Southern Skillet Bread: A Nostalgic Delight | Recipe Included

Photo byAngie Bright

In the world of home-cooked comfort food, nothing beats a warm, golden-brown skillet bread paired with rich molasses. This recipe for Ole Fashion Flour Bread brings that traditional, homestyle goodness straight to your table. With a hint of nostalgia in every bite, it’s a simple yet satisfying dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re cooking for the family or just treating yourself, this bread combines classic flavors that have been passed down through generations.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Using a few basic ingredients like bacon drippings, self-rising flour, and buttermilk, you can create a tender, flavorful bread that pairs wonderfully with molasses, honey, or even a fruity jam. The skillet method gives the bread a crispy outer layer while keeping the inside soft and flaky. And of course, the secret to achieving that irresistible flavor is the bacon drippings—adding a touch of savory richness that’s hard to resist.

Ole Fashion Flour Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons bacon drippings
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup very cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Heat a well-seasoned 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and melt the bacon fat.
2. While the skillet heats, cut the cold butter into the flour. Mix until the butter is broken down into small, pea-sized pieces.
3. Gradually add cold buttermilk to the flour mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle a bit of flour on top, and quickly shape it into a disc.
5. Turn the dough over, dust it with more flour, and slightly tighten the disc to fit just inside the skillet.
6. Carefully transfer the dough to the hot skillet using a wide spatula.
7. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the bread cook until the bottom is browned.
8. Flip the bread, drizzle melted butter over the top (optional), and cook until the other side is browned.
9. Once done, break the bread into pieces or cut into wedges.

Serve with pure butter, molasses, honey, or your favorite jam or preserves. For an extra touch of indulgence, enjoy it alongside crispy bacon or fat back. The combination of the warm, buttery bread with the deep sweetness of molasses is sure to transport you back to simpler times.

This Ole Fashion Flour Bread recipe is not just a meal, but an experience. The rustic flavors and texture, coupled with the sweetness of molasses, make it a comforting treat any time of day. It's the kind of recipe that brings people together, whether for breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon snack. So, next time you're in the mood for a taste of old-fashioned goodness, give this skillet bread a try—it's sure to become a favorite.

The recipe for Ole Fashion Flour Bread with Molasses reflects a Southern tradition of simple, hearty cooking, similar to other skillet bread and biscuit recipes that have been beloved for generations. Cooking bread in a cast-iron skillet using bacon drippings, like in your recipe, brings out a rich flavor and crispy texture that's hard to resist.

Bacon fat adds a savory depth that is common in old-fashioned bread and biscuit recipes. Many Southern recipes, such as skillet cornbread or biscuit bread, use bacon grease or butter for that extra layer of flavor​Deep South Dish​BENSA Bacon Lovers Society. The idea of using minimal ingredients—just flour, butter, and buttermilk—creates a dense, flavorful bread perfect for pairing with molasses or other sweet syrups, as you suggest. This balance between savory and sweet is a hallmark of Southern comfort food​Keyingredient.

The method of cooking bread directly on the stove in a cast iron skillet is also reminiscent of hoe cakes or Johnny cakes, a Southern cornmeal flatbread often fried in bacon grease​Butter Your Biscuit. Your recipe offers a great way to enjoy these timeless flavors with minimal fuss.

For more details on similar skillet bread recipes, you can check out resources like Deep South Dish and Southern Living, which showcase many variations on traditional Southern skillet breads​Deep South Dish​Southern Living.