Moist and Tender Brown Butter Cornbread Recipe (2024)

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Moist and tender cornbread with lots of corn flavor.

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

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Updated September 22, 2023

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Why It Works

Brown butter gives the cornbread a sweet, nutty flavor.
Baking cornbread in the same skillet used to brown the butter creates a crisp crust and a moist interior, and saves a pan.

I'm gonna come right out and tell you I'm a fan of Northern-style cornbread. Yankee cornbread. You know, the lightly sweetened, moist, tender, golden stuff that nearly everybody who knows cornbread thinks of when you say "cornbread?" If you're one of those Southern holdouts that thinks cornbread should be thin, sugar-free, and crunchy to a fault, you're welcome to go crunch on your bread in the corner over there for the remainder of this post, because we're all about the sweet stuff here.*

*I kid. I love that stuff too. But I just can't help trying to get a rise out of some of you cornbread hard-liners!

Whether you're serving it withchilior simply with a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey, good cornbread with a moist, tender crumb and and intense corn flavor is one of life's greatest pleasures. So how do you take one of life's greatest pleasures and make it even more, well, pleasurable? Simple: Add browned butter.

This cornbread recipe is nothing you haven't seen before if you're a regular on the site. The base is almost identical to the outstandingSweet and Moist Northern Style CornbreadthatJosh Bousel developed, with a few small exceptions—some tricks I learned while working on my recipe fortamale pie.

Moist and Tender Brown Butter Cornbread Recipe (3)

Start by making browned butter. WhileNilaJones recommendsmaking it in a light colored pot on the stovetop(light pots make it easier to gauge color changes), in this case, since we're going to need to preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven anyway. I throw my butter (all 7 tablespoons of it) directly into the skillet and put the whole thing in the oven to melt and brown while I measure out my wet and dry ingredients.

The dry stuff is a basic mix of equal parts yellow cornmeal and flour (the wheat flour helps give it that light, moist texture while the corn gives it flavor), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and a touch of sugar—I use about half of what Josh uses, so the brown butter flavor stands out.

The wet ingredients are eggs, buttermilk, sour cream (it gives a more intense tang than plain buttermilk), and that browned butter.

Moist and Tender Brown Butter Cornbread Recipe (4)

Once it's all whisked together, pour directly into the hot cast iron skillet coated with the remnants of the browned butter. Return it to the oven until cooked through and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. It comes out with a supremely crisp crust from the close contact with the cast iron, a nice burnished top, and a moist, rich, and intensely aromatic crumb that has a distinct nuttiness from the browned butter.

This isn't the easiest cornbread you'll ever make, but it isn't difficult and I'll be damned if it isn't tasty as heck. This is the kind of cornbread that haunts your dreams. If you're the type to dream of chili, that is.

January 2015

Recipe Details

Moist and Tender Brown Butter Cornbread

Prep5 mins

Cook45 mins

Active15 mins

Total50 mins

Serves6to 8 servings

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving
1 cup (about 5 ounces) fine yellow cornmeal
1 cup (about 5 ounces) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) sour cream
4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) cultured buttermilk
Honey, for serving

Directions

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 425°F. Place butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and heat until butter is melted and well browned, 10 to 20 minutes (you can measure your wet and dry ingredients while waiting). Pour browned butter into a heatproof cup or bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon remaining in skillet.
Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk to a second bowl and whisk together. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in reserved browned butter. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
Swirl the hot skillet to coat all surfaces with melted butter. Spoon batter into skillet, smooth top lightly, then return to oven. Bake until light golden brown on top and a wooden skewer inserted into cornbread comes out with no crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then serve with extra butter and honey at the table. Leftover cornbread can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Special Equipment

10-inch cast iron skillet

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
302	Calories
16g	Fat
34g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	302
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g	21%
Saturated Fat 9g	45%
Cholesterol 87mg	29%
Sodium 380mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 34g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 121mg	9%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 138mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Moist and Tender Brown Butter Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use buttermilk or milk in cornbread? ›

I recommend using buttermilk in this cornbread recipe for the best texture; it helps keep it soft and moist. If you use just regular milk for this recipe, your cornbread will come out drier than I personally care for, but since cornbread is classically crumbly, you might be able to get away with it.

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What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

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What kind of butter is best for brown butter? ›

You can use either salted or unsalted. We like using unsalted butter, especially for baking, because you can control the quantity of salt in your dish.

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Should cornbread batter sit before baking? ›

Set the batter aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

By letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature before baking, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb the flavor from the other ingredients, and the baking powder gets a head start.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is my homemade cornbread so dry? ›

Cornbread is known for being dry, and that's because it's not properly hydrated. This can lead to unpleasant. hard bits that get stuck in your teeth, making the final product taste even drier. Start by soaking your cornmeal and buttermilk overnight. or up to 24 hours.

Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk for cornbread? ›

They're not completely interchangeable. Yes, you can swap them in a recipe, but it's not as simple as switching buttermilk for heavy cream/heavy cream for buttermilk. For example, if you're replacing buttermilk with heavy cream you'll probably need to switch out your baking soda for baking powder.

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Is sour cream a good substitute for milk in cornbread? ›

Sour Cream can be substituted for milk in cornbread but will need to be thinned. I recommend using 75% sour cream and 25% water. Sour Cream will also change the taste of the cornbread and will add a slight tangy flavor which can be counteracted by using a small amount of vanilla extract.

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Is butter better than oil for cornbread? ›

While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isn't present. Because butter doesn't make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk. Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist.

Why do southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

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Which cornmeal is best for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

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What is southern cornbread called? ›

Hot water cornbread

This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" or "scald meal" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

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What is the fancy name for brown butter? ›

Beurre noisette (French pronunciation: [bœʁ nwazɛt], literally: hazelnut butter, loosely: brown butter) is a type of warm sauce used in French cuisine. It can accompany savoury foods, such as winter vegetables, pasta, fish, omelettes, and chicken.

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How do you enhance brown butter flavor? ›

It adds even more toasty, nutty, caramelized flavor. All products are independently selected by our editors.

Learn More Now ›

Can I use brown butter instead of softened butter? ›

Yes, you can swap browned butter for regular butter, but keep in mind it's not a 1:1 swap. During the process of browning butter, water evaporates from the butter, which leads to a 10 to 20 percent total moisture loss.

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How do you store cornbread so it doesn't dry out? ›

Make sure the cornbread has fully cooled down before you store it. Wrap the loaf in aluminum foil or plastic wrap two times, and then place it in a zip-tight plastic bag. Make sure to eliminate all the air as you seal it. Cornbread will last up to three days stored at room temperature.

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How do you keep cornbread muffins from drying out? ›

The Best Way to Store Muffins

Let them cool for no more than five-to-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. STEP TWO: Line an airtight storage container with paper towels. The paper towels will act like a “sponge,” absorbing the moisture the muffins emit as they age.

Keep Reading ›

How do you keep cornbread warm and moist? ›

The best option to keep cornbread moist and fresh after baking is to tightly cover it in plastic wrap. Wrapping tightly ensures minimal air, which can help the cornbread from drying out.

Tell Me More ›

How can I dry out my cornbread? ›

I got you! Bake in cubes at 350 for 15 minutes, toss and bake again for 10-15 minutes. And you have stuffing bread.