Rosie Mayes’ Hot-Water Cornbread

Rosie Mayes
Rosie Mayes
Rosie Mayes is a Soul Food blogger living in the Pacific Northwest, bringing Southern cooking to gorgeous Seattle, Washington. She was born and raised in the PNW, but her family roots go all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where her grandparents were born and raised. She…read more
published Feb 16, 2023
Hot water cornbread
Credit: Michael Kartes
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Hot water cornbread
Credit: Michael Kartes

My family loves all types of cornbread, especially sweet cornbread in loaves. But if you don’t want to crank up the oven, hot water cornbread is the way to go. We love it with fish fries because you can just drop the patties into the oil when frying fish. This style of cornbread also pairs well with Southern beans, greens, and cabbage. Feel free to serve some sweet tea to go with your meal!

Hot-Water Cornbread Recipe

Serves 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup

    vegetable oil

  • 1 1/2 cups

    yellow cornmeal

  • 1/2 cup

    self-rising flour

  • 2 tablespoons

    sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups

    boiling water

Instructions

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  1. Pour the vegetable oil into a medium skillet (I use my cast iron) and heat over medium heat.

  2. Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Sift or whisk until everything is well combined. Next, pour in the hot water a little at a time, whisking after each addition, until a dough forms. Form the dough into about 8 patties, each about 3 inches wide.

  3. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet, fry the patties in the oil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the cornbread from the oil, and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Cool slightly before serving.

Recipe Notes

(c)2022 by Rosie Mayes. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Super Soul Food by permission of Sasquatch Books.