Browned Butter Skillet Cornbread
For a crispier, savory cornbread, we bake the batter in a pool of browned butter in a ripping hot cast iron skillet.
- MakesMakes one 10-inch cornbread
- Cook Time30 minutes
- Active time plus cooling15 minutes active, plus cooling
- 4
This cornbread is made with only cornmeal—no wheat flour—and just 2 teaspoons sugar, so it’s closer in flavor and texture to Southern cornbread than to sweet, cakey-crumbed Northern style. We brown the butter for the batter and for coating the skillet, which brings rich, nutty notes to complement the flavor of the corn. For best flavor, opt for stone-ground fine cornmeal, but standard cornmeal works, too. A cast-iron skillet, 10 inches in diameter, produces a fantastic, deeply browned, crisp bottom crust and nice, straight sides. A conventional skillet (not nonstick) with an oven-safe handle is fine, too, but the bottom of the bread will be lighter in color and not quite as crisp, and the sides will be rounded because of the skillet’s sloped shape. We like to invert the cornbread out of the pan for serving, but if you prefer you can cut wedges right in the skillet, though the bottom will soften slightly as it cools.
Don’t pour the batter into the pan until the skillet has heated a couple of minutes, and be sure to warm the batter until bubbling at the edges before sliding the skillet into the oven. This quickly sets the bottom surface and jumpstarts the baking, which aids with browning and prevents the bread from sticking to the pan come time to serve.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs.
Step 2
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium, heat the butter, stirring, until it begins to smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Pour 6 tablespoons of the butter into the dry ingredients, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan; set the skillet off the heat. Whisk the buttermilk-egg mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth.
Step 3
Return the skillet to medium and cook the remaining butter, stirring, until the milk solids are toasted and browned, about 2 minutes. Coat the sides of the skillet with butter by either swirling the pan or with a brush. Pour in the batter and cook, without stirring, until bubbling at the edges, about 1 minute. Transfer to the oven and bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out with few crumbs attached, 15 to 18 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer the skillet to a wire rack (the handle will be hot). Cool for about 5 minutes, then invert the cornbread onto the rack, removing the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Step 5
Chipotle-Honey Butter: In a medium bowl, combine 113 grams (8 tablespoons) salted butter (room temperature), 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chili in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce and a pinch of kosher salt. Whip with a hand mixer on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Step 6
Jalapeño-Scallion Butter: In a medium bowl, combine 113 grams (8 tablespoons) salted butter (room temperature), 2 scallions (thinly sliced), 1 small jalapeño chili (stemmed, seeded and minced), 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 teaspoon lime juice, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and a pinch of kosher salt. Whip with a hand mixer on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
