Hot Water Cornbread – Warm, crispy edges and a deliciously soft center make these fried cornmeal patties an excellent side to any greens, beans, soups, and even fried dishes. They are literally so easy to make, and you only need a few simple ingredients! 🤩
Hot Water Cornbread is a Southern staple. But even back in Cameroon and most parts of Africa, cornmeal is an integral part of our diet. I already lost count on how many “corny treats” there are, and each of them is dear to my heart.
What Makes Hot Water Cornbread Different?
You can prepare these corn treats in ball forms like these Hush Puppies or flat like these Southern Johnny Cakes. But unlike those two cornmeal recipes, this Hot Water Cornbread doesn’t contain any leavening agent, and it usually calls for just three basic ingredients (say what!? 😉). However, if you’re like me and don’t want to settle for a bland recipe, I’d say throw in a tad of sugar or salt to add flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cornmeal – A coarsely ground flour made from corn kernels that gives recipes a strong corn flavor. Cornmeal should not be confused with corn flour or cornstarch (British English, cornflour), with a much finer consistency.
- Salt – This pantry staple brings out the flavor in any other ingredient it’s paired with.
- Sugar – Another kitchen staple that gives just a hint of sweetness in this recipe.
- Onion – A pungent veggie that adds a nice layer of flavor, in this case, complementing and accentuating the corn flavor.
- Butter – Butter adds a moist, flavorful touch to recipes and is also good for frying and sautéing at lower temperatures!
Alternative Ingredients
- Salt – I recommend using salt in this recipe to make it more flavorful, but you can always leave it out if you are on a low sodium diet or replace it with your favorite herbs or spices.
- Sugar – This is another ingredient you can omit if you wish. You could also use a natural sweetener if you prefer, like honey or maple syrup.
- Onion – Again, I love to add onion to up this cornbread’s flavor game, but you can leave it out if you prefer.
- Butter – Replace butter with margarine or cooking oil but be aware this will slightly alter the texture and taste of these delicious hot water cornbread patties.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep the batter on the thicker side for a soft and dense cornbread patty. If you prefer a crunchier patty, you’ll want to keep the batter a little thinner. Try making one or two test patties, and then adjust your batter accordingly.
- To lighten the texture of your cornbread, replace two tablespoons of cornmeal with two tablespoons of flour.
- These cornbread patties also make a great snack. Dip them in maple or can syrup for a sweet treat. 😋
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can always make the cornbread batter the day before if you need to. Simply follow the recipe to make the batter and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until the next day. Take the batter out when you are ready to continue and fry the patties according to the recipe.
Serving and Storing Instructions
These cornbread patties are most delicious fresh out of the skillet. Serve them alongside your favorite homestyle meal or as an afternoon snack with syrup or a dipping sauce.
Store extra hot water cornbread in an airtight container. It’ll stay good for 1-3 days at room temperature and 3-5 days in the fridge.
To reheat this cornbread, simply place it in the oven at 350℉/177℃ for about 10 minutes or until warmed through. I like using my countertop toaster oven for this. Easy peasy!
FAQs
The name “hot water cornbread” points back to the cooking method in which hot water softens the cornmeal before forming it into patties and frying them in the skillet.
If you’re having trouble keeping your cornbread together, it could be that your batter is too dry. Try adding more water in small increments until the batter, and the finished product, hold together better.
What to Serve with Hot Water Cornbread
Hot water cornbread is the perfect complement to collard greens and pinto beans. It also pairs well with all kinds of soups. I love it with Cajun corn shrimp soup, oxtail soup, and lentil soup. 🤤
More Recipes to Try
How to Make Hot Water Cornbread
Mix the Ingredients
- Mix Dry Ingredients – Mix cornmeal, salt, sugar, grated onion, melted butter in a large bowl.
- Add boiling water.
- Thoroughly mix until the cornbread mixture is smooth.
Fry the Cornbread
- Heat oil in a cast iron or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Form the Dough – If using your hands, wet them, then scoop about three tablespoons of the batter at a time into the palm of your hand. Flatten the dough, then gently drop it into the oil. Alternatively, use a spoon to drop dough balls of the same size into the oil.
- Final Stretch – Fry each cornbread until brown and crisp; turn with a spatula, and then brown the other side. It should take about 3-5 minutes.
Serve
- Drain – Remove the cornbread from the oil and drain it on paper towels.
- Serve when cool enough to handle.
Watch How to Make It
Hot Water Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (244 g) cornmeal (yellow or white)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 2 tablespoon s (25 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (29 g) onion, grated or chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon s (14-28 g) butter, melted
- 1 cup (or more) (240 ml)boiling water
Instructions
- Mix cornmeal, salt, sugar, grated onion, and melted butter in a large bowl, then add the boiling water. Thoroughly mix until the cornbread mixture is smooth.
- Heat oil in a cast iron or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- If using your hands, wet them, then scoop about three tablespoons of batter into the palm of your hand. If the mixture crumbles, add more water. Flatten, then gently drop them into the oil or use a spoon to drop them in.
- Fry each cornbread until brown and crisp; turn with a spatula, and then brown the other side for about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove, drain on paper towels and serve immediately with greens and pinto beans or breakfast.
Tips & Notes:
- If you want soft and dense batter, you can have a thick batter, but if you love that crunch, you can make your batter thin with the consistency of oatmeal.
- To lighten the texture of your cornbread, replace 2 tablespoons of cornmeal with 2 tablespoons of flour.
- You can also snack on these with maple or cane syrup as toppings.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Regina says
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! WOW!!! I am loving these recipes. For Christmas, my family comes together for a seafood fest at my mama’s house. I used your recipe for fish seasoning with tilapia, and it was ‘SLAMMING’. I used your recipe for hot water cornbread for our New Year’s traditional dinner (collard greens, black eyed peas, meat), and it was extremely delicious. I thank you for your kindness with sharing your recipes. So glad that I found you. Looking forward to trying some more of your recipes. God bless you and your loved ones, now and evermore. Thank you again.
imma africanbites says
Thank you so much. I’m glad you like this. God bless you and your family, too.
Yuliya N says
Wow this is so easy to make and so yummy. I’m surprised I’ve never heard of these! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! I am glad you discovered something new and that it was a hit for you! Please spread the word haha 🙂
Maggie says
Thank you for this recipe and video. I somehow stumbled onto this today in my quest on how to make cornbread. I’m an Australian and this was not something I grew up with. My husband is a Minnesotan and his mum did a baked cornbread, today I made a stove top version. But I love the idea of these so I’m going to give it a try. I’m a spicy person so I might play around with some additions, if my first attempt works ok.
ImmaculateBites says
Please do try it out. And we would love to hear how it works out for you. Thanks .