There is just something incredibly satisfying about a piece of warm cornbread straight from the oven. It’s comfort food at its best. Add a generous helping of cheddar cheese, some fresh sweet corn, and a little kick from a jalapeño then bake it in a cast iron skillet and you have Texas favorite. So, heat up that cast iron skillet and make some delicious cheddar cheese jalapeño cornbread.
While this recipe can be made in a baking dish, a cast iron skillet just makes it special. It also makes a better crust. Besides, most of us have cast iron skillets that we don't use often enough. Well, this cornbread recipe just gave you the excuse that you needed. Lightly coat the sides and bottom of the skillet with a little cooking spray to prevent the cornbread from sticking. I always wash my skillet with a little hot, soapy water then give it a quick re-season with a little grape seed oil in a hot oven for an hour before putting it away.
If you are fan of homemade breads, try my Cheesy Garlic Rolls. They are a knock-off of the fantastic rolls at the Pizza Cookery in Woodland Hills, CA from 30 years ago. Mine are not as good as the originals, but certainly worth trying.
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Ingredients
- Cornmeal
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Eggs
- Milk
- Buttermilk
- Unsalted butter
- Cheddar cheese
- Corn
- Jalapeño pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe is very easy to make. Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another bowl. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the corn and the jalapeño and stir. Pour the mixture into a cast iron skillet and bake it until it's done. There is nothing to it.
Variations
Consider trying different chile peppers. A hatch chile or poblano pepper would also work well with this recipe.
Storage
Because of the corn in this recipe, I stored my leftovers wrapped in foil inside the refrigerator. Had the cornbread not had corn, then I would have stored it at room temperatre. In either case, the cornbread would be good for 2-3 days.
Top Tip
Preheat the cast iron skillet to 400°F then drop the temperature to bake the cornbread. The hot skillet helps form a nice crust on the cornbread. Also, use fresh corn if it is in season. If you can't find fresh corn use frozen corn. I made this recipe once with canned corn and it was mistake. The color of the corn was pale and unappetizing.
That’s how you make a classic cornbread with a spicy twist that is sure to please. Whether you serve it as a snack or a BBQ side dish, this cornbread is bound to become a family favorite. Treat your family to some homemade comfort food and enjoy every bite.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
Cast Iron Skillet Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cornmeal coarsely ground
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese grated
- ¾ cup corn fresh or frozen, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ and place cast iron skillet inside to heat. This step hels form a nice crust on the bottom of the cornbread.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, buttermilk and the eggs. Then whisk in the melted butter.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the corn kernels, jalapeños and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375℉. Coat the bottom and sides of the hot skillet with cooking spray.
- Pour the batter and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place the skillet and place the skillet in the center of the oven. Bake until center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve.
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