Easy and delicious blueberry cornbread recipe baked in a skillet. The cast iron pan yield crisp edges and a moist tender center.
Recipe Science
- Heavy cast iron pans retain heat exceptionally well, perfect for skillet cornbread.
- Preheating the skillet in a hot oven and adding butter creates a seasoned, non-stick surface and develops a golden, crispy crust.
- Combining cornmeal with white whole wheat flour creates a balanced texture—slightly coarse yet soft and cake-like.
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Featured Comment 16
“This is my second time making this. It is awesome! Love it! The best cornbread recipe I ever made!”—Michelle
Why It Works
This skillet cornbread recipe is a great way to combine two nutrient-dense summer ingredients: corn and blueberries. Whole wheat flour and antioxidant-rich blueberries add nutritional value, while the cornmeal provides a pleasant textural contrast.
Baking in a pre-heated cast iron skillet promotes rapid browning through even heat distribution and retention, creating crisp, golden edges immediately upon contact. This initial sear helps set the structure while the batter bakes through in the oven to achieve a tender crumb. The cornmeal’s coarser granules add a subtle crunch, complementing the whole-grain texture of the flour.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cornmeal: Use finely ground yellow cornmeal to add a slightly crunchy texture and savory taste.
- Flour: White whole wheat flour complements the hearty cornmeal, adding a nutty flavor. It also delivers more fiber per serving. Darker whole wheat flour can also be used, but will be slightly more dense in texture.
- Leavening Agents: Cornbread is a fast, simple “quick bread” that doesn’t require yeast leavening. It uses baking powder, baking soda, and eggs as its leavening agent to instantly make the batter rise in the presence of water and high heat conditions.
- Sweeteners: Honey adds a hint of sweetness and is a humectant, helping keep the cornbread from drying out.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances the taste of the cornmeal and sweeteners so that the bread does not taste bland.
- Butter: The milk solids in the melted butter give a more complex taste and enhance browning.
- Milk: Dilutes the cornbread batter and the milkfat adds richness.
- Fruit: Blueberries have fresh, sweet flavors and add a beautiful contrast of color to the golden bread. As the berries cook in the batter, they become plump, juicy, and almost burst with each bite.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This blueberry cornbread recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Oil: Vegetable oil or coconut oil can be substituted for butter.
- Milk: Use homemade buttermilk for flavor dimension or use plant-based milk like almond or cashew.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, or if you have dietary restrictions, use gluten-free flour.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup or granulated sugar can be swapped for honey. I use honey and sugar for my sweet cornbread recipe.
- Herbs: Chop fresh rosemary, thyme, lavender, chives, basil, or tarragon.
- Corn: I love adding ¾ cups of canned sweet corn kernels for texture.
- Fruit: Add strawberries, peaches, cranberries, cherries, or dried fruit.
- Savory Cornbread: Add cheddar cheese, gouda, parmesan, or gruyere, crispy bacon, or jalapeños.
How to Make Blueberry Cornbread
Step 1: Heat the Oven
Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 425°F (218ºC). Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet on a sheet pan and let it heat in the oven as you prepare the batter. Preheating the skillet creates an instant sear when the batter hits the pan, promoting a crisp, golden crust by starting the Maillard reaction, resulting in enhanced texture and flavor.
Tips for Perfect Execution: Greasing the preheated pan with butter creates a nonstick surface for the batter mixture and adds a nutty browned butter flavor! This step is essential for even cooking, texture development, and easy cake release from the pan.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. This step evenly disperses the leavening agents and salt throughout the dry ingredients, ensuring a uniform rise and balanced flavor in the cornbread.
Step 3: Make the Batter
Add the whole milk, eggs, and honey to the cornmeal mixture, whisking until combined to avoid over-mixing. Add the melted butter to the batter, whisking until fully incorporated. This step adds richness and moisture.
Step 4: Add the Blueberries
Set aside about 15 blueberries to press onto the surface of the cornbread just before baking, creating a visually appealing topping. Gently fold the remaining blueberries into the batter, taking care not to overmix.
Step 5: Prepare the Skillet
Lower the oven temperature to 375°F (191ºC) to allow for even baking without over-browning. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, and quickly coat the bottom and sides with the reserved tablespoon of butter to prevent sticking and create a golden crust. Pour the batter into the skillet, spreading it evenly, and place the reserved blueberries on top.
