This delicious sourdough skillet cornbread is so easy to make and it goes great with a hearty soup, stew, or chili, or your favorite summer barbecue dish! I like to top it with cultured honey butter. If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, see my post on obtaining and maintaining a sourdough starter. I promise, it’s easier than you think!
Why sourdough?
- Using a sourdough starter allows you to bake without using commercial yeast. Most commercial yeasts are genetically modified. If that isn’t enough to make you want to avoid them, many people unknowingly react to commercial yeasts. (Bioreal has a GMO-free yeast that I use occasionally. Go here to find out what is so bad about GMOs.)
- The process of fermenting the wheat (or any grain or seed) releases it’s phytates. Phytates bind up valuable vitamins and minerals. Once the phytates are releases, the vitamins and minerals are much more bio-available (ready for your body to use). Using a sourdough starter gives you a nutritious as well as tasty way to make breads, pancakes, waffles, tortillas, and many other treats.
- Grains also move from high on the glycemic index to low on the glycemic index by being soured. This means that the natural sugars in the grain are absorbed slowly instead of quickly which keeps your blood sugar off of the roller coaster.
To make Sourdough Skillet Cornbread:
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (I use a blend)
- 2 cups cornmeal (I like medium grind, but whatever you prefer)
- 1 cup sourdough starter (freshly discarded or fresh)
- 1 cup water OR water kefir
- 3 pastured eggs
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter
- 1/2 cup organic maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, starter, and water (or water kefir). Let mixture sit for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a buttered cast iron skillet into the oven. If you don’t have one, just butter a square Pyrex (or similar pan), but do not put it into the oven yet.
- Add eggs, softened butter, and maple syrup and mix.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix.
- Immediately put into your cast iron pan ( I use a 10 inch) and put the pan in the oven.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Sourdough Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour I use a blend
- 2 cups cornmeal I like medium grind, but whatever you prefer
- 1 cup sourdough starter freshly discarded or fresh
- 1 cup water OR water kefir
- 3 pastured eggs whisked
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter softened
- 1/2 cup organic maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, starter, and water (or water kefir). Let mixture sit for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a buttered cast iron skillet into the oven. If you don't have one, just butter a square Pyrex (or similar pan), but do not put it into the oven yet.
- Add eggs, softened butter, and maple syrup and mix.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix.
- Immediately put into your cast iron pan ( I use a 10 inch) and put the pan in the oven.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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I don’t have a cast iron skillet, can this be baked in a baking dish?
Absolutely! Just skip the preheating step.
I don’t like maple syrup, is there a substitution you can use?
You could try honey. Let me know how it goes!
I am not a fan of sweet cornbread. Can I leave the maple syrup or honey out completely, or just decrease it? How low can I go?
Hi Lisa,
You can reduce it to 1/4 cup without seeing too much of a shift in texture. If you reduce it anymore, I would add a bit more water (2-3 T). Enjoy!
Hi! What size cast iron is best?
Hi Grace,
I have a 10 inch and a 12 inch cast iron pan. I have used both, but I like using the 12 inch pan the best. Happy baking!
Chelsea
Hey there! Wondering if I could replace the water with acid whey?
Absolutely!!