This Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread is wonderfully moist and flavoured with jalapeno and cheese for loads of flavour! Bakes up perfectly in a cast iron skillet!
Cornbread is always a welcome addition to any meal and in my house, it’s also a great way to use up left-over cooked corn, especially from Summer corn on the cob. Cooking it up in a cast iron skillet makes it even better! This Jalapeno and Cheese Skillet Cornbread is one of my favourite recipes. It has tons of flavour and is always moist.
I love to roast the jalapenos in the skillet while the oven is preheating. It adds a lot more flavour than just using raw jalapeno in your cornbread. As for the corn, you can use either frozen, cooked and cooled corn or left-over corn that you’ve refrigerated after a meal or corn cut from left-over corn on the cob.
This cornbread is super moist, especially if you use cream, so you don’t need to add any butter on this one! A touch of honey would be nice though, if you like.
Enjoy this cornbread with your Fall stews or soups, or as a great addition to late-summer barbecues.
Cook’s Notes for Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread
When measuring out the corn kernels, use a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Add 1 cup corn kernels, then pour cream over-top until the mixture raises to the 1 1/2 cup level in the measuring cup.
To change this up a bit, use grilled or roasted corn for a bit of a smokey taste to your cornbread.
As mentioned, I think cornbread is at it’s very best when baked up in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a similar sized baking pan.
Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine cornmeal
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (1 tsp. if using fine salt)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels plus enough cream, milk or buttermilk to equal 1 1/2 cups *see Notes
- 2 jalapeno peppers seeds removed and diced
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese plus bit more for top before baking
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
Instructions
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Place diced jalapenos in skillet, then place in a 10-inch top diameter cast iron skillet in cold oven on middle rack. Preheat oven to 400and leave skillet with jalapenos in oven as it preheats. in pre-heating oven. Check periodically to make sure they aren't burning and to give them a quick stir. Remove when they are lightly browned and allow to cool. Return skillet immediately to oven.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs in a medium to blend. Whisk in corn/cream mixture and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon, just until butter absorbs the sugar. Add the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the cooled jalapenos. Mix in the dry ingredients just until barely incorporated.
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Remove skillet from oven and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Spoon batter in to hot pan and quickly top with a bit more grated cheddar cheese. Bake cornbread until top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 25-28 minutes when baked in a 10-inch skillet (may be longer if your skillet is smaller). Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
*This means you add the corn kernels to a measuring cup first, then pour in the milk until the milk rises to the 1 1/2 cup level.
Be sure to read the "Cook's Notes" in the original post, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
This just won a chili and cornbread cook-off at my office. And since I still have a bunch of corn and cream in my fridge I will be making another batch very soon.
That is awesome, Jason! Congratulations and enjoy your next batch, too :)
Sweet jesus this was good.
I used a trifecta of whole milk, buttermilk and cream. Fresh cut corn and farmhouse cheddar. VVS good.
So glad you enjoyed it :) Thanks!
This recipe is superb. I went against my better judgement and used the full amount of butter, although I cut the sugar by 1/2 because I prefer a savory cornbread. Also used frozen corn with jalapenos, as I had this on hand. I used a combination of 2% and half n half cream to top up the liquid. One thing I will try next time is … more corn. I might double it, in fact. Bread took 30 minutes in my (verified) 400 degree oven. If you follow the instructions, with minor modifications, you will enjoy a wonderful corn bread addition to your meal.
So glad you enjoyed this, Hannah! Thanks so much :)
Hi Jennifer!
This looks great – am going to attempt to make this tonight for a potluck tomorrow. Can i use frozen corn kernels (defrosted) instead of cooked corn? Or will this affect the texture?
Thank you!
Hi Shaz, yes you can but I would cook it first then cool.
Do you use canned corn that is drained?
Any cooked corn would work here, though fresh cooked corn kernels would probably have the best flavour and texture. That said, if you want to start with canned, you would need to drain for sure.
Hi, I know I’m putting this in the wrong place, so I hope you get my question (I’m a little technologically challenged when it comes to social media, blogging, etc.) I have a fairly large gathering coming up and I wanted to make cast iron skillet cornbread. Your recipe and comments look awesome. I measured the cast iron skillet that was passed on to me from a relative and it is 15 inches across the top. Obviously, I know I would need to increase the batter, but I’m trying to judge whether 1.5x or 2x would be best. How much room do you leave from the top of the pan? I really want to use the skillet and not a pan. Thanks!
Hi Kathy, my skillet (the one in the picture) is 10-inches across the top. So I’m going to say you should go the 1.5 route. It’s been a while since I made it and I don’t recall exactly how much it rose. From the pictures, it was nearing the top of the skillet cooked. I would guess the batter filled it 1/2-2/3. Hope that helps and enjoy!
