Skillet Cornbread & Cinnamon Butter

Whether it is anchoring a cozy breakfast spread or rounding out a backyard barbecue, a golden skillet of cornbread is one of those deeply comforting recipes every host should master. Buttermilk is the key to the crumb here — its natural tang reacts with the baking soda to create a wonderful lift, producing a tender, airy interior beneath a golden crust.

Baking the batter in a heavy, preheated cast-iron skillet makes all the difference. The moment the batter hits the hot pan, the edges begin to sizzle and caramelize, creating a savory, textured crust that perfectly contrasts with the subtly sweet interior.

Whipped Cinnamon Honey Butter

A beautifully baked cornbread deserves an equally special accompaniment. Rather than plain butter, this recipe pairs the bread with a whipped honey-cinnamon butter. Softened unsalted butter is blended with the deep, floral sweetness of honey and the warm spice of ground cinnamon for a rich, complex spread.

Pulsing everything together in a food processor whips the butter into a light, fluffy, gloriously spreadable texture. Slathered generously over a warm slice of cornbread, it melts gently into every crumb, transforming a humble skillet bread into something truly luxurious and unforgettable.

Jorj Morgan

Skillet Cornbread & Cinnamon Butter

This golden skillet cornbread, boasting a tender crumb, finds its perfect partner in a lavish, whipped cinnamon honey butter that generously melts into every warm slice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

The Dry Cornbread Mix

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

The Wet Cornbread Mix

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled (½ stick)

The Cinnamon Honey Butter

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

 

The Batter Build

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Generously coat an 8x8-inch baking pan or a heavy 9-inch cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil spray or melted butter.
3. In a large ceramic mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until uniformly integrated.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs until frothy, then slowly stream in the melted and cooled butter.

The Bake

1. Gently fold the wet buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir only until just combined; do not overmix, or the crumb will become tough.
2. Pour the golden batter into the prepared pan or cast-iron skillet, smoothing the top with a spatula.
3. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out perfectly clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing.

Whip the Cinnamon Butter

1. Place the softened butter, honey, confectioners’ sugar, and ground cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor.
2. Pulse the machine continuously until the ingredients are whipped into a perfectly smooth, homogenous compound butter.
3. Transfer the whipped cinnamon butter to a small ceramic serving bowl.
4. While the cornbread is still warm, generously slather the top with the cinnamon butter, and serve the remaining butter on the side.