Can i use water instead of milk in cornbread

Hot Water Cornbread made the old school way with corn meal, salt, butter, and hot water; fried to golden perfection.

Watch me make this hot water cornbread from start to finish!

There are some simple recipes that in order for you to truly appreciate, you have to grow up eating them. Like eating buttered bread sprinkled with sugar, or homemade snow ice cream. You need the nostalgic piece connected to it.

That’s how I feel about hot water cornbread made the old-school way. It’s nothing fancy, just cornmeal, salt, butter, and hot water. But when I taste these crisp fried patties today, I’m right there in Grandma Barbs’ living room. We’re both eating hot water cornbread crumbled up in a bowl of milk while watching Wheel of Fortune and calling out letters.

We were the only two people in the house that liked cornbread crumbled in milk so it made it extra special for me. I’ll never forget this memory or the hot water cornbread connected to it.

What is hot water cornbread?

Hot water cornbread is a dish that dates back to the early Native Americans and enslaved Africans. It consists of cornmeal, salt, fat (usually butter or animal fat), and boiling water. Once you mix all of these ingredients together, it creates a soft dough. This dough is then formed into patties and fried in hot oil/fat until golden.

The results are a crunchy cornmeal patty that’s crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside! Hot water cornbread was popular during the Great Depression since they were quick, simple, filling, and cheap.

If you grew up in the South, you’ve probably had hot water cornbread although it may have been called by a different name and consisted of more ingredients.

We use to call it “black people’s cornbread” lol. You can read more about the history of the different types of cornbread here.

Two Types of Hot Water Cornbread

I feel like there are two types of hot water cornbread. The old-school version and the upgraded version.

The old-school version- The recipe I’m sharing with you today is the old-school version. It produces a rustic patty with a mild flavor. It’s best served with a bold meal or with flavored butter or jam if eaten as a snack. It’s as bare bones as it comes. This is how I was taught to make it by my Grandma Barb who was taught by her mother Benia.

The updated version- This version is usually the one that is cooked in many Southern kitchens today. It uses a self-rising cornmeal mix, sugar, butter, or oil, and sometimes extra salt or baking powder. It produces a more traditional cornbread-like flavor which is delicious eaten plain or with a savory meal.

Ingredients

Cornmeal: Fine ground white or yellow cornmeal works best. I like to use fine ground yellow cornmeal as it seems to have more flavor, and texture and I just love the yellow color. Be sure that you get plain cornmeal and not the cornmeal mix which contains flour and other leavening agents if you plan on making it the old school way.

Salt: This is pretty much the only flavoring to the cornbread. Other seasonings can be added like garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs. But just salt is perfect for basic hot water cornbread.

Unsalted Butter: Adding a bit of fat to the mix helps add a bit of flavor and makes the dough easier to handle. You can use butter, ghee, bacon grease, or whatever fat you prefer. I LOVE this with butter because it gives it a slight buttery flavor as if it has buttermilk in the dough.

Boiling water: The water must be boiling in order to soften the cornmeal. Add the boiling water a little at a time. You’ll only need to add enough so that the dough can hold its shape when it’s pressed into a patty. This is NOT the style of hot water cornbread that is poured into the hot oil.

Oil- You don’t need much oil to fry hot water cornbread. About a 1/4 of an inch of oil in the bottom of the cast iron skillet will do. You can use vegetable shortening, canola oil, or vegetable oil. A cast-iron skillet will create a super crunchy crust.

How to make Hot Water Cornbread

1. Read the note section below before proceeding.
2. Line a baking tray with paper towels and then place a cooling rack on top. (this is where the patties will drain once fried. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk cornmeal and salt.
4. Heat some water in a kettle until boiling. (water must be boiling hot in order to soften the cornmeal properly)
5. Stir in enough boiling water to form a soft dough that can hold its shape. (I usually need about 1/2 cup + 3 or 4 tablespoons) *see note
6. Stir in melted butter.
7. Let dough rest for about 5-10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, add about a 1/4 inch of canola oil to a cast-iron skillet and heat to about 375 F.
9. When the oil is hot, shape the cornmeal mixture into patties and place them into the hot oil. (I find it easier to lay the patty on the end of a rubber spatial and then slide them off into the oil)
10. Let them fry for about 2-3 minutes or until the underside is golden brown and then flip.
11. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and place on the prepared tray to drain.
12. Enjoy hot or room temperature.
13. Serve with a savory meal or enjoy them plain with honey butter (recipe below).

Tips for making the BEST hot water cornbread

1. Add the boiling water a little bit at a time. You only want to add the water until you are able to form a soft dough. This amount usually changes for me by a tablespoon or two. If you add too much water you won’t be able to form the soft dough.

2. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. This gives the hot water a chance to really soften up the cornmeal which will result in the perfect “fluffy kinda creamy” inside texture that is classic to a perfectly cooked hot water cornbread.

3. Use a rubber spatula. I’ve found that placing the formed patty on a rubber spatula and then slowly sliding it into the hot oil works great. That way I don’t have to handle the soft dough and it retains its round shape.

What to serve with hot water cornbread?

Serve hot water cornbread as a side dish or a snack. Serve alongside flavorful meals like stews, chilis, soups, and soulful dinners. It makes a great snack when buttered and crumbled in milk or eaten with honey butter or fresh jams. Some people even serve them for breakfast with grits and sausage or simply eat them hot when they are prepared.

Common Questions

What is the difference between cornbread and hot water cornbread? Hot water cornbread uses hot water and hot oil to cook the cornbread. It does not contain leaving agents like baking powder or baking soda.

Why is my batter wet and grainy? This is a very common challenge with making hot water cornbread. You simply added too much water and it’s best to start over. Add the water in small amounts while stirring after each addition until you have a soft dough that can hold its shape.

Do you put eggs in hot water cornbread? No, eggs are not traditionally a part of hot water cornbread

Why is it called hot water cornbread? It is called hot water cornbread because you add boiling water to the cornmeal to soften and cook it a bit.

How do you store hot water cornbread? Hot water cornbread is best eaten the day you make it. If you need to store it, place it in an airtight container.

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