This recipe is for making a delicious, golden cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. It combines the rich, slightly sweet flavors of honey and sugar with the classic texture of yellow cornmeal. The process begins by preheating the oven to 375°F and heating a cast iron skillet to achieve a crispy crust on the cornbread.
The dry ingredients — all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar — are mixed in a large bowl, and a well is created in the center for the wet ingredients. A stick of unsalted butter is melted, with one tablespoon reserved for later use. The rest of the butter, along with oil, honey, eggs, and buttermilk, is added to the dry mixture and stirred just until combined to avoid overmixing, which could result in a dense texture.
Once the skillet is hot, it’s removed from the oven and coated with the reserved melted butter using a pastry brush, ensuring the butter reaches up the sides of the skillet to prevent sticking. The batter is quickly poured into the skillet, which is returned to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes. A large pan can be placed beneath the skillet during baking to catch any overflow and simplify cleanup.
The cornbread is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. After it’s done, it cools briefly, and an optional topping of additional honey and butter can be added for extra flavor and richness.
This method produces a flavorful, moist cornbread with a slightly crisp, buttery crust, perfect as a side for soups, chilis, or as a standalone treat.
Honey Butter Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted, divided
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° and place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar until combined. Make a well in the center.
- Melt the butter, reserving 1 tablespoon. Add the remaining melted butter, oil, honey, eggs, and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the hot skillet. Add the reserved tablespoon of melted butter, using a pastry brush to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet.
- Pour the batter into the skillet and place it back in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For easy cleanup, you can place a large pan under the skillet to catch any spills.
- Once baked, remove the cornbread and let it cool on the counter. If desired, top with extra honey and a tablespoon of butter before serving.