Corn Stick Cornbread
I have a 9-ear cast iron corn stick pan that was given to me by my dad. It’s the same style pan my maw maw used to make cornbread when I was a kid, and every time I pull it out, it brings those memories right back. It’s not just a pan, it’s part of how I remember being fed and cared for.
Corn stick pans like these have been around since the late 1800s, and many people still have one tucked away in a cabinet, passed down through generations. Often they don’t get used, not because they aren’t loved, but because there isn’t a recipe written for them. Most cornbread recipes make too much batter, not enough, or leave you guessing.
A Recipe Written for the Pan
Corn stick pans don’t allow for adjustment. Each mold has to be filled correctly from the start, or the results are off. Overflow, underfilled ears, uneven baking, all of that comes down to quantity.
This recipe was written to give you the exact amount of batter needed to use these pans with confidence.
Vintage and Modern Corn Stick Pans
Older pans commonly hold nine ears, while most modern pans hold six. That difference matters. A single, generic cornbread recipe rarely fits both without waste or frustration.
This recipe includes measurements for 9-ear pans, 7-ear pans, and 6-ear pans, so you can use whichever one you have and know the batter will fit the pan the way it should.
Corn Stick Cornbread (Cast Iron Corn Ear Pan)
Equipment
- 1 9 ear cast iron corncob stick pan
- 1 Lodge Cast Iron Cornstick Pan 6 ear pan
Ingredients
Base Recipe — Vintage 9-Ear Pan
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, medium or coarse grind
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar, optional
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- Butter or bacon fat, for greasing the pan
6 corn sticks
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, medium or coarse grind
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp sugar, optional
- 2/3 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2½ tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- Butter or bacon fat, for greasing the pan
7-Ear Cast Iron Pan
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal (medium or coarse grind)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp sugar, optional
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/8 tsp baking soda (a rounded ⅓ tsp is fine)
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp buttermilk
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 2½ tsp avocado oil
- Butter or bacon fat, for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the empty cast iron corn stick pan in the oven to preheat.In a bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and avocado oil.If the oven has not finished preheating, wait to combine the wet and dry ingredients.Once the oven is fully heated, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.Carefully remove the hot pan. Using a pastry brush, generously grease each cavity with butter or bacon fat.Divide the batter evenly among the cavities, filling each about ¾ full.Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden and crisp at the edges.Rest for 2 minutes, then turn out and serve warm.