This brown butter cornbread loaf has a crisp, crunchy exterior with soft, plush interior that has a slightly sweet toasty corn flavor. Served with a sweet and salty cinnamon honey butter spread, it's really the best vessel to sop up your chili or to snack on during the day. This is my absolute favorite cornbread that I make for Thanksgiving, and throughout the rest of the year. Cornbread in a loaf pan is elite because there's more surface area to spread on that delicious buttery cinnamon spread on it.
I prefer a mildly sweet southern cornbread over a sweet, dessert-like cornbread. If that's also what you prefer, you're going to love this cornbread recipe!
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🌽 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Brown butter: By browning the butter with a touch of milk powder, you get a toasty milky flavor that subtly elevates the cornbread. You have to melt the butter anyways, might as well brown it!
- Baked in a loaf pan: Cornbread loaf means thinner slices with more surface area to cover in honey cinnamon butter. Also, you get crisp edges all the way around!
- Honey cinnamon butter: The perfect sweet and salty creamy whipped butter spread for a slice of cornbread. You can pair this cornbread with my pumpkin butter board if you prefer that over honey butter.
- Not too sweet cornbread: I love enjoying cornbread with my dinner, so I prefer a more classic, southern, not overly sweet version that's only mildly sweet.
- Moist and plush with crisp edges: Exactly how every cornbread should be, even if eaten the next day.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
Cornmeal: I prefer using a medium yellow cornmeal, it has that signature bright yellow color and a beautiful gritty texture. You could also use fine yellow cornmeal, but the signature coarser, grittier texture of medium cornmeal makes for a better cornbread. Ultimately it's up to you and what you prefer!
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Buttermilk: A classic ingredient in cornbread. I highly recommend using store-bought (cultured) buttermilk as it will give you a beautiful milky flavor, and will make the cornbread moist and fluffy. If you can't find cornbread, you can use kefir as a good replacement as it has a similar texture and acidity profile. I recommend using store-bought buttermilk or kefir over homemade buttermilk (milk and vinegar) for a better flavor and texture if you can.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best for browning because it doesn't develop a metallic flavor after browning. I used unsalted butter in the cornbread and salted in the whipped cinnamon honey butter for more flavor. You could use unsalted for both, just add some extra salt into the honey butter.
Milk powder: Skim milk powder browned in the butter amplifies that brown butter flavor. It's optional but really helps that toasty milk flavor pop!
Maple syrup: My choice of sweetener for cornbread. I use pure maple syrup for the best flavor and a not overly sweet cornbread. You can also use honey but it will be slightly sweeter.
Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon in the honey butter adds the perfect warm and comforting flavor.
Honey: I used real raw honey in the butter spread for sweetness and flavor. You can use pasteurized honey or maple syrup if you prefer.
👩🍳 How to make the best brown butter cornbread loaf
Cornbread loaf step by step
Step 1: Combine butter and milk powder in a saucepan and melt on medium heat. Cook as it bubbles, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning. When it starts to foam on top and the white bits turn a brown color, it's ready.
Step 2: Remove it from heat and immediately, carefully pour it into a heat safe bowl to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
While the it cools, preheat the oven to 395°F (200°C). Once preheated, pop the loaf pan into the oven to let it heat up.
Step 3: Add buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and salt into the brown butter. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Then, add cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and baking powder right into the same bowl. Mix it together with a whisk just until it forms a batter.
Step 5: Carefully remove the hot pan out of the oven. Add half a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Swirl the pan around so that the butter gets into all the nooks and crannies.
Pour the cornbread batter into the pan and bake it for 28-30 minutes - checking if a toothpick comes out clean at 28 minutes.
Step 6: Let the loaf cool for 5 minutes before flipping it over onto a plate. Let it cool for another 10 minutes before slicing - I make the cinnamon honey butter while it cools.
Cinnamon honey butter step by step
Step 1: Combine the softened butter, honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and flaky salt in a stand mixer or a medium bowl. Whip it all together with an electric mixer until it's creamy and smooth. Make sure to taste it and add more cinnamon, honey, or salt if desired.
