Dolly Parton's cornbread recipe is the comfort food we need right now

• Country music icon Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80, leaving behind a vast legacy.
• Parton co-authored a cookbook, "Good Lookin' Cookin'," with her sister, featuring over 80 comfort food recipes.
• The article highlights Parton's Skillet Cornbread recipe as a tribute to her Southern roots.

All day yesterday, I found myself thinking the same thing: what a gift it was to live in Dolly Parton's world.

The “Queen of Country” passed away yesterday, on August 25, at age 80, leaving behind an enduring legacy that stretches far beyond her catalog of iconic songs and unforgettable film roles.

As tributes continue to pour in across the internet, I've decided to revisit the parts of Dolly's legacy that quietly shaped everyday life. While I adore her music and could happily quote “Steel Magnolias” from memory, it's her cookbook, “Good Lookin' Cookin’,” that has maintained a permanent spot in my kitchen (and life).

Parton wrote the cookbook in collaboration with her sister, Rachel Parton George, binding over 80 comfort food recipes, seasonal hosting menus, and warm family stories into a singular literary treat that's as delicious as it is quintessentially Dolly.

My own copy is pretty worn after providing plenty of meal inspiration over the years, which feels fitting for a book inspired by gathering around the table. If Dolly Parton's life, and now legacy, embodied a big warm hug, then her recipe book captures that essence beautifully.

Its pages are full of comfort meals ranging from mac and cheese and banana pudding to fried catfish and cornbread dishes galore (she really loved corn).

Dolly's Skillet Cornbread recipe, in particular, is among my favorites; and in remembrance of a woman who brought comfort and joy to so many people, I pulled out my copy of "Good Lookin' Cookin'" to whip up the comfort dish I think we could all use right now — and shared it below if you'd like to make it, too.

►Related: Drew Barrymore swears by this 'dreamy' cookware set — and it's on rare sale

How to make the recipe that best captures Dolly Parton's Southern roots

The best Dolly Parton recipes are brought to life in this family-made cookbook, developed alongside her sister, Rachel, which celebrates the Southern flavors and dishes that were embedded within their Tennessee-raised family.

Dolly's Skillet Cornbread Recipe

I pulled this straight from Parton's "Good Lookin' Cookin'" cookbook, which is available for purchase from retailers like Target.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons bacon grease or shortening
• 2 cups Martha White or White Lily self-rising buttermilk-enriched white cornmeal mix
• 1.5 cups whole buttermilk, well shaken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Take a well-seasoned, 8-inch cast-iron skillet and heat the bacon grease or shortening in it on a medium-heat stovetop until smoking hot.
3. Remove from the burner.
4. Separately, in a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal mix, buttermilk, salt, and pepper together.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of the hot grease or shortening to the batter and mix together well.
6. Pour the batter into the hot skillet, and then place the skillet in the oven; bake about 25 minutes, just until golden brown.
7. Finally, remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
8. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Why corn is a recurring character in Dolly Parton's cookbook

If you're familiar with Dolly Parton's legacy and life, then you'll know that cornbread dishes and corn recipes are a common theme throughout her cookbook.

As Parton herself famously revealed, the revered singer and songwriter was born to an impoverished Tennessee family in January 1946; at the time, her family had no money to pay the doctor, so her father traded the physician a sack of cornmeal instead (no joke!).

Now, cornmeal is a staple ingredient in Parton's most beloved recipes; her "Good Lookin' Cookin'" cookbook has a skillet cornbread recipe, cast-iron cornbread sticks recipe, and even a holiday-ready cornbread dressing recipe.

You can make all of these corn dishes from scratch at home, but if you'd like a quicker route, you can also buy her Duncan Hines Dolly Parton's Sweet Cornbread & Muffin Mix at Walmart.

►Related: The Dolly Parton Experience at Dollywood