From the roundup: 12 Easy Homemade Bread Recipes for Beginners
Skillet cornbread is one of those side dishes I make without looking at the recipe anymore, which says a lot given how many things I have going at once on a weeknight. The whole thing takes about 30 minutes, and most of that is baking time. You are actively doing something for maybe eight minutes, tops.
The cast iron skillet is not just for looks. You preheat it in the oven before the batter ever goes in, and that contact with a screaming hot pan is what gives you the crispy bottom crust. I learned this the hard way the first time I tried to skip it because I was in a hurry. The cornbread was fine, but it was just bread. Not the same thing.
This version uses a small amount of sugar, which keeps it from tasting like cake but rounds out the cornmeal flavor. It goes with chili, soup, pulled pork, or honestly just butter and a little honey if someone needs a snack before dinner is ready.
Why you will love this
- Ready in 30 minutes with no yeast and no rise time, so you can decide to make it after you are already starting dinner
- The preheated cast iron skillet creates a crispy bottom crust that a regular baking pan simply cannot replicate
- Uses ingredients most people already have: cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, egg, butter
- Slices into clean wedges straight from the skillet, so there is no separate serving dish to wash
- Works as a side for savory meals or goes sweet with honey or jam the next morning
Tips for success
- Do not skip preheating the skillet. Put it in the oven while you mix the batter and let it sit at 425 degrees for at least five minutes. The batter should sizzle the moment it hits the pan. No sizzle means the skillet was not hot enough.
- Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see dry flour streaks. A few lumps in the batter are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the crumb tight and dense instead of tender.
- Swirl the butter fast when it goes into the hot skillet. It will foam up quickly, and you want it coating the bottom and sides before the butter starts to brown too much. Heavy oven mitts are not optional here.
- Check at 20 minutes. Ovens vary, and cornbread can go from golden to overdone in a couple of minutes. A toothpick in the center and edges pulling slightly from the pan are your two reliable cues that it is done.
Common questions
- Can I use a different size skillet? A 10-inch skillet is what this recipe is written for. A 12-inch pan will give you a thinner, drier cornbread. A smaller pan may need a few extra minutes and could overflow.
- My cornbread came out gummy in the middle: this usually means the oven temperature was off or the skillet was not hot enough going in. An oven thermometer is worth having if this happens more than once.
- Can I use white cornmeal instead of yellow? Yes, the flavor is slightly milder but the texture and method are exactly the same.
- Is this cornbread sweet or savory? It leans savory. The single tablespoon of sugar is just enough to balance the cornmeal without making it taste like a muffin.
Substitutions
No buttermilk: stir one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into one cup of whole milk and let it sit for five minutes before using. It works well here. For a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk with the same vinegar trick and swap the butter for a neutral oil like avocado or vegetable oil in equal amounts.
You can use a medium-grind cornmeal instead of fine for a slightly coarser, more rustic texture. Both work. If you want to cut the sugar entirely, you can, though the cornmeal flavor will be a bit more pronounced. My kids prefer it with the sugar left in.
Make-ahead and storage
You can whisk the dry ingredients together up to two days ahead and leave them covered at room temperature. Mix in the wet ingredients and bake right before you want to serve it. Cornbread is really at its best fresh out of the skillet, and the crispy crust softens as it sits.
Leftovers keep wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days. To reheat, set a slice in a dry skillet over low heat for two to three minutes per side. This brings the crust back better than a microwave does. If you are in a hurry, a damp paper towel and 25 seconds in the microwave will do the job. I do not recommend freezing this one. The texture after thawing is noticeably drier and the crust does not recover.
Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place your 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Let the skillet heat for at least five minutes while you mix the batter. This step is what gives you that crispy bottom crust, so do not skip it.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or spatula just until the batter comes together. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes cornbread tough, so stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using heavy oven mitts. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter directly to the skillet and swirl it around quickly so it coats the bottom and sides. The butter will sizzle and foam, and that is exactly what you want.
- Immediately pour the batter into the hot buttered skillet. It should sizzle when it hits the pan. Smooth the top lightly with your spatula, then return the skillet to the oven.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges will have pulled away slightly from the sides of the skillet. Let it cool in the pan for five minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.
Notes
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