cold as cornbread
Real cold, like leftover cornbread on the counter.
Also called cold as yesterday's cornbread.
Updated September 21, 2026
cold as cornbread pronunciation
/KOHLD az KORN-bred/
Meaning
A Southern kitchen simile for bitter cold weather, or for a person acting chilly. Cornbread is best hot out of the skillet; once it sits, especially overnight, it turns stiff and unwelcome. Folks stretch it to "cold as yesterday's cornbread" when they want extra color.
How folks use it
- “That wind off the ridge is cold as cornbread this morning.”
- “She spoke polite enough, but her hello was cold as cornbread.”
Origin and etymology
Grew out of everyday Southern and Appalachian food talk. Exact first print is hard to pin, but the joke only works where leftover cornbread is a known kitchen fact. It sits with other country cold comparisons that borrow from the supper table.