Maple Brown Butter Cornbread
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This flavorful and delicious recipe for Maple Brown Butter Cornbread will have you wondering if it’s actually cake. Moist with sweet brown butter and pure maple syrup, it’s perfect as a snack or dessert.
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I love combining unique flavors, so this cornbread is right up my alley. With the sweetness of pure maple syrup and browned butter, you can enjoy this sweet treat as a dessert or a snack.
The texture of this maple brown butter cornbread is moist, but it has a welcoming crumble to the crumb and a rich sweetness from the maple syrup and brown butter.
This is my third variety of cornbread, but this recipe is sweeter than my Southern Cornbread. And you’ll find that it’s more of a dessert cornbread, unlike my Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins.
Why this recipe works
- Using fine cornmeal keeps the cornbread from drying out.
- Pairing the cornbread with maple and brown butter adds not only sweetness but flavor that is unlike any other cornbread.
- The addition of maple syrup also adds extra moisture.
Maple Brown Butter Cornbread
I’m from the south and grew up eating cornbread all the ways possible. I’ve had it fried, baked in sheets, muffins, savory, sweet, crumbled in a glass of milk, served alongside chili, mixed with baked beans…
You name it, I’ve probably had it. But there’s one cornbread that stands out among all the others. Boston Market’s cornbread. It’s like cake!
Although today’s cornbread isn’t exactly like the one we remember, it is so sweet and delicious; you will swear it is a piece of cake.
How to make Maple Brown Butter Cornbread
- Brown the butter and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Mix until just blended.
- Add to a greased pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Serve with maple butter.
Tips For Success
- Follow the recipe closely. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps prevent over mixing, which will make the cornbread tough.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Batters mix evenly when all the ingredients are about the same temperature. Set the ingredients out about one hour before beginning and allow the brown butter to cool before using it.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding one teaspoon of lemon juice (white vinegar works too) to ¾ cups of whole milk. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will appear curdled, this is normal.
Freezing & Storing
Storing: Wrap the cooled cornbread tightly or place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze baked and cooled cornbread for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving or warm it in the microwave or in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Maple Brown Butter Cornbread
Ingredients
For the cornbread
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (120 g) yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (177 ml) buttermilk
- ¾ cup (177 ml) pure maple syrup
For the Maple Butter
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
Make the cornbread
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, swirl the pan frequently. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the butter turns a light amber color and has a nutty aroma. Watch it closely, it can go from brown to burnt rather quickly. Remove from heat, transfer to a small glass bowl, and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and lightly flour an 8×8-inch square baking pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, maple syrup, and cooled butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the butter
- In a small bowl, stir the butter and maple syrup until blended. Serve with the warm cornbread.
Notes
- Follow the recipe closely. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps prevent over mixing, which will make the cornbread tough.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Batters mix evenly when all the ingredients are about the same temperature. Set the ingredients out about one hour before beginning and allow the brown butter to cool before using it.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding one teaspoon of lemon juice (white vinegar works too) to ¾ cups of whole milk. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will appear curdled, this is normal.
- To Store: Wrap the cooled cornbread tightly or place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze baked and cooled cornbread for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving or warm it in the microwave or in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
This was SO delicious!! We served it alongside chili the first time we made it (it got devoured), and then dreamed about it until the next time we took it to two thanksgivings, 3 weeks later, where everyone loved it.
I made this and it was the best. I have never made cornbread before, but I’ve eaten my fair share, and I will never need to make another recipe. I added 1.5 tbsp whisky to the butter as it cooked. It really turned out. I was not sure it would work, but going by smell, and adding the liquor to the butter after it had melted and before it was too hot, it boiled without burning the butter. Whisk until solids seperate, and go by smell. When the alcoholic edge is gone, it’s ready!
It would be delicious without this addition, bit I’m glad I felt so inclined!
Yum looks delicious! I absolutely love cornbread and can’t wait to try this 🙂
You will love this recipe, Tina! Enjoy!
This bread sounds amazing. I had my first ever cornbread whilst travelling between LA and Las Vegas at Peggy Sue’s Diner. (I’m from Australia) I was amazed at how delicious it was, now I’m a convert… I would love to try your recipe. I will have to try and get the ingredients here.
Thanks for sharing
Julie
P.S I found you through Nagi’s FB page – Food Blogger Central
Thank you so much for stopping by! You must try this cornbread if you can find the ingredients. You will love it!
This bread sounds amazing. I had my first ever cornbread whilst travelling between LA and Las Vegas at Peggy Sue’s Diner. (I’m from Australia) I was amazed at how delicious it was, now I’m a convert… I would love to try your recipe. I will have to try and get the ingredients here.
Thanks for sharing
Julie
P.S I found you through Nagi’s FB page – Food Blogger Central
Oh my gawshhhhh. Brown butter cornbread??? I am dying over how amazing that sounds with the maple syrup in this cornbread, Jen! You totally nailed these! I want a piece asap.
I know you are a fan of cornbread as well. You will love this one, Sarah! I’d love to hear about it, if you make it!
Grandmas recipes are always a winner in my book and these cornbread bars look to die for!!
Grandma never fails!
This is basically perfect! I adore cornbread, it is probably my favorite food. But I usually prefer savory cornbread to sweet, BUT I think this would change my mind!
Sweet is good once in a while!
Here in the UK cornbread isn’t something that people make too often but I love the look of this cake-like version! That would make a nice change from the kinds of cakes I usually make. Must try this one weekend when I have family over 🙂
Your family will be impressed for sure!
This cornbread is the best I have ever seen! Brown Butter amazing, and the maple flavor is so nice!
Thanks, Katalina! It turned out so amazing.