Step 6: Bake
Place the skillet cornbread on the sheet pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown, the center is firm, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This ensures the cornbread is baked with a tender, moist crumb and a beautifully crisp exterior.
Step 7: To Serve
Cool the baked cornbread for 10 minutes before serving. This sets the structure and makes it easier to slice and serve. I’m not shy about slathering each slice with softened butter and some honey. This side dish is delicious paired with my barbecue pork ribs and American potato salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should always hand wash the pan with a soft sponge and mild soap, then dry immediately to prevent rust. After drying, rub the pan with a light coat of vegetable oil after every wash, enough to restore the sheen without being too sticky. If rust does occur, just scour the rust, rinse, dry, and rub with vegetable oil.
The center of the cornbread should reach 185 to 190ºF (85 to 88ºC) on an instant-read thermometer.
You can make skillet cornbread in a muffin tin or baking pan. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and bake at 350°F (177ºC) for 30 to 35 minutes. For muffins, fill a 12-cup muffin tin two-thirds full with batter and bake at 400ºF (204ºC) for 12 to 15 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to ensure they set without sticking.
More Cornbread Recipes
If you tried this Blueberry Cornbread, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Blueberry Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ⅓ cup whole milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup honey, or granulated sugar
- 1 cup blueberries
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Heat the oven to 425°F (218ºC). Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet on top of a sheet pan inside the preheated oven to heat while you make the batter.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Make the Batter – Add the whole milk, eggs, and honey to the cornmeal mixture and whisk until just combined. Reserve 1 tablespoon of melted butter to grease the skillet. Add the rest of the butter and whisk to combine.
- Add the Blueberries – Reserve about 15 blueberries to press into the top of the cornbread just before baking. Fold the remaining blueberries into the batter.
- Prepare the Skillet – Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (191ºC). Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Coat the bottom and sides of the hot skillet with the reserved 1 tablespoon of butter. Pour the batter into the skillet. Add the reserved blueberries to the surface of the mixture.
- Bake – Transfer the skillet cornbread to the center of the oven on top of the sheet pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the surface is golden brown, the center is firm, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- To Serve – Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and serve warm.
Notes
- Storing: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Wrap in plastic, transfer to a large resealable bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Tee says
I added blueberries on top of the pan just before putting it into the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. I also substituted almond milk w/tsp lemon juice to mix. Awesome turnout! Thanks.
Jessica Gavin says
The extra blueberries sound delicious! Thanks for sharing your milk substitute, I’ll have to try it.
Mindi Miller says
Made this for my celiac brother with GF flour. Also used buttermilk as a sub for milk. It was wonderful. He’s asking for more to freeze. The gluten free flour was 1:1 “Just About Foods”. Easy, perfect.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing your gluten-free substitutions! Thrilled to hear that your brother enjoyed the cornbread.
Mrs. Poe says
I DON’T HAVE INSTAGRAM. I AM MAKING THIS TODAY. I substituted some of the milk for sour cream, added more sugar and butter. Cast iron was on point. THANK YOU!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback! Glad to hear that the substitutions worked well for the cornbread recipe.
Michelle says
This is my second time making this. It is awesome! Love it! The best corn bread recipe I ever made!
Mary Koss says
Please explain why the cast iron pan is set on a sheet pan.
This recipe sounds good but I don’t have a sheet pan here.
Jessica Gavin says
The skillet gets very hot and is a bit heavy, so it’s a little easier and safer to handle on the sheet pan. If you don’t have one, just omit it, but please be careful!
Vina says
How can I increase this recipe to fit a 10 1/2″ or 11 1/2″ cast iron skillet?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Vina- I think you could either use the same recipe and check for doneness around 20 minutes at 375F, then every few minutes after. However the cornbread will be not as tall. Other wise you can try to increase the recipe by 25%. In addition to the quantities in the recipe, add in the following: 1/3 cup cornmeal, 3 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 an egg, 1 tablespoon honey or sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter. Let me know how it goes!
Dara Rexroad says
I made this recipe with all purpose flour and I definitely recommend sticking to the whole wheat. The coarse ground corn meal was much heavier than the flour and it separated in the oven. Still tastes good, but not as pretty and very dense.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for your feedback Dara!
Sara says
Just curious, how do you figure out nutrition information? Do you add up the individual component ingredients?
Matt says
The texture looks absolutely perfect! Exactly how I like it
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks Matt! Yes, this if definitely a keeper!