In my experience, there are three basic types of cornbread. The first is minimally sweetened, heavy on the cornmeal, with a whole-grainy texture. Second is a variation on the first but with stuff mixed in, stuff like cheese, corn kernels, chili peppers, bacon and the like. And then there’s the third category, which I’ve gone ahead and called Sweet Cornbread so there’s no mistaking how unabashedly cakelike it really is.
Soft, moist and tenderly crumbly, this cornbread should not be complicated by the addition of cheese or spicy or savory bits; it’s best unadulterated and served hot with a big smear of salted butter. If you want to lean into the sweetness, a drizzle of honey never hurts, especially if you’re having it for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with coffee or herb tea.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is alongside a bowl of Firepit Chili – the spicier the chili, the better the contrast with the sweetness of the cornbread.
It would also pair well with fried chicken, barbecued baby back ribs, jalapeno-marinated sirloin , or really any casual American-style or Tex-Mex dish.
I always make cornbread in a cast iron skillet. I preheat the empty skillet in the oven until it’s sizzling hot, then throw in a knob of butter just before adding the cornbread batter. When the batter hits the hot skillet it will immediately start to form an addictively buttery, crispy crust.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any non-stick, oven-safe skillet will work – or use an 8-inch square baking pan, in which case don’t preheat the pan, just butter it generously before pouring in the batter.
Prep tips. making this ahead, and what to do with leftovers:
- Just like pancakes, if you want to get a head start on mixing cornbread you can toss together the dry ingredients and store them at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Although this doesn’t seem like much of shortcut, it makes a difference if you’re making cornbread as part of a big meal, or for breakfast – not having to get out the bins and tins and the scale for measuring does feel like a blessing when you’re preparing a bunch of other dishes, or still half asleep.
- Sweet Cornbread is delicious at room temperature, but over-the-top yummy when hot from the oven. This does not mean it can’t be made ahead – in fact, reheating makes the crispy edges even crispier. If you bake the cornbread early in the day, let it cool in the skillet and leave it in the skillet, uncovered at room temperature, until needed. (If you make it the night before, remove the cornbread from the skillet and wrap it in plastic wrap.) When you’re read to serve, heat the oven to 350. Remove the cornbread from the skillet and place the entire cornbread – or half or a wedge of it if you don’t plan to serve all of it – directly on the oven rack. Reheat until it’s heated through and browned and crispy on the edges. How long it will take to reheat depends on how big a chunk you’re reheating – half a cornbread should take about 15 minutes, individual pieces a bit less.
- Leftovers will keep for several days, well-wrapped at room temperature. Enjoy at room temperature or reheat as described above. Cornbread also freezes well, double wrapped in plastic wrap and then a freezer-safe, zip-lock bag, for up to a couple of months.
Sweet Cornbread
Bake this cornbread in a cast-iron skillet for the crispiest edges. If you don't have one, use another type of non-stick, oven-safe skillet. You can also use an 8-inch square baking pan, in which case don't preheat the pan as described in the recipe steps, just use the 7th tablespoon of butter to grease it generously before pouring in the batter.
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups (180 grams or 6 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon Morton’s)
Directions
- Step 1 Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2 Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter.
- Step 3 Combine the egg and buttermilk in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and whisk until blended. Set aside.
- Step 4 Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well-blended. Stir in the buttermilk mixture, just until combined, but there will still be a few lumps. Add the melted butter and stir just until combined. Set the batter aside to rest for 15 minutes. Place a 9-inch cast iron or other non-stick, oven safe skillet in the oven to preheat while the batter rests.
- Step 5 Use a thick oven mitt to remove the skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet, and swirl the skillet around to melt the butter and allow it run all over the bottom and up the sides. As soon as the butter is melted, pour in the batter, using a silicone spatula to scrape it all in.
- Step 6 Bake the cornbread for 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you’re baking in a smaller or larger skillet, or a baking pan that wasn’t preheated, your baking time might vary slightly.) Let the cornbread cool in the skillet for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
