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Home » Food » By Course » Breakfast » Traditional Johnny Cakes

Traditional Johnny Cakes

July 9, 2023 by Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet · 42 Comments

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This traditional Johnny Cakes recipe is made the old-fashioned way with only a small handful of ingredients and they’re fried until golden brown and delightfully crispy!  Serve them hot with butter, maple syrup, maple butter, or applesauce for a filling a thoroughly satisfying meal.

johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free

Corn has been a central, staple ingredient in the Americas for thousands of years.  Corn was one of the main dishes gifted to the Pilgrims by the local Native Americans during the first Thanksgiving and some historians believe that Johnny Cakes may have been one of the dishes eaten on that occasion.

What Are Johnny Cakes?

Also known as Rhode Island Johnny Cakes, they are basically all-corn pancakes.  Most contemporary recipes for Johnny Cakes include ingredients like flour, eggs, baking powder, milk or buttermilk, and even vanilla and spices.  In other words, a pancake with some added cornmeal.  A true Johnny Cake however, also known as Rhode Island Johnny Cakes, were very simple and were made with only a small handful of ingredients:  Cornmeal, salt, and water.  Occasionally also some sugar and/or some fat like butter or bacon grease.  The mixture is scooped onto a hot griddle or heavy pan and fried until they are golden brown and crispy.  Their texture is like the corn version of potato pancakes: Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

We’ll show you how to make Johnny Cakes the old-fashioned way and they are sure to satisfy your tummy and soul just as they did the many generations before us!

Other regional names for Johnny Cakes (also spelled Johnnycakes or Jonnycake) include corn cake, ashcake, battercake, hoe cake, cornpone, hoecake (or hoe cake), journey cake (some believe “johnny” derived from “journey”), corn pone, mush bread, and Shawnee cake (some believe “Johnny” may be derived from “Shawnee.”).

How to Serve Johnny Cakes

Traditionally they are served hot with butter, maple butter, or maple syrup.

Here are some additional options:

  • With fruity toppings like applesauce, sliced bananas, or fresh berries with some honey drizzled over.
  • With savory toppings like a slice of crispy bacon or cooked sausage.  You can also sprinkle them with some grated cheese.
  • With a dollop of whipped cream or spoonful of yogurt with a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of cinnamon.

johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free© Liudmyla Chuhunova | Dreamstime

Traditional Johnny Cakes Recipe

Recipes don’t get much simpler than these.  The prep time is quick however they do require some patience to cook to develop that nice crispy texture.  Depending on your griddle/pan, the heat, and the thickness of your cakes, it can take up to 11-12 minutes of frying on each side until they are golden brown and crispy.  So it’s best to have something else to do in the kitchen while these are frying on the griddle.

Let’s get started!

Combine the cornmeal, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.

Gradually pour the cornmeal mixture in a steady stream into the boiling water, whisking constantly.

combining cornmeal with ingredients and whisking in boiling water

Turn off the heat and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Add the butter and whisk until melted and incorporated.

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes (this will soften the grains to prevent a gritty texture as well as enable the consistency to thicken).

stirring the batter and adding butter

After about 15 minutes the consistency should resemble that of mashed potatoes.  If it’s still too runny let it sit a bit longer.

Drop the batter in roughly 1/4 cup scoops onto a frying pan heated over medium-high heat.  You can either use a non-stick frying pan (still use a little bit of oil) or oil a cast iron pan.  Space the scoops of batter about 3 inches apart because they will spread.

scoop batter into frying pan

Let the cakes fry undisturbed for several minutes until the edges are browned.  This can take anywhere from 6-12 minutes.  If you try and flip them too soon they will fall apart in a mushy mess so be patient.

Once the edges are browned flip the cakes over and use a spatula to press them down to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch so they can become nice and crispy.

frying and flipping over the cakes

Continue to fry on the other side for several more minutes until the cakes are golden brown and crispy on the outside.  Add a little more oil or butter when you flip them over to fry them on the other side.

johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack placed on baking sheet and put them in a warmed oven to keep warm while you make another batch.

johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free

Serve hot with butter, maple butter, maple syrup, or applesauce.

Enjoy!

johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free

For more breakfast favorites be sure to try our:

  • Sausage Gravy & Biscuits
  • Crumpets
  • German Potato Pancakes
  • Goetta
  • Whole Wheat Sourdough Waffles
  • Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Cereal
  • Healthy Homemade Granola
  • Oat and Buckwheat Waffles
  • Sweet Potato Orange Buttermilk Pancakes
johnny cakes recipe traditional authentic corn cornmeal gluten free

Traditional Johnny Cakes

Kimberly Killebrew
Traditional Johnny Cakes made with a small handful of ingredients and fried until they're golden brown and delightfully crispy!
Print Recipe
4.95 from 17 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Resting Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 214 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cups stone-ground cornmeal (white or yellow)
  • 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • butter, oil, or bacon grease for frying

Instructions
 

  • Combine the cornmeal, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.
    Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually pour the cornmeal mixture in a steady stream into the boiling water, whisking constantly. Turn off the heat and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the butter and whisk until melted and incorporated. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes (this will soften the grains to prevent a gritty texture as well as enable the consistency to thicken). At that point the consistency should resemble that of mashed potatoes. If it's still too runny let it sit a bit longer.
  • Heat a cast iron or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some butter, oil, or bacon grease to the cast iron pan. If using non-stick still add a little oil/butter.
    Drop the batter in roughly 1/4 cup scoops onto the frying pan about 3 inches apart.  Let the cakes fry undisturbed for several minutes until the edges are browned.  This can take anywhere from 6-12 minutes. If you try and flip them too soon they will fall apart in a mushy mess so be patient.
    Once the edges are browned flip the cakes over and use a spatula to press them down to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch so they can become nice and crispy. Continue to fry on the other side for several more minutes until the cakes are golden brown and crispy on the outside.  Add a little more oil or butter when you flip them over to fry them on the other side.
    Transfer the cakes to a wire rack placed on baking sheet and put them in a warmed oven to keep warm while you make another batch.
  • Serve hot with butter, maple butter, maple syrup, or applesauce.
    Makes twelve 3-inch Johnny cakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 3Johnny Cakes | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword Johnny Cakes
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet December 30, 2020

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42 Comments →

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42 Responses

  1. Clifton C valarose says

    September 10, 2023 at 6:16 pm

    Brings back memories from the 1950s…love Johnny cakes..

