Cranberry-Maple Skillet Cornbread
This just-sweet-enough cranberry cornbread develops an irresistibly crisp crust when baked in a cast iron skillet, but can also be baked in a square baking pan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 22, 2024
Thanksgiving was a trip. I went home for five days and, after being away for a while, was able to appreciate family dynamics, friendships and Oklahoma culture with fresh eyes. On Thanksgiving day, we all squeezed into my grandma Virginia’s new house near the Panhandle. She and her sister, my great-aunt Bettie, now split a condo, which seems to me like a sweet living situation for growing older.
As promised, I brought Deb’s kale salad and learned that my small-town, greens-loving, gardener grandmother had never tried kale before. I am pleased to say that she is now a fan. I also brought this cranberry cornbread, a riff on skillet cornbread, which was such a resounding hit with my family that I’ve been itching to post it ever since. And after all my talk about drinking up on Thanksgiving, there was no wine bottle opener to be found in my grandmother’s down-sized drawers and no bourbon in sight. Bless her.
The next day, I met up with my three closest lady friends for lunch. We’ve grown up together, the four of us. One has gotten married [we were bridesmaids] and given birth [we were in the waiting room] to the most beautiful dark-haired baby girl named Ruby. Ruby is sixteen months old now. She walks and talks and when Camille says “I love you” to Ruby, Ruby quips back in her little voice with, “I know.” I would do anything for that tiny lady.
The holiday break wouldn’t have been complete without my middle brother and I getting into an epic argument in our parents’ living room. This one began over—wait for it—the high price of taxidermy, and wasn’t over until we had insulted each others’ taste in significant others and footwear. (I would have kicked him with my “elf booties,” but he’s much stronger than he used to be.) That brother and I will probably always clash over our differences, but the underlying truth is that we wouldn’t get so riled up if we didn’t care so much about each other. Family is funny that way.
Enough gushy, post-holiday rambling, you say? Ok, let’s talk about the cornbread. This cornbread is my riff on Aida Mollenkamp’s recipe for sage-maple skillet cornbread from her new cookbook, Keys to the Kitchen. Though I’ve bookmarked at least half of the vegetarian recipes in her book (there are many) with serious intentions to try them all, this one got first call. I’d been on the hunt for a perfectly textured cornbread recipe, and her recipe caught my eye because it is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and baked in a cast iron skillet. My affection for my cast iron skillets runs deep.
I bought Aida’s book a few weeks ago and finally found the time to pore over it while sitting in the passenger’s seat during our Thanksgiving Day drive. There is a lot to love about it: the photos are beautiful, the well-tested recipes are inventive yet practical, and the techniques demonstrated in the recipes are invaluable. I really wanted to give Aida a high five when I read the last paragraph of the introduction: This isn’t about becoming pretentious about food, but rather the opposite. The minute you take the time to learn these basics, you’ll waste less food, you’ll get more for every food dollar you spend, and you’ll become a healthier, more accomplished, and more adventurous cook. Yes!
Cranberry Maple Skillet Cornbread
This buttery, maple-sweetened, cranberry-studded whole grain cornbread develops an irresistibly crisp crust when baked in a cast iron skillet. You can also bake it in a 9-inch square baking dish for delicious results, albeit a slightly less crisp crust. Change up the recipe by omitting the cranberries and adding ½ cup grated cheese, 1 cup sweet corn, chopped peppers and/or herbs.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups medium grind cornmeal, preferably stone ground
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons regular salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- dash cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup maple syrup (preferably grade B)
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle of the oven. Place the stick of butter in a 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9-inch square baking dish and place in the oven to melt for 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and syrup until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until moistened through.
- When the butter is melted and golden brown but not burnt, carefully remove the sizzling skillet from the oven and swirl to coat with butter. Pour the melted butter into the batter, add the cranberries and stir just until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet or baking pan. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the bread is brown around the edges, springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Invert the bread onto a wire rack to cool. Slice into squares or wedges and serve.
Notes
- Adapted from Keys to the Kitchen: The Essential Reference for Becoming a More Accomplished, Adventurous Cook by Aida Mollenkamp.
- Aida’s original recipe called for ⅔ cup maple syrup, so you could increase the amount of liquid sweetener to up to ⅔ cup for sweeter results. Aida notes that you can substitute agave nectar, honey or brown sugar for the maple syrup, but I haven’t tried.
- Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1 ½ cups low-fat milk.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Kate,
I have never been real successful with cornbread, but decided to give it a try again, but wanted cranberries in it. When I came across your recipe with maple sugar, I was sold. It turned out delicious & will now be my go-to recipe for cornbread! Thanks!
I used my cornmeal from the Dexter Grist Mill in Cape Cod along with whole wheat flour. Loved the crunchy!
Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
SO GOOD. per usual with your recipes! Everyone loved it and commented on it. I served it with Chili which was a great combo. The only thing I would do differently next time is add the cranberries after the batter is in the pan. I ended up with quite a few pieces that had no cranberries in it due to the way it poured out, so maybe adding later would prevent that :) This will be served up this holiday season for sure! Thank you! .
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
I haven’t tried it, but I feel like bread can freeze well. Let me know if you do and how it turns out!
I must be doing something wrong. I followed the recipe, the cornbread came out beautiful but so dense and heavy that we didn’t end up eating one piece and tossing the rest.
You couldn’t taste any maple at all and the cranberries were so overbearingly sour. I I think I, doing something wrong. We used maple syrup purchased in Canada last month. Could my maple syrup just not be strong enough? And why so dense? Bad baking powder? Help,
Hi Karen, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Be sure you spoon and level your flour otherwise you can get too much.
Can I sub the eggs in this recipe? My son is allergic to eggs.
Hi Maria, this really needs a binder to make it work. Sorry!
Yum this is very tasty! So pretty too. bonus points for extra nutrition from whole wheat flour instead of all purpose.
I made it in my 12 inch cast iron skillet- but hadn’t read the recipe closely enough and melted the butter on stovetop although I did bake the cornbread in oven. Maybe that’s why the edges were not noticeably crispy? Next time I’ll be sure to follow the instructions haha!
Thanks for another great recipe!
Made this last night, Kate. Sadly I only had AP Flour, but it still turned out great! I didn’t adjust anything for the different flour, and my skillet is a 10″ and it was perfect at 25-26 minutes. I have been trying to use up some blue corn meal that I’ve had in my pantry for too long, so it’s a cool purple-ish color with the pops of red cranberries. Thanks for another winner!
You’re welcome, Kimberlyn! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and review.
I tried the honey cornbread before and it was great. I decided to add frozen cranberries to it and it was a disaster. The toothpick came out clean but it was raw inside and I added 15 minutes extra to the cooking time. I guess it won’t work with frozen cranberries or blueberries? I have a good amount in the freeze. Love your recipies but this didn’t work.
Hi, Frozen fruit can be different than fresh. That was likely your issue.
I love salt but this was pretty salty even with the sweet maple syrup and tart
Cranberries. Cookie and Kate are
So solid with recipes, I don’t think I will try this again and my 50 year old well seasoned and used skillet looked so perfect all dolled up with cranberries and a perfectly browned crust.
I know this is an old post but I am curious if this is served as a dessert? Side dish? Being from the south, I have only ever served cornbread as a side with beans and chili and such or used to make cornbread or seafood dressing so I’m trying to figure out the use, it looks like a sweetbread?
This is a great side dish, or you can serve it as a dessert. I think it depends on what you are serving it with!