I hate to admit it, but I often use the quick Trader Joe’s cornbread mix when we want cornbread as a side. It is sweet and cake-like and yummy. But… My South Carolina-raised husband and I know that this barely sweetened skillet cornbread is the “real deal” southern cornbread. COMPLETELY different from a box mix. The crust was crunchy and buttery; the inside moist and tender- delicious!! The entire kitchen filled with the wonderful smell of nutty browned butter as it baked too. 🙂
This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. The recipe makes a GIGANTIC 12-inch skillet (almost) filled to the rim with cornbread. We ate it with Vegetarian Chili with Winter Vegetables and a green salad but had plenty of leftovers for breakfast. The leftover cornbread was wonderful reheated in a toaster oven- and buttered. We also slathered it with homemade Peach-Vanilla Bean Jam. YUM!
Yield: One 12-inch skillet cornbread (or 9×13-inch), about 12 servings (1/2 the recipe could be made in a 9-inch skillet)
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)/170 grams unsalted butter
- ½ cup/120 ml maple syrup
- 2 ¼ cups/530 ml buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups/180 grams yellow cornmeal, fine or medium-coarse grind
- ½ cup/65 grams whole wheat flour
- ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons/18 grams baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons/9 grams kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon/5 grams baking soda
- Heat oven to 375 degrees (on convection).
- On the stovetop, in a 11- or 12-inch skillet (ovenproof and preferably cast iron), melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan to lightly coat sides and bottom, until the foam subsides and the butter turns a deep nut brown. (Watch carefully to see that it does not burn.)(As it is difficult to assess the color in a dark pan, I checked the color in a teaspoon!)
- Pour brown butter into a large bowl. (Do not wipe out the pan.)
- Whisk the maple syrup into the butter, then whisk in buttermilk. The mixture should be cool to the touch; if not, let cool before whisking in the eggs.
- Then whisk in the cornmeal, flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- If the skillet is no longer hot (cast iron retains heat longer than other metals), reheat it briefly on the stove for a few minutes. Scrape batter back into it.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into it emerges clean, about 25 minutes (on convection), or up to 30 to 40 minutes in a standard oven. Cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before slicing.
One Year Ago:
Two Years Ago:
I love the adding Maple Syrup, I will try that next time…YUM!!! 🙂
The syrup gives it such a lovely, subtle sweetness- mmmm! 🙂
Mmm, brown butter recipes are dangerous for me, because I feel the need to try all of them! And maple syrup with brown butter is just plain irresistible!
Yes! the skillet is icing on the cake- I have to try all of those too…. 😉
I tried this recipe last night. It was great! The kids loved it!
Yay!! 🙂
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could i substitute masa for the cornbread?
I’ve heard that masa is a delicious substitution! Please LMK how it turns out. 🙂
I don’t have wheat flour. Can I use all white?
Yes! 🙂 Just add an additional 60 grams of all-purpose flour (1/2 cup).