Individual Skillet Cornbreads Recipe

Individual Skillet Cornbreads Recipe | Carla Hall

• Difficulty: Simple
• Makes: 4 personal-size skillet cornbreads
• Nutrition Facts (per serving): Yield: 1 of 4 cornbreads Calories: 590 Total Fat: 44g Saturated Fat: 17g Carbohydrates: 44g Fiber: 2g Sugars: 7g Protein: 8g Cholesterol: 155mg Sodium: 543mg
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Active Prep: 30 minutes

Let the warm, irresistible aroma of freshly baked cornbread whisk you back to Carla Hall's cherished childhood Sundays. Fresh from the oven, it was the ultimate signal for family to gather around Granny's table after church. She waited until everyone arrived before starting, filling the house with that magical scent. Today, Carla honors her tradition with cream-style corn and tangy buttermilk, elevated by a luscious cinnamon butter topping that melts into every golden bitepure comfort you'll crave to recreate.

Ingredients

For the Cornbread:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canned cream-style corn
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola or another neutral oil

For the Cinnamon Butter:

• 1 stick (4 oz) salted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1. Place four 3 1/2-inch cast iron skillets in your oven. Set the temperature to 425F to preheat both the oven and pans.
2. To prepare the cornbread: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk, cream-style corn, and 1/4 cup oil until smooth.
3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is uniform and lump-free. Using oven mitts, remove the hot skillets from the oven. Distribute the remaining 1 tablespoon oil among the four skillets, swiftly tilting each to coat the bases and sides with oil. Evenly divide and pour the batter into the skilletslisten for the sizzle as the batter hits the hot pans.
4. Return the skillets to the oven and bake until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, roughly 10 to 13 minutes. Transfer the skillets to a cooling rack to cool down briefly.
5. While the cornbread is baking, make the cinnamon butter: In a medium mixing bowl, blend the softened butter, cinnamon, confectioners' sugar, and almond or vanilla extract with a spatula until everything is well combined with no streaks.
6. Serve the cornbread while still warm, each portion topped with a generous spoonful of cinnamon butter.

Carla's tip for those crisp edges: Make sure to heat both the skillets and the oil before pouring in your cornbread batter.

Photo by Ryan Liebe