Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe

This Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe will have them running to the dinner table. It's lightly sweetened & moist on the inside with a crispy & buttery outside. Thanks to the cast-iron.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 223kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 5 tablespoons water (*see note)
1 cup soy milk (or any plant-based milk)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
1 ¼ cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾-1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or preferred salt (I used 1 teaspoon)
½ cup pure maple syrup or agave
⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons vegan butter , melted (+ ½ tablespoon unmelted for skillet)
¾ cup frozen corn , thawed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with about ½ tablespoon of butter and let it heat up with the oven (*see note).
Prepare flax eggs in a small cup or bowl by mixing together the ground flaxseed & water. Set aside about 10 minutes. It will thicken up and become gel-like.
In a medium bowl add the soy milk and vinegar. Set aside about 10 minutes. This creates a vegan buttermilk (It's normal to curdle).
In a large bowl, add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Whisk to combine well.
To the medium bowl with the prepared buttermilk, add prepared flax eggs, applesauce, melted butter & maple syrup. Whisk to combine well.
Now add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients. Combine batter gently until just combined. *Don't overwork the batter. Gently fold in corn.
Remove the preheated skillet from the oven and close the door (Use caution - It will be very hot). Pour the batter into the pan (Use a spatula to scrape remaining batter from the bowl). You should hear the batter sizzle. This helps create crispy cornbread edges.
Place the pan in your oven for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Insert a toothpick in the middle. If it's mostly clean, it's ready! Let the pan sit on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. If you cut it too soon, it will break apart easily.
Cut into slices or squares and gently lift out of pan. Top with vegan butter and maple syrup if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

* Don't preheat the skillet too long otherwise the butter will burn. You want to pull the skillet out just as the oven hits the right temperature, but you also want to have the fresh batter ready to pour into the hot skillet. Timing is everything. My oven takes about 10-12 minutes to heat up which is exactly how long it takes me to prep so it works out perfectly.

* If you'd like cornbread that is less sweet, just cut the sweetener in half.

* Flax egg alternative: you can use ¼ cup aquafaba instead. It's the water inside the can of chickpeas. Just whip the aquafaba into a light foam before adding the wet ingredients. * Another alternative is chia seeds. The measurements and method are the same as the flax, except the chia seeds can be used whole or ground.

* If you only have whole flaxseed, you can grind it in a coffee grinder.

* Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are not expired. Fresh baking agents are important for a successful baking experience.

Nutrition