Sweet Chipotle Skillet Cornbread

Update:  recently I made a batch of cornbread using Masa Harina in place of the cornmeal and I thought it was awesome.   See Masa Harina Cornbread for details.

When you're ready to cross over to the other side and are just passing through the pearly gates, you'll be presented with a plush white robe, a free eternal membership to Netflix, and a batch of steaming, moist cornbread.

Included is an unlimited supply of guilt-free butter.

Of course, you're welcome to give this chipotle cornbread recipe a try in advance if you're curious to know what the other side is like, but for now you still have to pay your monthly Netflix fee.

Chipotle Skillet Cornbread Recipe

You may have seen fresh jalapenos used in cornbread before, but we are using chipotles in adobo; these are dried, smoked jalapenos that are stored in a tangy adobo sauce.

Their sweet, smoky flavor is a natural fit for cornbread, but note that we are only using a single chipotle here to give just a hint of spice, nothing too crazy.

We're also using a 10" cast iron skillet to help form a distinct crust, but you'll get an equally tasty result if you use a similar sized baking dish.

Using the skillet also makes clean-up a snap with no sticking involved, but to accomplish this you need to start off with a hot skillet.  So before you gather any ingredients turn the oven to 425F and put an ovensafe skillet inside; it'll be piping hot by the time you need it.

Then grab a mixing bowl and combine:

1 cup flour
1.5 cups cornmeal (Is cornmeal the same as Masa Harina?)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt

Note:  you can add an additional 1-2 Tablespoons of sugar or honey for an even sweeter version.

Get 3 Tablespoons of butter melting somewhere, I used a stovetop skillet.  You'll be adding 2 Tablespoons of this butter to the wet ingredients and holding 1 Tablespoon in reserve for the skillet.

Then in a separate bowl combine 2 eggs, 1.5 cups buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons of the melted butter, 1 minced chipotle in adobo, and 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce from the chipotle can.  (I usually slice off the stem and scrape out the seeds of the chipotle).

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and combine well using a spatula or wooden spoon.

By now the skillet is piping hot so don't forget to use a hotpad when you pull it out!  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swish it around so that the bottom and sides are coated; this will prevent sticking and help form a perfect crust.

Add the cornbread mixture to the skillet, it will mostly settle into an even layer on its own.

Bake at 425F for 25-30 minutes.  I took a look at this batch after 25 minutes and then let it cook for a few more minutes to let the crust darken a bit.

Hello sweet chipotle cornbread!

Let this sit for a few minutes before cutting into it.  Then serve immediately with a pad of guilt-free butter.

If you slice a piece in half you'll see specks of chipotle.  And if you've used similar proportions you'll taste just a hint of the smoky chipotle.

I think this recipe works best when the chipotle takes a side role to the dominant cornbread flavor, but of course you are welcome to experiment with adding another chipotle for a more fiery version.

So good!  Give this recipe a try, there's a fairly good chance you'll take a few bites and describe it as heavenly.

Buen Provecho.

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