    Need to make them soon…thank you…

    Reply
  2. KM says

    July 25, 2023 at 6:19 pm

    Made tonight for my daughter to share with her some of my swamp yankee childhood memories – they were great! I did not let them sit as long as recommended and they were still perfect to me, just like my gram used to make. To those complaining they’re “not cooked” in the middle, they’re supposed to be crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Otherwise you’re making hardtack.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 27, 2023 at 1:20 pm

      Fantastic, KM, I’m so glad they were a hit and I appreciate the feedback, thank you!

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    July 17, 2023 at 8:51 am

    Unfortunately, I too, must say that this recipe, although well intentioned, is not without its flaws. I followed this recipe completely,used local organic stoneground cornmeal along with my farm fresh lard on my cast iron skillet and every time the cake was uncooked in the middle. Halfway through the batch, I added an egg which helped, but still wasn’t great.

    I have a book from childhood called Little Sarah and her Johnny cake which is a story circa 1830. In the book, Sarah’s grandmother tells her to quickly go make it (Johnny cake) in 1 minute mix and in 2 minutes bake it.

    This recipe is only conducive if you have a lazy day with plenty of time to stand at the for at least 12 min increments to fry every cake and not hungry on top of that.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      July 17, 2023 at 7:39 pm

      Hi Sarah, how is the fact that the Johnny Cakes take upwards of 12 minutes to cook indicative of a flaw in the recipe? I mean, that’s just how long a thick batter of stoneground cornmeal takes to cook. As for the poem you cited, I’m familiar with it. And ironically you’ve missed the very point of it: that things take patience and perseverance.

      Knowing something about the home cooks of yesteryear and that they were anything BUT lazy, my guess is that they’d be spending those 12 minutes working on other tasks.

      Reply
  4. Ann says

    June 20, 2023 at 12:37 pm

    I never knew why my johnnycakes never worked like the ones my mom made for me growing up. Mine always fell apart in the pan or weren’t cooked in the center but burned around the edges. Now I know why. I was not waiting long enough for the cornmeal to absorb the liquid, plus I was cooking over medium high heat. Using your instructions got me closer to the crispy, almost lacy cakes I remember. Unfortunately, I have a ceramic topped electric stove, so temperature control is harder than with a gas flame. Also, my cast iron pans will scratch my cooktop if I slide them on/off the burner to control how hot the oil is, so I’m going to concede defeat with the perfect texture. But the taste is exactly what I wanted, so thank you for reminding me of my childhood in New England.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      June 23, 2023 at 6:49 pm

      Hi Ann, have you tried placing parchment paper on top of your ceramic cooktop and then setting your cast iron skillet on it? It’s a great way to prevent scratching the cooktop’s surface and it doesn’t interfere with the heating. Here’s wishing you success in achieving the perfect texture in addition to the perfect flavor! :)

      Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    May 11, 2023 at 2:41 am

    This recipe does not work. The consistency is just too wet.

    Reply
    • Jo says

      May 11, 2023 at 6:57 am

      I agree a complete failure. I added some flour to hold it together.

      Reply
      • Kimberly Killebrew says

        May 11, 2023 at 7:13 am

        Hi Jo and anonymous, did you use stoneground cornmeal as opposed to instant cornmeal or some kind of cornmeal mix? Did you follow the steps to boil the water, gradually pour in the cornmeal and continue to cook and whisk it until the mixture is smooth? And then to let it sit for a full 15 minutes? And to let it sit longer if the mixture is still too wet? As noted, the consistency will become like that of mashed potatoes and if it’s still too wet let it sit longer. To put this into perspective, if you’ve made grits before the ratio for making grits is 2 1/2 cups water to 1/2 cup cornmeal. Johnnycakes call for double the amount of cornmeal (a full cup) so the texture will be much, much thicker than grits, definitely not too wet. Again, something definitely went wrong in the process for both of you and it was either using the wrong cornmeal or not following the instructions to cook it and then let it sit for the proper length of time.

        Reply
  6. Ted Ford says

    January 20, 2023 at 12:00 pm

    HOW MUCH WATER FOR TWO CUPS OF CORNMEAL

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      January 20, 2023 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Ted, the recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of water for 1 cup of cornmeal. So for 2 cups of cornmeal you’ll need to double the water to 5 cups.

      Reply
  7. Joshlynn says

    January 8, 2023 at 4:42 pm

    Could I use jiffy cornbread mix instead? I somehow have an unreasonable amount of them!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      January 9, 2023 at 9:19 am

      It’s certainly worth a try, Joshlynn!

      Reply
      • SBH says

        January 21, 2023 at 6:13 am

        Jiffy mix already has salt and sugar and likely has some wheat flour and baking powder or soda. But I think you could achieve the same result with just mixing it with the hot water and frying in the pan. Or just make the mix using the directions, adding egg, milk and butter, and then fry the batter like a pancake.

        Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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