Colonial Spoon Bread Recipe
A classic Colonial Spoon Bread Recipe featuring cornmeal, milk, eggs, and butter baked into a soft, custard-like bread—simple, timeless, and comforting.
8 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for serving
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 9x9-inch baking dish or a 9-inch round cast iron skillet.
Prepare the base mixture.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water and milk to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal, salt, sugar, and butter. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens, approximately 3 minutes.
Allow the mixture to cool.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes to avoid curdling the eggs when combined.
Prepare the eggs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and baking powder until light and frothy.
Combine mixtures.
- Gently fold the egg mixture into the cornmeal base until the batter is uniform in color and consistency.
Bake.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the spoon bread is set in the center and the edges are golden. Cover loosely with foil if the top begins to brown too quickly.
Serve.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly. Dot with additional butter before serving. Serve warm, optionally topped with cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, or fruit.
Notes
This recipe can be made gluten free by ensuring the cornmeal is certified gluten free, as cross-contamination is common in milling. Baking powder should also be verified as gluten free. All other ingredients are naturally gluten free.