Hot Water Cornbread uses a few simple pantry ingredients to create a batter from which small breads are fried rather than baked.
Hot Water Cornbread
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Hot Water Cornbread is my recipe of the day with the bread bakers blogging group. We get together once a month to make different types of breads on varying topics. Occasionally a bread will pop up that is not baked in the oven, such as pancakes, or this month’s offering.
A Part of Several Cuisines
Typically found in the cuisine of Native American cooking, Southern cuisine, as well as Soul Food, this cornbread requires very little in the way of ingredients. It’s perfect for pantry baking or when you just haven’t been to the market to pick up eggs or buttermilk (the things usually found in cornbread).
I serve these the way you might serve hush puppies. And in fact the recipes are similar in nature. Except again, this one uses far fewer ingredients.
While you might think it makes them too plain, or leaving you wanting, they do not. They are nice and crisp. I like them smeared with butter and a drizzle of Steen’s syrup ( a southern specialty) but you might like to drizzle yours with something like molasses, maple syrup, or even Lyle’s golden syrup (if you live across the pond).
Perfect with fried fish and a mess of greens, this is a cornerstone of a good home-cooked southern meal. Real comfort.
Corn Breads
- Bacon Country Bread with Corn from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Corn Bread from Sneha’s Recipe
- Grits Sandwich Bread from Pastry Chef Online
- Honey Skillet Cornbread from Making Miracles
- Hot Water Cornbread from Palatable Pastime (You are Here!)
- Iowa “Corn” Pancakes from A Messy Kitchen
- Polenta Rosemary Garlic Sourdough Bread from Spiceroots
- Polenta-Crusted, Kernel-Dotted Sourdough from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Sourdough Cornmeal Dinner Rolls from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Southwestern Chicken Skillet with Cornbread Topping from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Studded Golden Cornbread from What Smells So Good?
- Sweet Peach Cornbread from Food Lust People Love
- Yeast Corn Breakfast Bread from Ambrosia
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
Hot Water Cornbread
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Hot Water Cornbread

Hot Water Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups self-rising corn meal
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp bacon drippings or melted butter
- cooking oil for skillet
Instructions
- Stir together ingredients until thick and pasty
- Form into patties (shape as you might a hamburger) and shallow fry in 1-2 inches of oil or bacon grease until golden and crispy.
- Drain and serve with butter and something like cane syrup, molasses or maple syrup drizzled over.
Yumm what tasty little crispy treats!
I was intrigued when I saw your title, Sue. Never heard of hot water cornbread before! Anything with bacon grease has got to be tasty, especially when it’s fried and crispy.
Such an old-school southern dish. I grew up in the South, but to northern parents and didn’t discover the joys of cornbread until I was much older. I love the simplicity of the hot water version. Lets the corn flavor really shine through!
They look delightful! And while I do love honey on my cornbread, that suggestion of Lyle’s is great, I love that too!
How simple! I had no idea there was self rising corn bread.
I didn’t know about this hot water cornbread, thanks for sharing I will try it, fried goodies are always tasty.
You don’t have to ask me twice to eat these! Corn Bread with bacon and it is fried! I am sold!!
Beautiful bread. And the recipe sounds so easy. Frying just have given a crisp exterior. These looks like little teats.