--- title: "Ultimate Brown-Butter Cheddar Cornbread" description: "Rich, moist, buttery cornbread with crispy golden edges, sharp cheddar, and a subtle sweetness. Perfect alongside chili or BBQ. Find ingredients, equipment…" url: "https://briansunter.com/recipes/ultimate-brown-butter-cheddar-cornbread" --- # Ultimate Brown-Butter Cheddar Cornbread Rich, moist, buttery cornbread with crispy golden edges, sharp cheddar, and a subtle sweetness. Perfect alongside chili or BBQ. 8 servings side baking cornbread cheddar brown-butter Scale Units ## Ingredients - 1 tbsp neutral oil - 1 cup yellow cornmeal - 1 cup buttermilk - 6 tbsp unsalted butter - 0.75 cup all-purpose flour - 5 tsp granulated sugar - 2 tsp baking powder - 0.5 tsp baking soda - 0.33 tsp fine salt - 0.25 tsp garlic powder - 0.25 tsp black pepper - 2 eggs - 0.33 cup sour cream - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar - 0.25 cup scallions - 2 tsp melted butter ## Equipment - oven - glass pie dish - bowl ## Instructions 1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a room-temperature 9-inch glass pie dish with 1 tbsp neutral oil . Do not preheat the empty glass dish. 2 Soak the cornmeal: mix 1 cup yellow cornmeal with 1 cup buttermilk and rest for 10-15 minutes to soften the cornmeal. 3 Brown the butter: melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring until golden-brown flecks develop and it smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes . Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly. 4 Mix the dry ingredients: whisk 0.75 cup all-purpose flour , 5 tsp granulated sugar (1 tbsp + 2 tsp), 2 tsp baking powder , 0.5 tsp baking soda , 0.33 tsp fine salt , and 0.25 tsp garlic powder and 0.25 tsp black pepper , if using, in a separate bowl. 5 Combine the wet ingredients: whisk 2 eggs and 0.33 cup sour cream into the soaked cornmeal mixture. Slowly whisk in the browned butter, including the toasted brown bits. 6 Make the batter: gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add 0.75 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 0.25 cup scallions , finely sliced, if using. Mix just until incorporated. 7 Fill the pie dish: pour the batter into the greased dish, filling no more than about two-thirds full. Sprinkle 0.25 cup shredded sharp cheddar evenly on top, 1 generous cup (4 1/4 oz) total, divided. If your dish is shallow, bake any extra batter separately. 8 Bake for 25-32 minutes , starting to check at 22 minutes. The top should be golden and the center set, and a toothpick should come out without wet batter. 9 Rest and finish: let cool for 10 minutes on a dry, heat-resistant trivet. Brush with 2 tsp melted butter , if using, before serving. Note Use freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar: it melts nicely and delivers a stronger cheese flavor. Don't overmix; this is the biggest secret to fluffy, tender cornbread. Keep the sugar modest; the small amount balances the savory cheese without turning it into cake. For extra richness, add a tablespoon of honey to the batter if you prefer sweet-and-savory cornbread. Note Favorite finishing touch: serve warm with salted butter and a little honey on the side. The contrast between the sharp cheddar, browned butter, and sweetness is excellent. ## Related recipes - [Cheesy Cornbread Muffins](/recipes/cheesy-cornbread-muffins) [Savory cornbread muffins loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, moist and tender with a crispy cheesy top.](/recipes/cheesy-cornbread-muffins) - [Loaded Baked Potato Dinner Rolls](/recipes/potato-dinner-rolls) [Filled with bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and chives, these super soft potato rolls bring everything you love about a loaded baked potato into a luxe dinner roll.](/recipes/potato-dinner-rolls) - [Amish Dinner Rolls](/recipes/amish-dinner-rolls) [Dense yet tender, moist soft dinner rolls made with mashed potato. They stay fresh at room temperature for several days, making them great for make-ahead.](/recipes/amish-dinner-rolls) View Cooklang Source recipe.cook ``` --- title: Ultimate Brown-Butter Cheddar Cornbread description: "Rich, moist, buttery cornbread with crispy golden edges, sharp cheddar, and a subtle sweetness. Perfect alongside chili or BBQ." servings: 8 tags: [side, baking, cornbread, cheddar, brown-butter] cuisine: American difficulty: medium --- Preheat #oven{} to 400°F. Grease a room-temperature 9-inch #glass pie dish{} with @neutral oil{1%tbsp}. Do not preheat the empty glass dish. Soak the cornmeal: mix @yellow cornmeal{1%cup} with @buttermilk{1%cup} and rest for ~{10-15%minutes} to soften the cornmeal. Brown the butter: melt @unsalted butter{6%tbsp} over medium heat, stirring until golden-brown flecks develop and it smells nutty, about ~{5-7%minutes}. Transfer to a #bowl{} and cool slightly. Mix the dry ingredients: whisk @all-purpose flour{3/4%cup}, @granulated sugar{5%tsp} (1 tbsp + 2 tsp), @baking powder{2%tsp}, @baking soda{1/2%tsp}, @fine salt{1/3%tsp}, and @garlic powder{1/4%tsp} and @black pepper{1/4%tsp}, if using, in a separate bowl. Combine the wet ingredients: whisk @eggs{2} and @sour cream{1/3%cup} into the soaked cornmeal mixture. Slowly whisk in the browned butter, including the toasted brown bits. Make the batter: gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add @shredded sharp cheddar{3/4%cup} and @scallions{1/4%cup}, finely sliced, if using. Mix just until incorporated. Fill the pie dish: pour the batter into the greased dish, filling no more than about two-thirds full. Sprinkle @shredded sharp cheddar{1/4%cup} evenly on top, 1 generous cup (4 1/4 oz) total, divided. If your dish is shallow, bake any extra batter separately. Bake for ~{25-32%minutes}, starting to check at 22 minutes. The top should be golden and the center set, and a toothpick should come out without wet batter. Rest and finish: let cool for ~{10%minutes} on a dry, heat-resistant trivet. Brush with @melted butter{2%tsp}, if using, before serving. > Use freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar: it melts nicely and delivers a stronger cheese flavor. Don't overmix; this is the biggest secret to fluffy, tender cornbread. Keep the sugar modest; the small amount balances the savory cheese without turning it into cake. For extra richness, add a tablespoon of honey to the batter if you prefer sweet-and-savory cornbread. > Favorite finishing touch: serve warm with salted butter and a little honey on the side. The contrast between the sharp cheddar, browned butter, and sweetness is excellent. ```