Green Chile Cornbread with Whipped Honey Butter
Spice up traditional southern cornbread by adding green chiles! The sweetness and heat make the perfect flavor combination. Make cornbread using a muffin or a brownie tin. Making your cornbread in a brownie pan makes it the perfect packing size for your next picnic!
For most of my life, I had cornbread out of the box. While I liked Jiffy Cornbread, I had no idea what I was missing until a Southern friend introduced me to the real thing. From then on, homemade cornbread has been my picnic go-to.
I differ from the Southern style in two ways. First, I add hatch green chiles. I love the southwestern touch and the pick-me-up. Secondly, I make cornbread in a brownie pan. I know it might seem odd at first, but it works well. The brownie pan makes perfect individual sizes and packs neatly in a ziplock for a picnic or potluck.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour provides structure, ensuring the bread holds together.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents are essential for a light and fluffy texture, preventing the cornbread from being too dense.
- Butter: Used in cornbread and honey butter, it adds richness and moisture to the bread and, when whipped with honey, creates a fluffy butter that melts perfectly into the cornbread!
- Cheddar Cheese: Though optional, cheese adds a savory depth.
- Corn: It introduces little bursts of sweet, juicy kernels, enhancing the overall bread.
- Cornmeal: is the backbone of this recipe, giving it a classic, grainy texture and a sweet, corny flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients and contribute to the bread’s structure and richness.
- Green Chilies: The star flavor enhancer, green chilies offer a mild heat and a smoky flavor.
- Honey: The butter contains honey, adding a richer flavor.
- Milk: It helps to combine all the dry ingredients while adding moisture.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances all the other flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Sour Cream: Add moisture to the recipe.
- Sugar: A touch of sugar balances the heat from the chilies and complements the corn’s natural sweetness.
Additions and Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Flour for All-Purpose Flour: For those with gluten sensitivities, a gluten-free flour blend can replace all-purpose flour without compromising the texture. While I have not tested it, I think oat flour would taste great with cornbread!
- Jalapeños for Green Chilies: Add diced jalapenos if you prefer a spicier kick.
- Vegan Butter and Almond Milk for Butter and Milk: For a dairy-free version, vegan butter can be used both in the cornbread and for the whipped honey butter. Almond milk is a great substitute.
Selecting a Baking Dish
One of the nice things about cornbread is its versatility in baking. I tried baking this cornbread in two ways: in a casserole dish and a brownie squares pan.
While I liked both the baking dishes, I preferred the brownie squares pan. The cornbread cooked faster, the shapes were even, and they were perfect for taking to a picnic, barbecue, or potluck. They also have perfect edges in every bite!
If you do not have a brownie squares pan, I suggest using a muffin tin, a cast iron pan, or a casserole dish. I have included the time needed to cook this recipe in a casserole dish, brownie squares pan, standard muffin tins, and cast iron skillet in the recipe below.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!
Green Chile Cornbread with Whipped Honey Butter
Equipment
- Two mixing bowls
- Hand Mixer
- Brownie square pan or 12 count muffin pan
- whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups Cornmeal
- 1.25 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt divided
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 cup Butter divided (room temperature; 1/2 cup for cornbread, 1/2 cup for honey butter)
- 0.5 cup Sour Cream
- 2 Large Eggs
- 0.25 cup Sugar
- 1.25 cups Milk
- 2 cups Green Chilies peeled, diced, dried (fire-roasted recommended)
- 2 cups Corn defrosted
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese optional
- 0.25 cup Honey
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a baking dish.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 1.25 cups cornmeal, 1.25 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp baking soda.
- Wet Ingredients: Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend in 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 eggs until smooth.
- Combine: Mix dry and wet ingredients, alternating with 1.25 cups milk. Stir just until combined.
- Add Includsions: Fold in 2 cups green chilies, 2 cups corn, and 1 cup cheddar cheese (optional).
- Bake: Pour batter into dish, bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean (baking time varies by dish). – Casserole Dish (like a 9×13 inch pan): Bake for 35 minutes. – Brownie or Square Pans (like an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch pan): Bake for 18-25 minutes. – Muffin Tins: Bake for 15-20 minutes. – Cast Iron Skillet (10-inch): Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Honey Butter: Whip 1/2 cup butter with 1/4 cup honey and a pinch of salt until fluffy.
Notes
- Casserole Dish (like a 9×13 inch pan): Bake for 35 minutes.
- Brownie or Square Pans (like an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch pan): Around 18-25 minutes. These shallower pans allow the cornbread to bake more quickly.
- Muffin Tins: Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Cast Iron Skillet (10-inch): Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cast iron retains heat well, leading to a nice crust but often requires slightly less baking time than a casserole dish.
