Easy Hoe Cakes Recipe (Johnny Cakes)
- By Chef Billy Parisi
- Updated
After you taste one these easy to make cornmeal Hoe Cakes, you’ll forget all about ever wanting to eat pancakes again.
We make pretty epic breakfasts every morning to start off the day. I often make omelettes and almost always have bacon on the menu as well.
Hoe Cakes
Hoe Cakes are a classic southern staple and essentially their version of the pancake. In its simplest form they consist of the following ingredients:
- Cornmeal
- Salt
- Hot Water
Just like any classic recipe, hoe cakes are considered peasant food. They were created based on what ingredients were readily available, and what they could afford. If you fast forward to current times, hoe cakes are often made with the addition of butter, eggs, flour, and sugar to further enhance the flavor.
Is It the Same as a Johnny Cake
Hoe cakes are the exact same as a Johnny Cake. Johnny Cakes were founded in the Northeast portion of the United States, and to be more exact, New England. In fact, Johnny Cakes were around before hoe cakes as they are dated back to the 18th century.
They were later adopted by the south and given their own name.
How to Make Them
Follow these easy instructions to make this recipe:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and water until combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently whisk just until combined.
Add a ½ cup to ¾ cup of batter to a griddle, frying pan or cast-iron skillet in oil or melted butter and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until light and fluffy and cooked throughout.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep warm wrapped in foil and in the oven at 175° before serving.
How to Reheat: Place on a pan wrapped in foil and heat in the oven at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until hot. You can also heat in the microwave.
How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day, or until unfrozen, before reheating.
chef notes + tips
- It is best to use finely ground cornmeal, but you can extend that to a medium or coarse ground as well.
- To further enhance the flavor of these hoe cakes, I would absolutely advise using rendered bacon fat instead of butter.
- You can absolutely use milk in place of the buttermilk.
- If you want to make your own buttermilk, simply mix 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk.
- You can also cook the hoe cakes in butter instead of oil.
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Video
Easy Hoe Cakes Recipe (Johnny Cakes)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups fine cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup water
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl whisk together the eggs, butter, buttermilk, and water until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in gently whisk just until combined.
- Pour the oil into a large frying pan, cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and pour in a ½ cup to ¾ cup of the batter and cook as many at a time as possible without touching each other in the pan,
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until light and fluffy and cooked throughout.
- Serve with fresh berries, butter, and maple syrup.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep warm wrapped in foil and in the oven at 175° before serving.
- How to Reheat: Place on a pan wrapped in foil and heat in the oven at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until hot. You can also heat in the microwave.
- How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day, or until unfrozen, before reheating.
- It is best to use finely ground cornmeal, but you can extend that to a medium or coarse ground as well.
- To further enhance the flavor of these hoe cakes, I would absolutely advise using rendered bacon fat instead of butter.
- You can absolutely use milk in place of the buttermilk.
- If you want to make your own buttermilk, simply mix 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk.
- You can also cook the hoe cakes in butter instead of oil.
Nutrition
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This recipe was not my favorite. I came a across a recipe that called for both baking soda and baking powder.That was a much fluffer hoe cake than this one. This still taste good just doesn’t have the texture I want in a hoe cake.
Thanks for the feedback and giving it a try!
OH YES!!! THIS IS A FAMILY FAVORITE. MY GRANDMA WAS FROM THE SOUTH, AND MADE THESE OFTEN. LOTS OF TIMES THE WERE THE BREAD FOR LUNCH OR DINNER. AND THEY ARE PERFECT AT A BBQ TOO. THE BRING SO MUCH TO THE DINNER.. I LOVE THESE DELICIOUS CAKES AND HAVE EATEN THEM ALL MY LIFE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TRY THESE FOR BREAKFAST OR USE IT AS A BREAD FOR LUNCH OR DINNER OR AT ANY BBQ YOU HAVE. THEY WILL BE A HIT FOR SURE.
Many thanks!
This is my third time making these. Trying to add corn this time. They are dangerously delicious, I love them with applesauce especially. Great recipe chef! Thanks
Thank you so kindly!
Love these as is but sometimes add corn and/or bacon. Bacon fat with cornmeal is a trick I learned years ago from an old man from the south.
Are baking powder and baking soda interchangeable?
no
We call them Hoe Cakes. I really like these as a bread with some vegetable or potato soup. Personally prefer hot water recipe. Yum. Thank you for making it look so easy. You have helped make cooking fun for me again.
Ade these for my parents this morning and we all loved them ,they will be repeated often, thank you