Old-Fashioned Corn Pone Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

Classic Corn Pone Recipe – These sweet and crispy oven-fried corn cakes are easy to make with 5 simple ingredients, no flour or eggs are needed. Learn how to make Hot Water Cornbread in minutes for a gluten-free snack any time of day!

What is Corn Pone?

Corn pone is a classic old-timey southern dish, also known as hot water cornbread. They are simple, small corncake discs that are slightly thick, with a dense and cornbread-like texture. It’s traditional to oven-fry them crispy in bacon grease… So every bite is perfectly crunchy, sweet, and savory!

Every time I see a plate of corn pone bread, it reminds me of the foods described in the Little House on the Prairie books! Some even believe it was one of Abraham Lincoln‘s favorite foods.

What is the difference between Cornbread and Cornpone?

Corn pone is a type of cornbread, also known as hot water cornbread. However, it’s much simpler to make than the classic fluffy variety. It requires only five ingredients: cornmeal, salt, sugar, hot water, and bacon grease (or vegetable shortening). Notice there is no flour, eggs, or baking powder in this recipe so the corn cakes tend to be flat and dense. It fries in bacon grease until the exterior is crispy but the inside is soft like a tamale.

5 Ingredients You Need

• Yellow cornmeal – not cornbread mix
• Granulated sugar – or other granulated sweeteners you prefer
• Salt – just a pinch
• Boiling water – to get the fluffy cornbread-like texture without eggs or leavening agent
• Bacon grease – or vegetable shortening

How to Make Hot Water Cornbread

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the bacon grease in a large 12 to 14 inch cast-iron skillet. Then place the skillet in the oven to preheat.

Set out a mixing bowl. Combine the cornmeal, sugar, and salt in the bowl. Mix well, then pour in the boiling water.

Continue to mix until there are no clumps.

Get the Complete (Printable) Old-Fashioned Corn Pone Recipe for How to Make Hot Water Cornbread Below!

Remove the hot skillet from the oven. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop the mixture into six portions, and place the portions of batter in the skillet.

Use the back side of the measuring cup to press each portion into a 3-4 inch circle. Once all the corn pone are shaped in the skillet place them in the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes. Carefully flip them over, and continue to bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve yummy hot water cornbread as a snack or appetizer, hot out of the skillet, with a drizzle of honey.

Serve it with classic southern dishes like baked ham, macaroni salad, and collard greens. Or serve it as a side dish for soups and stews; corn pone bread is great for dipping!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is corn pone gluten-free?

Yes, this traditional corn pone recipe is gluten-free! Yellow cornmeal is naturally GF-friendly. Yay!

How do you make this a vegan recipe?

If possible, use bacon grease for frying because it creates the best flavor. For a vegan option use butter-flavored vegetable shortening.

Does corn pone need to be refrigerated?

This corn pone recipe will keep well for 1 or 2 days at room temperature. Store in an airtight bag or container, and keep in a cool and dry part of the kitchen.

Refrigerate the pieces after cooling and in a sealed container if you want to keep them for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze corn pone?

Absolutely! Let the pieces cool completely, then wrap each disc individually in plastic wrap. Place all of the corn pone bread in an airtight zipper bag, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you reheat?

Thaw hot water cornbread in the fridge overnight, on the counter for an hour or so, or using the “defrost” setting on your microwave. To reheat, wrap in a lightly damp paper towel and microwave on low for a few seconds at a time. Or loosely wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 5-10 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

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