Jalapeno cheddar cornbread is the best cast iron skillet cornbread recipe ever! Spicy peppers and gooey cheese take this side dish to the next level and make it the perfect pairing for chili.
We love hot and spicy food in this house.
That goes double if the spice is combined with the rich, gooey goodness of cheese.
And well it counts triple if the spicy, cheesy food in question is also full of comforting carbs.
That’s exactly what this yummy skillet buttermilk cornbread is.
It’s a classic cornbread recipe loaded with extra flavor from a diced jalapeno and cheddar cheese.
Plus it has tons of texture thanks to a generous helping of creamed corn.
The result is a delicious spicy, cheesy treat with amazing crispy edges that we can’t get enough of!
Why make cornbread in a cast iron skillet?
Sure, you can use another baking dish to make your cornbread, but I highly recommend your cast iron for this.
Cast iron creates the perfect cornbread because it distributes the oven’s heat evenly allowing for even cooking throughout the bread.
Plus, it allows you to preheat the skillet in the oven, which gets it nice and hot.
This allows a crispy edge to form along the skillet that is just so dang yummy.
Ingredients
Fortunately, this recipe uses easy, pantry staples.
To make it you’ll need:
- Canola oil– You could substitute another light oil for canola oil if you don’t have it.
- Flour– Go for all purpose flour here and don’t substitute whole wheat.
- Corn meal– You can find this in the baking aisle at your grocery store.
- Sugar– A little granulated sugar helps balance the heat from the jalapenos and brings out the flavor of the corn.
- Baking powder and baking soda– Use both leavening ingredients so your cornbread has the right amount of lift.
- Salt– Table salt or sea salt for flavor.
- Buttermilk– Don’t substitute regular milk for buttermilk. If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own with whole milk and a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
- Butter– Use unsalted butter and melt it prior to making the batter.
- Eggs– Large eggs at room temperature.
- Cheddar cheese– Sharp cheddar works better than mild cheddar. You can use pre-shredded cheddar.
- Corn– Creamed corn gives this extra flavor and texture.
- Jalapeno– Remove the seeds and white parts to take the heat down a bit and dice it. You might also want to make a few slices for garnish.
How to Make
Like most cornbread recipes, this cast iron cornbread is so easy to make!
To do it, start by adding the oil to a 10″ cast iron skillet. Swirl it around to coat the skillet evenly.
Put the oiled skillet in a cold oven and then turn the oven to 400 degrees.
While the oven heats with the oiled skillet inside, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk them together.
Once the dry ingredients are combined, add the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs.
Whisk them into the dry ingredients until they are evenly combined.
Now you can fold in a cup of the cheese, the diced jalapeno and the creamed corn with a spatula.
With a heavy oven safe potholder, carefully remove the hot skillet from the preheated oven and swirl the oil one more time.
Then pour the batter evenly into the hot skillet, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the cornbread and add a few sliced of jalapeno for garnish to the top of the batter.
Carefully return the skillet to the oven and bake it for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer in the center comes out clean and the cheese makes a golden crust.
At this point, remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
After it has rested, run a butter knife around the edges of the skillet to release the cornbread.
Then slice, serve and enjoy!
Storing
You can store any leftover cornbread in any airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat it, just remove it from the container and pop it in on a baking sheet and warm it in the oven.
You could also wrap leftover cornbread in plastic wrap and put the pieces in a freezer safe bag.
Freeze leftovers for a few months, defrosting and reheating prior to serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t substitute anything for the cornmeal.
- Make sure to use real buttermilk for the best flavor and texture. It really does make a difference!
- For a spicier bread, add an extra jalapeno.
- Add some extra flavor by adding 1/2 tsp of cumin and 1/2 tsp of chili powder.
Best Toppings For Cornbread
While I love cornbread all by itself, I’ll never turn away a slice served with some garnishments.
Our favorite ways to top a warm slice of cornbread include:
- butter
- honey
- crisp, crumbled bacon
- caramelized onions (Don’t know it until you’ve tried it!)
- syrup
- pulled pork barbecue
- sweet vanilla ice cream (Again, try it!)
What to Serve with Cornbread
We love this jalapeno cheddar cornbread!
It is our favorite way to add a little kick to the classic side dish.
Looking for ideas to serve with it?
Try these:
- Traditional Brunswick Stew
- Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
- Barbecue Brisket Sandwiches
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Sweet Heat Chili
- Instant Pot Kielbasa, Potatoes, & Green Beans
If you’ve tried these JALAPENO CHEDDAR CORNBREAD or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Jalapeno Cheddar Cast Iron Corn Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 cup creamed corn
- 1 large jalapeno seeded & diced, plus slices for garnish- of desired
Instructions
- Add the oil to a 10" cast iron skillet, swilling it around to coat as evenly as possible.
- Place the skillet in a cold oven, and set it to preheat to 400°.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together to evenly combine.
- To the flour mixture, add the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk them in until the mixture's evenly combined.
- To the mixing bowl, add a cup of cheese, corn, and the jalapeno. Use a spatula to evenly incorporate.
- Using something like an oven safe potholder, remove the hot skillet from the preheated oven. Swill the oil around in the skillet once again.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the preheated skillet, scraping out of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly out over top, and add a few jalapeno slices to the top (if desired), for garnish.
- Bake the cornbread from 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cheese has formed a golden brown crust on top.
- Carefully remove the cornbread skillet from the oven, and let it rest for 10 full minutes.
- Run a butter knife gently around the edges of the cornbread to release it from the pan. Then slice, and serve.
Notes
recipe adapted from Garnish & Glaze
Anusha says
This looks lovely! That crust and the way in which it sits beautifully baked in the skillet is gorgeous.
Petra says
Cheese makes everything better and I like the added jalapeno! You make corn bread seem so easy! Last time I tried I had a complicated recipe that I seem to have messed up half way! I will give it another go 🙂
Happy Fiesta Friday
Ronnie says
Can I use bacon drippings instead of canola oil?
Ronnie says
Is bacon drippings recommended also?
4sonsrus says
You could absolutely sub bacon grease for the oil- would really infuse it with that flavor!