This Skillet Cornbread is cooked in a cast-iron skillet, and served with a sweet and spicy Piment d’Espelette Honey Butter! It has just the right amount of cornmeal for flavor, with a moist and tender crumb.
If you think of fall food (especially Thanksgiving), you’ll probably think of cornbread. I admit I was not always a fan of cornbread, but over the past few years it has really grown on me! I probably didn’t like it because the cornbreads I had tried in the past were dry and flavorless. This cornbread, on the other hand, has the perfect flavor balance between savory corn flavor and a little bit of sweetness, highlighted by the spicy honey butter on top.
Don’t get turned off by the size of the recipe card… I know I can be very wordy (sorry!!). But I always like to err on the side of over-explaining vs. under-explaining. I try to anticipate any question a reader may have when making my recipe, and answer it in advance. So hopefully when you make this Skillet Cornbread, it’ll come out a success! Enjoy!
For more delicious autumn side dishes, try these Pumpkin Pinwheels, these Thanksgiving Breadcrumbs, or this Whipped Pumpkin Feta Dip!
Skillet Cornbread + Spicy Honey Butter
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 135 g AP Flour 1 cup + 2 tbsp
- 136 g Yellow Cornmeal 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp
- 99 g Granulated Sugar 1/2 cup
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Egg at room temperature
- 1 Egg Yolk at room temperature
- 170 g Buttermilk 3/4 cup
- 113 g Salted Butter, Melted 8 tbsp
- 25 g Olive Oil 2 tbsp
Spicy Piment d'Espelette Honey Butter
- 57 g Salted Butter, Melted 4 tbsp
- 1 Tsp Piment d'Espelette see notes
- 21 g Honey 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Before making this recipe, make sure your cast iron skillet is well-seasoned.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Coat the interior of your cast iron skillet with olive oil, wiping off any excess with a paper towel. You just want a thin layer of olive oil.
- Begin by melting your butter in a medium, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Once it's melted, let it cool slightly so that it's not super hot (you don't want to curdle the eggs when you add them). Once it's cooled a bit, whisk in the room-temperature buttermilk and olive oil.
- Then, add in the egg and egg yolk and whisk until that mixture is evenly combined. Set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk together until evenly combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix together until totally combined.
- Pour the batter into the oiled cast iron skillet, and use a spatula and smooth out the top. The texture at this point should more of a paste, not a liquid. Let the batter rest in the skillet at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Then, bake your cornbread in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, when poked into the cornbread about 2 inches from the edge of the skillet.
- While the cornbread is baking, make the spicy honey butter. Melt the butter and stir in the Piment d'Espelette and the honey.
- When the cornbread is done, and while it's still hot from the oven, brush the spicy butter over the top.
- Let the cornbread cool before cutting into slices. The best way to do this is to tilt the skillet upside down and remove the entire cornbread. From there, you can place it on a plate and cut it into slices.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to use corn MEAL and not corn flour.
- Do not preheat the skillet before baking!!
- Baking disclaimer: From 2025 on, I will be posting ALL of my baking recipes in grams. I will still provide Imperial, volume measurements in the notes, but I HIGHLY recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. I have this one from KitchenAid (affiliate link) and it’s super, super easy to use. Baking with a scale is more accurate and much easier.
- If you are opting not to use a kitchen scale, please do not ignore the additional tablespoons of certain ingredients when baking. Since baking requires precision, don’t skip those units!
- Piment d’Espelette is a Basque dried pepper that has a beautifully complex aroma and taste. You can get it on Amazon here (affiliate link). If you don’t want to purchase it, you can use regular hot paprika, or cayenne for a spicier butter.
Nutrition
Skillet Cornbread + Spicy Honey Butter FAQs
How long will this cornbread last?
This cornbread will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Can I make Skillet Cornbread ahead of time?
You can make it up to a day ahead of time, but it’s best when made the same day!
Where can I get Piment d’Espelette?
You can get it on Amazon (affiliate link) for your convenience.
How do I keep cornbread from sticking in a cast iron skillet?
Make sure your cornbread is WELL SEASONED. Seasoning a cast iron means building up a natural, protective coating on the pan’s surface using oil. You do this by greasing a cast-iron pan with oil, then baking it in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, then letting it cool in the oven.
When you put the cast iron through the seasoning process, the oil bonds to the metal through a process called polymerization, creating a nonstick finish. This layer not only helps prevent food from sticking, but also protects the cast iron from rust and moisture. This is what helps the cornbread from sticking!
Do I preheat a cast iron skillet for cornbread?
In some recipes you do, but I tested this one both ways and it comes out better if you DO NOT preheat the cast iron. Preheating the skillet makes the edges come out too browned, and we’re not looking for that here.
Is this cornbread made with buttermilk?
Yes! I have you use buttermilk in this recipe for extra moisture and tenderness in the final texture.
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes, dinner parties, and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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