Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread
In the winter there is nothing that beats a hot bowl of chili, soup, or stew with some cornbread to sop up every morsel of goodness! Then sometimes just plain cornbread is delicious all on its own for breakfast or a snack. Corn is indigenous to America. In fact, a corn spoonbread was probably first made by the native peoples and have been adopted by the generations to come.
ONWARD:
There is a debate about whether to add sweetness or not and to add baking powder or not. Well, I prefer a bit of sweetness but not too much. So, I use maple syrup, but honey could also be used. The baking powder will give a lift and fluffiness to this cornbread. Without is fine if you want a dense cornbread and some people do. For nutritional reasons, I use oat flour rather than all-purpose flour. No oat flour? Just put two-thirds cup of rolled oats in a blender or food processor until finely ground. To top off all that great flavor, caramelize the butter in the cast iron skillet. Keep the skillet warm before returning the batter to it to create a crispy, light, and deep-flavored cornbread.
See notes on how to easily make your own oat flour.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 ⅓ cup cornmeal
⅔ cup oat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the cornmeal, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a nine-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. As the foam decreases and the butter just begins to brown remove from the stove and pour into a large mixing bowl. (Be aware that the butter will go from brown to burnt very quickly!) Do not wipe out the skillet.
Whisk the maple syrup followed by the buttermilk into the browned butter. Let this mixture cool before whisking in the eggs. Fold in the dry whisked flour ingredients.
Briefly reheat the skillet if it has cooled. Spread the butter into it. Bake until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Cool in the skillet for ten minutes before slicing and serving.
Note: Can be cooled, well-wrapped, and frozen up to a week in advance. Thaw at room temperature, re-wrap in foil and reheat in a 350°F oven.
Oat flour can be made by processing rolled oats in a food processor or blender. The same amount of rolled oats will create an equal amount of flour.
Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread
In the winter there is nothing that beats a hot bowl of chili, soup, or stew with some cornbread to sop up every morsel of goodness! Then sometimes just plain cornbread is delicious all on its own for breakfast or a snack. This recipe creates a slightly-sweet, nutty, crust crisp, and light cornbread.
ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup cornmeal
- ⅔ cup oat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the cornmeal, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a nine-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. As the foam decreases and the butter just begins to brown remove from the stove and pour into a large mixing bowl. (Be aware that the butter will go from brown to burnt very quickly!) Do not wipe out the skillet.
- Whisk the maple syrup followed by the buttermilk into the browned butter. Let this mixture cool before whisking in the eggs. Fold in the dry whisked flour ingredients.
- Briefly reheat the skillet if it has cooled. Spread the butter into it. Bake until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Cool in the skillet for ten minutes before slicing and serving.
NOTES:
Can be cooled, well-wrapped, and frozen up to a week in advance. Thaw at room temperature, rewrap in foil and reheat in a 350°F oven. Oat flour can be made by processing rolled oats in a food processor or blender. The same amount of rolled oats will create an equal amount of flour.