This is bit confusing what you mentioned in the recipe. Please elaborate … 1 cup cooked corn kernels plus enough cream, milk or buttermilk to equal 1 1/2 cups…
Hi Latha, What it means is that you place cooked corn kernels in a 2 cup glass measuring cup, up to the 1 cup level. Then you pour milk (or buttermilk) into the measuring cup until the liquid reaches the 1 1/2 cup level when poured in over the corn. Hope that helps :)
This is the best ever cornbread. This will be my new go- to recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks :)
Hi there! Is this something I could make in a 9×13 baking dish or pan instead of in a cast iron skillet? If so, how do you think it would affect baking time? Thank you! Excited to try this.
Hi Aly, I think 9×13 is too large. Somewhere around a 9-inch round or square baking pan would work, with a similar baking time.
I’m just a bit confused on this direction… 1 cup cooked corn kernels plus enough cream, milk or buttermilk to equal 1 1/2 cups? Just to confirm do I place one cup of corn kernels in the measuring cup then add enough cream to the same measuring up to reach 1 1/2 cups? Thank you.
Yes that’s it exactly Ellen. Enjoy :)
This is the best cornbread in the history of the world! I made it. It made up just like the picture and the taste and experience is out of this world. Wow! Thank-you. It will be my go-to cornbread recipe. I might even open a restaurant. (Not really).
Lol! So glad you enjoyed it :) It’s my absolute favourite, as well. Thanks!
I have a 8 inch skillet and a 6 inch skillet can i cook the recipe in both together since I don’t have a 10 inch skillet?
Hi Shar, Is that 8-inches on the bottom or top diameter? If it’s bottom, it will work just fine. (Mine is 8-inches on the bottom/10-inches across the top). If not, yes, you can split the batter between the two.
Looking forward to making this recipe today.
Just one clarification. In your post you say this is very moist so you don’t have to add any butter but butter is listed in the ingredients/instructions.
Do you mean “extra” butter?
Thanks for your help
Hi Ann and yes, I do mean extra butter once it’s cooked :)
One last question. Can I do less flour and more corn meal?
You could probably swap the volumes and do 1 1/4 cups cornmeal and 1 cup flour without too much trouble. Beyond that, you’d be moving into a pretty dense cornbread, as it is the flour that keeps it light.
Hi,
Is it ok to do this without sugar? I assume the corn adds enough sweetness and I don’t really want to add more sugar. Would I need to adjust the recipe?
Hi Dom, the corn doesn’t really add enough sweetness. That said, if you wanted to reduce it Maybe split the difference and go with 1/3 cup?
Thanks. I’ll defintely lower the sugar but I’m wondering will it taste ok even if I remove all sugar? Or will that taste really off?
I think with no sugar it will be very much like eating corn (as opposed to cornbread). Cornbread needs a little sweetness :) And just remember, it may seem like a lot of sugar, but only if you plan to eat the entire skillet yourself. On a per serving basis, it’s not a ton.
This cornbread recipe is fabulous. I used a reduced fat buttermilk and the bread was really moist. It was great with chili.
Thanks Cathy and so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this tonight to accompany some BBQ ribs and a vinegar slaw. I have to say it was the best cornbread we’ve ever made at home. My husband had to have a huge second helping!
Thanks Nick and so glad! (And that dinner sounds awesome ;)
My husband isn’t a fan of actual corn in the cornbread. Is it possible to leave that out? And, if so, how would you adjust?
Hi Shannon, I suspect you could leave it out, but it will affect the end result to some degree. If you decide to leave it out, I would just use about 3/4 – 1 cup of the milk.
If using a 10 inch skillet will the cornbread come out thick looking like the photo? Or should I use a smaller skillet if I want it taller and not thin?
Hi Sharon, the skillet shown in the photo is 10-inches across the top (8-inches across the bottom). So if yours is the same it will be as thick as the photo. Enjoy!
Best cornbread EVER.
So glad you enjoyed it! My favourite, for sure :)
Can this be made instead in a loaf pan? if so, how long would I cook it for? thanks.
Hi elle, I have never tried it in a loaf pan. It would definitely take much longer, as it would be so much thicker. I would be more inclined to try it in an 9 or 10 inch more shallow baking dish.
Jennifer I made this last weekend (with heavy whipping cream) and it was incredible. I am not even the biggest fan of cornbread but made it to go with a friend’s shrimp & grits and it was the bomb! Thanks.
So glad to hear! I love this recipe because it’s so moist, which makes all the difference in cornbread, I think. I was never a fan of the drier versions.
Agreed. It was moist, not gritty, and flavorful.
what is your first choice of creams to use for the cornbread? Would it be milk, heavy cream or Buttermilk
Hi Ellen, I have used all of those in various cornbreads, but for this particular one, my first choice would be heavy cream. It makes the cornbread so moist. It’s lovely :)
Thank you for responding back so quickly. I will use cream, heavy cream right?
Yes, heavy (whipping) cream if you have it would be perfect!
I am loving the cheese and jalapenos here. It looks so delicious!
Thanks so much, Karen :)
I don’t think cornbread has ever looked better! :) Love that golden cheddar topping!
Thanks Laura. No such thing as too much cheese :)
This flavour combination is forever one of my favs! Such a yummy bread!
Thanks so much, Katrina :)