I am a huge fan of soft, buttery and moist cornbread! This golden cornbread without buttermilk takes just 5 minutes to prepare and you don't need an electric mixer. I love making my cornbread in a cast iron pan which gives it a delicious crispy crust.
Cornbread has to be one of my favorite savory bakes to eat. Soft, buttery and made with just a little bit of honey? Delish! And this simple homemade cornbread recipe is one you can always have in your back pocket.
This delicious cornbread recipe makes the perfect side dish, I just had it with some three bean chilli for dinner!
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Why you'll love this recipe!
- No buttermilk - I don't know about you, but I rarely have buttermilk in the fridge. I wanted to make a simple cornbread without buttermilk for those days when you don't want to drop by the store.
- Buttery - this cornbread recipe is extra buttery thanks to some melted unsalted butter!
- A hint of sweetness - a combination of light brown sugar and a bit of honey gives this cornbread a touch of sweetness!
- No mixer! You don't need any fancy equipment for this recipe, just a bowl, a jug, and a whisk!
Ingredient Notes
Butter: I always use unsalted butter in my recipes to control the amount of salt. I also always use European style butter which has a much higher butterfat content, leading to a richer tasting cornbread.
Flour: I've only tested this with all purpose flour.
Cornmeal: you'll need to use yellow cornmeal for this recipe.
Honey: use a touch of honey to add some sweetness to the cornbread.
Milk: I used whole milk for this recipe, you could use a dairy free milk instead!
Baking Powder: this leavening agent is going to give a nice rise to the cornbread.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.
Step 2: In a large jug or another mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, light brown sugar, honey, milk, and melted butter until completely smooth.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. You want it to be smooth but there might be a few small lumps which is fine!
Step 4: Pour the cornbread batter into a greased 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake at 400°Fahrenheit/200°Celsius for 18-20 minutes. Be careful when removing the hot skillet from the oven! Let cool before slicing.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a weighing scale – I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake.
- Use the fluff and sprinkle method to measure your flour – if you aren’t using a scale to measure ingredients then make sure you are measuring your flour correctly! Go to this link here to find out how to do that. If you use too much flour, then you won’t have those delicious moist crumbs!
- No cast iron skillet? You can use a regular 9-inch cake pan or pie dish instead.
- Room Temperature – Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use a regular 9-inch cake pan or pie plate. The edges and bottom of the cornbread won't be as golden brown or crispy though so keep that in mind!
Top baked cornbread with butter, honey, or flaky sea salt! You could also add chopped jalapeños or corn before baking.
Store the leftover cornbread in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the cornbread for up to 2 months, just allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before serving and then heat up in the microwave.
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Have you made this recipe? Please rate the recipe below! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @alpineella and Pinterest!
Recipe
Cornbread without buttermilk
Equipment
- 1 9 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit/200°Celsius and butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a jug, whisk together the egg, honey, milk, melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix everything together until almost smooth using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. The top should be golden brown. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
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