This cornbread recipe is buttery, moist, and made with the perfect balance of flavors. Baking it in a cast-iron skillet is perfect for making the exterior crisp while the inside stays soft and fluffy. Skillet cornbread is ready in just 30 minutes and with simple ingredients, you will want to make it again and again!
If you haven't had skillet cornbread before you are in for a real treat. A cast-iron skillet is the perfect baking vessel because it retains heat and makes the edges super crispy and golden brown. If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, you can make this recipe in a greased casserole dish, for best results: preheat the dish in the oven so that it's hot when you pour in the batter.
Ingredients for Cornbread:
Cornmeal. Cornmeal is made from dried ground corn. You can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store, near the cornstarch. A good ratio of flour to cornmeal is key for the perfect texture and flavor. Using more cornmeal than flour will make a more crumbly cornbread. Using more flour than cornmeal will make a denser, cakier cornbread. For this recipe, I found a 1:1 ratio gave the best result.
Honey. For whatever reason, there seems to be controversy over whether or not to use sugar in cornbread recipes. I don't understand this, because after testing this recipe several times it is very clear to me that honey is crucial for the best tasting cornbread.
Whole milk. I know it's not typical, but I found the flavor of buttermilk to be slightly overpowering. Whole milk is more subtle and makes the cornbread moist.
How to Make Skillet Cornbread:
Start by melting the butter in the skillet, which greases it and makes it nice and hot. Then whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter with honey, egg, and whole milk. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, pour into the hot skillet, and bake.
*How do you know when cornbread is done?
You'll know your cornbread is done baking when the surface and edges are crispy and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
What to serve cornbread with:
- Chili: A classic combination that is always a winner.
- Soups: chowders, tortilla, split pea, tortellini, chicken noodle, potato
- Stews
- Roasted veggies
📖 RECIPE
Skillet Cornbread
Equipment
- 10" cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Melt the butter in a 10" cast-iron skillet.
- Add the melted butter to a separate bowl, whisk in honey, egg, and milk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the cast-iron skillet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top is crispy and golden brown.
Yolanda
Love this recipe!! Just changed the sweetener from honey to pure maple syrup!! Thank you!!!