Hot Water Corn Bread ~ Whipped up in 10 Minutes
Crispy and golden on the outside, soft and buttery in the middle, hot water corn bread is currently one of my favorite discoveries in my adventures in food. What makes it so great is not only how tasty it turns out, but how easy it is to make. With only 6 humble pantry staples (okay, 7 if you include the hot water), you can have a batch of these whipped up in about 10 minutes.
How Do You Make Hot Water Corn Bread?
It’s as easy as mixing a few dry ingredients together, adding a nub of butter and stirring in some hot water to make a dough. My favorite part about this is the heat from the water melts the butter. It also slightly precooks the cornmeal. You then shallow fry patties of this easily pliable dough in some hot lard or oil, and you have these irresistible little corn cakes that will bring everyone to the kitchen.
What Do You Serve Them With?
With its origins in the south, hot water cornbread was a staple among slaves. It accompanied typical meals of fried chicken or catfish, black eyed peas, beans and coleslaw. They are phenomenal with my baked beans. They are also popular for breakfast slathered with butter and honey or maple syrup. Other variations of this corn bread include Johnny cakes, hush puppies and hoe cakes. This is closest to a hoe cake, but Johnny cake and hush puppy recipes usually call for milk and eggs.
But for now, try my recipe for hot water corn bread. Feel free to adjust the ingredients—many recipes call for more sugar, but I do not like these too sweet. Spice up your version with a little chili powder, or how about some grated cheese? Make this hot water corn bread your masterpiece and let me know how it went for you.
| Prep Time | 5 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 8 Minutes |
| Servings |
Pieces
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- 1 Cup cornmeal Yellow or white
- 1/2 Cup All purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Cup Boiling water more or less as needed
Ingredients
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- In a bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add butter. Gradually add boiling water, pouring over the butter to melt it. Add enough water to make a fairly stiff, pliable dough. Divide and form into 4 or 6 patties.
- Heat enough oil in a skillet over medium for shallow frying (about 1/2 inch). Add patties and fry on medium for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain and serve hot.