Jimmy Carter’s White House Cornbread Is Perfectly Southern

Former President Jimmy Carter and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter brought many things to the White House, among them: solar panels, which remained through his presidency; Southern charm from their native state of Georgia; and one really mouthwatering recipe for cornbread. 

Henry Haller, the Executive Chef at the White House from 1966 to 1987, included the recipe for Carter’s Corn Bread in his book, “White House Family Cookbook.” Though Haller was Swiss-born, the cornbread he made appealed to the Carters’ Southern palates. An essential part of the region’s cuisine, Southern cornbread is never sweet. When presented with the sugary cornbread that Northerners bake, Southern cooks I’ve known call it “cake.” This is not a compliment.

Carter’s Corn Bread is unusual in that it calls for both white and yellow cornmeal, making it slightly paler in color than most cornbreads mixed strictly from yellow cornmeal. To yield a tender crumb, make sure you buy finely ground cornmeal, not the medium grind available nowadays.

The real trick to the right consistency is letting the batter rest for 15 minutes after mixing. I’m sure that Chef Haller wanted the Carters’ meals to be as refined as possible; hydrating the cornmeal for a good, long time before baking, he ensured a soft and elegant cornbread. Haller also didn’t sacrifice the butter to the low-fat trend of the 1970s. The stick of butter in the batter makes for an irresistibly fragrant batch.

I grew up eating cornbread with beans, so I always love to serve this alongside bean soups and chili. Yet, most soups go with a warm square of cornbread. I make the recipe just so I can use the cornbread in Thanksgiving stuffing, as well, and I’ve found that, when cubed and crisped in the oven or fried, it makes a great crouton.

How To Make Jimmy Carter’s White House Cornbread

For nine servings (an 8×8-inch cornbread), you’ll need:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (finely ground)
• 1/2 cup white cornmeal (finely ground)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeals, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Heat the milk in a small pot over low heat for three to four minutes, or in the microwave for about 40 seconds, until it is warm to the touch. Do not let it get too hot, or it will cook the egg. Whisk the warm milk into the egg, then whisk in the melted butter until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. 

Butter an 8×8-inch baking pan. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan, smooth the top, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack set on the bottom third.

Bake the cornbread for about 20 minutes, or until golden on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving warm, with butter, of course.