Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

Name: Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: 12 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (may sub honey); 2 cups buttermilk (may sub for lactose-free milk/coconut milk + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar – see notes); 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal (may sub for a fine or medium grind); 1 cup gluten-free baking flour mix (may sub for all purpose flour if you are not GF); 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp sea salt

January 15, 2020 By Whip & Wander 34 Comments

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So much better than a blue box

Growing up, If there was a pot of chili brewing, you could be certain that there would be a big batch of cornbread with plenty of butter and honey to accompany it as well. You learned very quickly to be assertive when you grabbed your portion because there was no such thing as leftover cornbread in my house. The same is true for this Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread. Not only did my two-person household polish off an entire batch of this cornbread in 2 days when I made it recently, but I went on to make another batch immediately after that.

This Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread is my take on southern cornbread, with a lightly sweetened buttermilk base, a coarse yellow cornmeal crumb, and a perfectly caramelized crust due to the baking magic of a good cast-iron skillet. If that weren’t delicious enough, this cornbread sets itself apart with a healthy dose of brown butter, which offers subtly nutty, toasty, and caramelized notes among its buttery swirls.

It’s safe to say that this recipe is nothing like your basic “blue box” cornbread.

Northern Cornbread vs. Southern Cornbread

Northern cornbread is often considered sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than southern cornbread. It generally utilizes a finely ground white or yellow cornmeal, calls for milk more often than buttermilk, and includes more eggs and sugar than its southern counterpart. Northern cornbread is also often baked in a traditional baking dish rather than cast-iron and sliced into squares like a sheet cake. I would consider the classic “blue box” cornbread and many others found in the cake mix section of the grocery store to be northern style cornbread.

Opinions on what constitutes southern cornbread vary wildly, with some claiming that a true southern cornbread is devoid of sugar, while others claiming that they’ve never seen a cornbread come out of a southern kitchen that wasn’t sweetened considerably. The one thing that nearly everyone can agree on though, is that southern cornbread must be baked in a cast-iron pan rather than a baking dish. I particularly love this tradition because cornbread baked in cast iron develops a gorgeous caramelized crust that is, in my opinion, the most delicious part of the bread. Southern cornbread is also generally made with buttermilk rather than regular milk and often utilizes yellow cornmeal rather than white. However, the coarseness of the grind can be anywhere from finely ground to very coarse; the latter of which is my favorite option to use.

What type of cornmeal should I use?

I prefer a coarsely ground cornmeal for this Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread because I think it lends a superior texture when baked in a cast-iron pan. The coarse grind offers a larger crumb to the finished bake, and though this cornbread is still very soft, there are plenty of crunchy cornmeal bits that get toasted along the way.

I prefer to use this cornmeal because it literally contains only one ingredient: whole grain corn. So many of the other cornmeal products sitting on the grocery store shelves are filled with unnecessary fillers, thickeners, and stabilizers that alter the flavor and texture of the finished product. If you would prefer to use a medium grind or fine grind for this cornbread you may adjust for your own preference, but I highly suggest you choose a cornmeal that only contains corn.

*One item of note for strict gluten-free eaters: The cornmeal that I’ve linked to does not contain gluten on it’s the label (because corn does not contain gluten), but it is not specifically labeled gluten-free as it is not packaged in a strictly gluten-free facility. If you are highly gluten-sensitive, they offer a medium grind option that is specifically labeled gluten-free.

Can I swap the buttermilk out for regular milk?

Yes, but I highly suggest you don’t because it offers a delicious buttery tang that really elevates the flavor of this Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread. If you go to make a batch and you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, or you are sensitive to the lactose in buttermilk and need an alternative, you can swap the buttermilk out for an equivalent amount of lactose-free milk or coconut milk + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. For best results, portion out your milk and add the vinegar directly to the milk to sour for 5 minutes before making the batter.

How to brown butter

Set a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally.
As the butter melts it will begin to foam. Watch the pan closely during this process as the color will quickly change from buttery yellow, to golden, to toasty brown.
Once the butter has reached a stage where it is golden brown with some toasty dark brown bits, remove it from the stove immediately and carefully transfer to a heatproof bowl. *Because the cast-iron skillet you’re working with is black, it is even more imperative that you watch closely as it will be more difficult to see this transition than if you were using a light-colored pan. Butter can transition from a lovely toasty brown to burned and black in a matter of seconds.

What should I serve this Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread with?

As a side with chili, like this Chili with Butternut Squash or this Chicken Poblano Chili
As a side with soup, like this Chunky Tomato Basil Soup, this Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, or this Chicken Enchilada Soup
With saucy brunch dishes, like this Shakshuka
As a swap for brunch biscuits with Sausage Gravy
As a BBQ staple alongside this Spicy Cabbage Slaw
As a side for BBQ Chicken or this BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch
Alongside Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hock
As a delicious side for salads like this Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado, this Creamy Raspberry Kale Salad, or this Wedge Salad with Horseradish Bleu Cheese Dressing
As a base in place of sandwich bread for this Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad or this French Chicken Salad
Smothered in savory 5-Minute Pimento Cheese or sweet Spiced Peach Butter
With a sweet or savory compote butter
Simply with a tab of simple salted butter and honey

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

Storage and Freezing

This Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

You can freeze this cornbread in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

A note for special diets

This Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread is refined sugar-free and can easily accommodate gluten-free diets.

My preferred gluten-free flour mix is this one by Bob’s Red Mill. If you aren’t gluten-free, you can easily swap the GF flour out for traditional all-purpose flour.

If you’d like to make this recipe friendly for lactose-free diets, you can swap out the buttermilk for an equivalent amount of lactose-free milk or coconut milk + 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. For best results, portion out your milk and add the vinegar directly to the milk to sour for 5 minutes before making the batter.