A Spicy Perspective

Corn Pone (Hot Water Cornbread Recipe)

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!

How to make hot water cornbread - Stack of three pieces of corn pone on a plate.

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.

Top view two pieces of cornpone on a plate with honey drizzled.

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
Three pieces of corn cake with honey on a plate.

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.

How to Make Hot Water Cornbread -  adding measuring scoop of bacon fat into a cast iron skillet.

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

How to Make Hot Water Cornbread - Pouring hot water from a measuring glass into a bowl with cornmeal.

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!

Wooden spoon mixing cornmeal and water mixture in a large bowl.

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.

Hand with 1/4 cup scoop, scooping cornmeal batter from bowl.

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.

7 flat discs of hot water cornbread frying in a cast iron skillet.

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; cornpone bread is great for dipping!

Fresh Hot Water Cornbread Recipe stacked on a white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is corn pone gluten-free?

Yes, this traditional 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?

It 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 cornpone 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.

Drizzling honey from a bottle over the three pieces of corn pone.

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Corn Pone (Hot Water Cornbread Recipe)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Sweet and crispy oven fried corn pone is easy to make with 5 simple ingredients, no flour or eggs needed. Enjoy as a gluten free snack any time of day with a drizzle of honey!
Servings: 6 pieces

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 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 and continue to mix until there are no clumps.
  • 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 the corn pone for 5 minutes. Carefully flip them over, and continue to bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until golden and crispy. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

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?

It 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 in an airtight zipper bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you reheat?

Thaw 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pc, Calories: 239kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 405mg, Potassium: 125mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Southern
Author: Sommer Collier

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5 comments on “Corn Pone (Hot Water Cornbread Recipe)”

  1. I love this recipe. I would have never put all these ingredients together to make this. It’s simple and easy to make. It’s also inexpensive and different. I love that it’s also gluten free and delicious. Thanks for sharing. Shalom

  2. I haven’t had this in so long, thank you so much. I am so happy I found this recipe it was delicious!

  3. Loved this old fashioned dish! Reminds me of my grandma’s recipe. So delicious!

  4. These are seriously the best!! We love them!! They are super easy to make & crisp, they are my type of cornbread!

  5. I recently went gluten free and this is the best little snack because I can make it sweet or savory based off my cravings, so thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe