Watching Ma (Crosby Fitzgerald) work her magic in the kitchen throughout Little House on the Prairie Season 1 is enough to make anyone wish they could pull up a chair at the Ingalls family table. While we can’t promise dinner in the little house, we can help you make one of its most comforting staples.

Inspired by the meals that have nourished generations of readers and viewers alike, this recipe captures the simple, hearty cooking that made the Ingalls house feel like home. Adapted by Jennifer Brallier from the cornbread recipe in The Little House Cookbook, it brings a taste of pioneer cooking to your own table — especially when served warm with a generous pat of butter.

For Rebecca Friendly, COO of Friendly Family Productions, the enduring appeal of Ma’s cornbread begins with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writing itself. “Laura Ingalls Wilder had a gift for writing about food in such vivid detail that you can practically smell the cornbread coming off the page,” she tells Tudum. “That’s why dishes like Ma’s cornbread remain so memorable to generations of readers to this day.”

Follow the full recipe below, and make a batch worthy of Ma herself.

10-inch cast-iron skillet
measuring cups
measuring spoons
mixing bowl

2 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter for the skillet
2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2 to 3 tablespoons cracklings (optional)

PHOTO BY ERIC ZACHANOWICH

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven with 2 to 4 tablespoons of butter or bacon drippings. Let it get very hot. You want it sizzling when the batter hits, so you get those crispy, golden edges.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and cracklings, if using.
3. Pour in the boiling water and stir well. The batter will thicken and soften the cornmeal, giving it that old-fashioned texture that feels like it’s straight out of a prairie kitchen.
4. Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the ¼ cup melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk. The batter should be thick but still pourable. If it feels too stiff, add a small splash of milk.
5. Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven. Pour in the batter. It should sizzle immediately. Return to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Remove from oven. The edges should be crispy and pulling away from the skillet, and the center should be set but still moist. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
7. Optional finishes: Brush the top with melted butter; drizzle with honey, maple syrup, or molasses; or spoon extra bacon drippings over the top for a more savory finish.
   
   Your cornbread is ready. Now head back to the frontier with Little House on the Prairie Season 1, now streaming on Netflix.