take a look on the easy elements beneath. Don’t neglect to scroll to the recipe card for the complete elements listing and recipe particulars.
- Cornmeal: Basic golden cornbread requires yellow cornmeal (see beneath). Guarantee that it’s a nice sufficient grind and never coarse-ground cornmeal, as the feel gained’t be the identical.
- Granulated Sugar: Conventional Southern cornbread recipes skip the sugar, however I embody a pinch in mine, for somewhat added sweetness.
- Salt and Baking Powder: For leavening. I make my cornbread with kosher salt, which has a gentle taste. In the event you’re utilizing common desk salt, think about using much less.
- Butter: Take the butter you’re utilizing out of the fridge beforehand in order that it involves room temperature. Rather than butter, you can even use shortening.
- Egg: One complete egg provides richness to the cornbread and helps bind the cornmeal combination collectively.
- Boiling Water: You’ll pour boiling water over the batter elements earlier than stirring the whole lot collectively, and shaping the dough into patties. Make sure to use boiling water, as that’s the important thing to softening the cornmeal.
- Oil for Frying: You’ll want cooking oil with a excessive smoke level. I like to recommend vegetable oil or canola oil. Melted shortening or lard can even work.
Which Cornmeal Is Finest for Cornbread?
Yellow cornmeal is at all times my first alternative for cornbread of any sort. Whereas white cornmeal works on this recipe, you don’t get that superb, golden look of traditional cornbread. You’ll wish to use nice grind or medium grind cornmeal, which is the sort that’s carried in most grocery shops. Keep away from coarse-grind cornmeal, nevertheless, as it’ll make your scorching water cornbread gritty.
Learn how to Make Scorching Water Cornbread
As we speak’s reward to your kitchen is scorching water cornbread, a fried variation that, I’ll let you know now, goes to knock your socks off. Able to go? Right here’s the best way to make it:


- Mix the elements. First, crumble collectively the cornmeal and dry elements with the butter, then stir within the egg. As soon as clean, add the boiling water and stir to mix.


- Portion the dough. Set the dough apart and warmth about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet on the stovetop. In the meantime, scoop out 3 tablespoons’ price of cornmeal combination and use your arms to kind it right into a patty about ½-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Deep fry the cornbread. Verify that the temperature of the oil is at 350ºF. As soon as the oil is scorching, fry the patties for a few minutes per facet, till browned throughout. Unfold the cooked cornbread fritters out onto paper towels to empty, and serve heat with a beneficiant smear of butter!

Recipe Ideas and Variations
You’re going to like how simple it’s to make scorching water cornbread! There’s a purpose it’s a staple in so many households. After all, if you happen to’re new to deep frying cornbread, just a few further suggestions by no means harm:
- Adapt the quantity of scorching water as wanted. You might get away with including much less boiling water relying on the grind and kind of cornmeal you utilize. Further finely floor cornmeal may want solely half the quantity of water advised within the recipe, so pour regularly.
- Listen when deep frying. For security causes, make it possible for your stovetop has your full consideration whereas deep-frying. Scorching oil is not any joke! Additionally, watch out when inserting your patties into the skillet, because the oil can splatter. Put on gloves or use tongs if you happen to’d favor.
- Make it spicy. Combine finely chopped jalapeños into the batter for a spicy, Tex-Mex kick.
- Add cheese. Stir in shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for tacky fried cornbread.
- Add bacon. Add cooked crumbled bacon to the cornmeal combination for much more taste.

Why Is My Scorching Water Cornbread Falling Aside?
In case your scorching water cornbread is crumbling aside within the skillet, that is possible as a result of the oil isn’t scorching sufficient. Guarantee that the oil reaches 350ºF. At this temperature, a golden crust varieties shortly across the exterior of the patty.

Methods to Serve Scorching Water Cornbread
Scorching water cornbread is scrumptious by itself, unfold with butter and drizzled with honey. This fried cornbread can be considered one of my favourite Tex-Mex and BBQ sides. It pairs deliciously with do-it-yourself chili and Southern favorites like Brunswick stew. Strive these different simple serving options:

Learn how to Retailer
- To Retailer: Fried cornbread at all times tastes the most effective when it’s served straight away. Nevertheless, you may retailer leftovers hermetic at room temperature for as much as 3-4 days. You’ll be able to reheat the cornbread within the microwave for just a few seconds or within the oven.
- Freezer: In case you have leftover cooked cornbread you’d wish to freeze, retailer it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stashed in a freezer bag. Freeze for as much as 3 months, then reheat the cornbread straight from frozen (I like to recommend utilizing the oven on this case!).
Extra Southern-Type Recipes
Description
Crispy old style scorching water cornbread is so crave-worthy! This fried cornbread recipe is a simple facet dish that’s good for pairing together with your favourite Southern meals.
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- vegetable oil for frying
- In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and butter till blended evenly. Stir within the egg till clean. Add within the boiling water and stir till mixed. Put aside.
- Fill a deep skillet or Dutch oven with 1- inch vegetable oil to fry. Warmth the oil over medium warmth till it reaches 350°F.
- Utilizing a 3- tablespoon scoop, portion out the cornmeal combination and kind into thick (1/2- inch) patties. When the oil is scorching, place the patties within the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes on either side till golden brown. Switch to a paper towel lined baking sheet to empty.
- Serve heat.
Notes
These are quite a bit like hush puppies and will be served with butter, honey, or jam. They’re additionally nice on the facet of chili or a cup of soup for dipping.
Nice served as a facet with Tex Mex or BBQ, or anytime you’d serve cornbread.
Key phrases: scorching water cornbread, fried cornbread recipe, scorching water cornbread recipe
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