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Cornbread is the best excuse to eat cake alongside your dinner. Maple bourbon cornbread is sweetened with maple syrup and boozed up with a splash of bourbon! This cornbread recipe has a subtle maple and bourbon flavor that adds richness and sweet caramel notes.
I love making skillet cornbread because it’s easy to make and delicious. Making cornbread in a cast iron skillet is even better in terms of presentation and delivers classic southern vibes.
Looking for delicious recipes to pair with cornbread? Try my easy oven-baked BBQ ribs, pulled pork sliders, and crock-pot chili! Serve with a Maple Walnut Manhattan cocktail!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Baking powder: make sure your baking powder is not expired for the proper rise and texture!
Buttermilk: buttermilk makes for better cornbread. It tastes better and makes cornbread more moist than when using whole or skim milk.
Pure maple syrup: I use a 1/2 cup of maple syrup. It’s the sweet spot for delicious cornbread with a nice balance of noticeable maple sweetness! You can substitute honey or you can use 2 tablespoons of table sugar for more traditional, yet slightly sweetened cornbread.
Melted butter or vegetable/canola oil: you can use butter or oil for the fat. Oil tends to make the cornbread more tender and cakey. Butter yields a moist finish without being sticky or too crumbly. I probably prefer oil.
Bourbon: you can make this recipe without alcohol or substitute spiced rum! Rye whiskey lacks the sweetness needed to pull this together. I usually use 1.5-2 tablespoons of bourbon. this adds a subtle bourbon essence, I wouldn’t use more than 3 tablespoons of any spirit unless you want to breathe pure gasoline.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Expert Tips
- Do not overmix the dry and wet ingredients together. Do not whisk out the lumps. This adds a nice texture.
- Grease the skillet with bacon grease for extra flavor and browning! This is one of my favorite ways to use leftover bacon grease from breakfast.
- Topping cornbread with honey and butter turns it into dessert. Seriously.
- You don’t have to make this recipe in a skillet. It also works in a standard 8×8 baking dish or 9-inch round pan.
What to Serve with Cornbread
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Skillet Maple Bourbon Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted butter, or vegetable/canola oil
- 1.5-2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch cast iron skillet.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, maple syrup, melted butter, bourbon, and egg.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined/moistened, do not over-mix, and do not whisk out the lumps!
- Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm with soft butter and honey.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious and moist! Goes well with the ribs!