Step 2: Transfer the butter into a serving plate or bowl and sprinkle more flaky salt and drizzle with maple syrup.
Use a knife to spread the butter onto the slice of brown butter cornbread right before enjoying.
✔️ Expert cornbread tips
- Use store-bought buttermilk or kefir: This will give you a better flavor and texture than mixing milk with vinegar or lemon juice and letting it sit.
- Use medium yellow cornmeal: The best kind of cornmeal for cornbread because you get that signature gritty texture and bright yellow color.
- Have the wet ingredients at room temperature: Cold wet ingredients will make the butter solidify resulting in a lumpy batter and uneven cornbread.
- Don't overbake: Remove it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. Overbaking will result in a dry, crumbly cornbread.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Cornbread is best eaten fresh after it's been baked and while it's still warm because that's when the edges will be the crispiest and the crumb will be the softest.
That being said, you could bake this a day ahead of time when you're hosting and it'll still be delicious. This comes in really handy for when you're hosting a party and want to make everything ahead of time. When you're ready to serve it, gently reheat it in a preheated oven until the edges are crispy again and the center is hot and soft.
Store the cornbread in an airtight container or bag to prevent it from drying out. It will crisp up again when you reheat it.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes you can, I've done this before. The browned butter gives the cornbread a more unique flavor but if you don't have as much time then you can just melt the butter without browning it.
I used a Nordic Ware harvest loaf pan, it's my favorite pan for baking in the fall. I've also used it for my pumpkin and chocolate bread. You could use a regular loaf pan for this recipe as well.
Cornbread is most commonly made with yellow cornmeal. For that classic, traditional gritty texture, you're looking for a medium cornmeal. For a lighter, finer texture, you're looking for a fine ground cornmeal. I prefer the more classic texture of a medium ground cornmeal.
🍞 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Brown Butter Cornbread with Cinnamon Honey Butter
Equipment
- nine inch by five inch loaf pan non-stick pan
Ingredients
Brown butter cornbread loaf
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon milk powder optional, but recommended
- 1 ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal medium
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ tablespoon butter for greasing pan
Cinnamon honey butter
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon flaky salt add more to taste if using unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup for drizzling on top, optional
Instructions
Brown butter cornbread loaf
- Combine butter and milk powder in a saucepan and melt on medium heat. Cook as it bubbles, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning. When it starts to foam on top and the white bits turn a brown color, remove it from heat and immediately, carefully pour it into a heat safe bowl to cool slightly for 10 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon milk powder
- While the brown butter cools, preheat the oven to 395°F (200°C). Once preheated, pop the loaf pan into the oven to let it heat up.
- Add buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and salt into the brown butter. Whisk to combine.1 ½ cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Then, add cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and baking powder right into the same bowl. Mix it together with a whisk just until it forms a batter1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Carefully remove the hot pan out of the oven. Add half a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Swirl the pan around so that the butter gets into all the nooks and crannies. Pour the cornbread batter into the pan and bake it for 28-30 minutes - checking if a toothpick comes out clean at 28 minutes.½ tablespoon butter
- Let the loaf cool for 5 minutes before flipping it over onto a plate. Let it cool for another 10 minutes before slicing - I make the cinnamon honey butter while it cools.
Cinnamon honey butter
- Combine the softened butter, honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and flaky salt in a stand mixer or a medium bowl. Whip it all together with an electric mixer until it's creamy and smooth. Make sure to taste it and add more cinnamon, honey, or salt if desired.½ cup salted butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon flaky salt, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Transfer the butter into a serving plate or bowl and sprinkle more flaky salt and drizzle with maple syrup.1 tablespoon maple syrup
Notes
- Use store-bought buttermilk or kefir for the best texture and flavor.
- Use medium yellow cornmeal for that signature gritty texture and bright yellow color.
- Have your wet ingredients at room temperature. Cold wet ingredients will make the butter solidify resulting in a lumpy batter and uneven cornbread.
- Remove it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean to prevent a dry, crumbly cornbread
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