One Skillet Honey Jalapeno Cornbread

One skillet honey jalapeno cornbread hits all the cornbread craving notes (spicy, sweet, soft, and moist) and is made from start to finish in just one skillet! A wonder.

The only thing better than cornbread is honey jalapeno cornbread.

This is a supremely moist cornbread, dotted with whole roasted corn kernels, thin slivers of sliced jalapeno, all married together by a hint of honey sweetness.

I absolutely love that this cornbread is made in just one skillet. From mixing to baking, no extra dishes. No fuss. So easy. What a beautiful thing.

Ingredients

• Medium-fine cornmeal: I used a medium-fine cornmeal which is widely available and often marked 'medium grind for baking'. A medium grind makes a more open and airy crumb in cornbread. If you use a much finer cornmeal then the cornbread could be denser.
• Milk: Milk is the liquid in this cornbread. I used regular dairy milk but you can swap in a plant milk of your choice and it will be fine (as long as the plant milk isn't too sweet or flavored). The milk is just adding moisture and a bit of creaminess.
• Crème fraiche or sour cream: This extra fat and moisture helps to give the cornbread a moister texture and also enhances the buttery flavor.
• Honey: The honey provides just enough sweetness to enhance the flavor of the corn. It doesn't make the cornbread taste like dessert (at least not to my palate).
• Corn kernels: Whole corn kernels (either canned or frozen) add sweetness, moisture and a lovely texture. They're lightly browned before cooking which also helps to enhance all those attributes. Plus, it makes me feel good adding some 'veggies' to the cornbread.
• Unsalted butter: The butter adds fat which equals moisture and flavor.
• Whole egg and egg yolk: Egg and egg yolk add moisture, fat and help to lift and give structure to the cornbread.
• Jalapeno: Jalapeno in cornbread activates that holy partnership of sweet and spicy. The jalapeno is thinly sliced and then lightly sautéed in the butter before the cornbread is cooked. The level of heat will really depend on the particular jalapeno. I only used one but I can easily see two or three being really nice as well, depending on how spicy you like it.
• Baking soda: Baking soda provides the lift the cornbread needs to bring some air and ensure it isn't too stodgy.
• Salt: Salt for flavor balance.

Equipment

I strongly recommend a small cast iron skillet for this one skillet cornbread. I used a 25 cm / 10 inch skillet. The properties of cast iron are perfect for making this cornbread mix in one pot and going from stovetop to oven. No need for a lid in this case.

Instructions

This cornbread is wholly made in the skillet as you can see in the photos below.

An important first step is to sauté the corn and jalapeno in the butter to bring a bit of caramelization into the bread.

Browning and caramelization equals more complex flavor development since the browning process develops new flavor compounds.

Since the corn has more moisture / is thicker than the jalapeno, it takes longer to brown. Start by sautéing the corn in butter. If you're using frozen corn then you can just toss it into the skillet without defrosting.

Once the corn has started to brown you can add the thinly sliced jalapeno. The jalapeno will also reduce and lightly brown

Once the corn and jalapeno are browned, then take the skillet off the burner and let it cool a bit so that the egg doesn't cook when you add it. It doesn't have to be totally cool but at least let the very high heat subside.

Once you add the honey, crème fraiche and then milk, that will also cool down the pan. Then the eggs go in and there's little chance they'll cook.

If you have a particularly small skillet, you may want to whisk together the eggs and milk then pour them in. That makes it easier - but also uses another bowl so....I'll leave that difficult decision to you.

Serving Suggestion

I was so excited to dig in that I ate this honey jalapeno cornbread topped with salted butter and slathered with more honey. My perfect combination.

It also makes a great side dish for rich and hearty soups and stews, especially bean soups like my Slow Cooked Pork & Beans with Smoked Ham Hock or Smoky Romanian Bean Stew (Fasole cu Afumătură).

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Recipe