Skillet Cornbread
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I am a huge sucker for a great piece of cornbread. It’s something I only make occasionally at home, but I’ve had some absolutely fantastic finds at restaurants lately. Over the summer, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I met friends at Copper Canyon Grill when we went to DC for the weekend, and devoured their iron skillet cornbread. Here in Pittsburgh, I recently discovered the amazing cornbread at the Double Wide Grill. No matter what I order to eat there – brunch, lunch, dinner, it doesn’t matter – I ask for a side of cornbread. It’s wonderfully fluffy and crusty, and served with warm butter. I’m convinced there’s nothing better.
I take that back. The only thing better is making it home, and making it just as good. Even though I have a favorite cornbread recipe, I knew that to get that crunchy crust that I’ve fallen in love with, I needed to bake it in a cast iron skillet.
The result was just as I had hoped – a wonderfully tender cornbread with a buttery crust. As a bonus, this is probably the easiest cornbread recipe I have ever made. All you need to do is whisk together the dry ingredients, then whisk together the buttermilk and egg, stir it all together and pour it into the preheated cast iron skillet with melted butter. If that doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, I don’t know what will!
While there’s always room for things like bacon, cheese and jalapeños in cornbread, there’s something magical about pure cornbread. Put on a pot of chili and get your cast iron skillet ready!
One year ago: Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
Two years ago: Salted Caramel Popcorn, Pretzel and Peanut Bars
Three years ago: Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins with Pecan Streusel
Four years ago: Potato Rosemary Bread
Five years ago: French Toast
Six years ago: Brown Sugar Raisin Bread
Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (198.75 g) yellow cornmeal
- 1¼ cups (156.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoons (1.25 teaspoons) kosher salt
- 1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon, stir the batter together until completely combined.
- Put the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven, swirl the butter around to coat the bottom and sides, then pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top and bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This is a keeper..just polished off my first slice,delicious! I changed recipe by using 1 1/2 c of cornmeal,1 c of flour,1tbs of sugar..no kosher salt,so used table salt,about 1 scant tsp..no butter,used avocado oil….thanks for the recipe!
Made this yesterday! It was excellent! My new go-to recipe for cornbread!
I am still surprised when a cornbread is touted as pure cornbread but is actually half flour. Have you ever had cornbread made only with corn meal? There’s a big difference. One is cornbread and the other is cake/corn bread. No, I did not try the recipe.
My husband said this is the best cornbread he’s ever tasted. I agreed.
I couldn’t stand cornbread until I made this recipe… OMG, this is sinful! Absolutely amazing cornbread recipe! So delicious, thank you for sharing.
Oh my goodness what can I say except this recipe is absolute perfection! I did not change anything and let the cast iron and butter get very hot before adding the dough. It was very thick but spread easily because of the heat from the pan and the butter. It was done in 20 minutes with a moist center and a wonderfully crispy buttery crust…yum!! My hubby loved it too so this is a definate keeper. Thank You ?
You have to try the skillet cornbread at the juniper grill.(Pittsburgh pa.). The Best!
I’ve had it, and I agree – it IS the best!
I made this last night with my new 12 inch cast iron pan and it turned out so good also made chuck wagon beans with ground beef and onions nom nom nom…
I’ve made this many times & love it. I usually do half the recipe in an 8″ skillet, same baking time.
What did I do wrong? I followed this recipe to the letter, except for the length of time that I baked it. Toothpick came out clean at 17 minutes. But the cornbread was pretty tasteless and it didn’t have a very crispy crust. Please know I am not criticizing the BEB. I know it’s Martha Stewart’s recipe. It was moist and fluffy but totally bland. I’m so disappointed, I wanted so much to love this.
God bless the cast iron skillet! I’m making this tomorrow to go with a big pot of chili. I like my cornbread on the sweet side. I’m hoping a little extra sugar won’t affect how it turns out.
If you really want to be sinful…. you must use rendered bacon grease instead of the butter!
Perfect cornbread! The cornbread just came out of the oven and it is amazing. I baked it for 20 minutes, great crust! Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
I heat the skillet for about ten minutes and get it nice and hot, swirl it with melted butter, then pour the cornbread batter into hot skillet, and bake. This step gives the cornbread a nice, light, crispy, crust. Learned this from an old chuck wagon cook. She said all the cowhands loved it with their coffee and eggs in the morning. They also liked it with many other dishes she cooked. One of her cowhands favorite was her backed beans. OMG best beans ever. She gave me this secret family recipe . However, I promised I would not share it, But let me tell you, when I bring these beans to a family/friend get together, they disappear fast and they ask for more. Sometimes I will make two batches and it is still not enough.
God Bless You and Yours
Nancy
Did not really like this recipe. I usually don’t trust Martha Stuart recipes but I went ahead and tried it anyway. The corn bread tastes like flour and its bottom crust is tough.
I had the same problem when I made this tonight…not good. There was no flavor, did taste like flour or baking soda, no corn taste at all. This blog has never dissapointed me, so I was surprised when I did not love this. I agree, Martha Stewarts food has never done much for me as well.
I wasn’t impressed either. It was very moist but had no flavor, and the crust wasn’t crispy at all. I hate wasting ingredients like that, but I’m sure I’ll try other recipes until I find one that’s good.
I’m making this with lentil soup tonight and cannot wait to see how it turns out! You always have the best recipes!
Will you be my best friend?! Every time I google a recipe and your blog comes up I know I can count on it being just what I’m looking for. I think I can dedicate an entire board on Pinterest for your recipes. Thanks for sharing your talent!
Whenever I make a pot of beans I have corn bread with it. I always have bacon in my beans so after frying the bacon in my pot along with other things I add to the beans I always keep 3 table spoons of the bacon grease. I put the 3 table spoons of bacon grease in my cast iron 10 ” skillet and put it in my oven. With the temp set at what the recipe calls for. I make my corn bread recipe and then take the skillet out of the oven ”It’s hot” be careful it make smoke a little but it has ”never” caused a problems with the finished corn bread. I pour the corn bread into the very hot skillet with the 3 table spoons of the bacon grease put the skillet in the oven and let it bake. This recipe has never failed me. I check the corn bread with a tooth pick about the time recommended. The bottom and sides are nice and crispy and the top crunchy. As the late Ustan ”Justin” Wilson would say. Man dat’s finger lickin good.