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If you are a cornbread purist, you can stop right here – this cornbread isn’t for you. For those of you comfortable with a twist on classic cornbread, read on! Brown butter, brown sugar, and honey add a nutty flavor and light sweetness to this easy brown butter cherry cornbread.

Brown Butter Cherry Cornbread | Tutti Dolci
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Studded with sweet Bing cherries and served up with a quick cherry topping, you’ll crave this cake-like skillet cornbread for breakfast, brunch, or simply snacking!

Brown Butter Cherry Cornbread | Tutti Dolci
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Brown Butter Cherry Cornbread

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  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
  • Yield: 12 squares
  • Category: Quick Bread
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Brown butter cherry cornbread with a lightly-sweetened cherry topping! Made in a skillet, this cake-like cornbread is easy and delicious.


Ingredients

Cornbread

  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 6 Tbsp light brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp honey
  • 1 cup Bing cherries, pitted and quartered

Cherry Topping

  • 1 1/2 cups Bing cherries, pitted and quartered
  • 1 Tbsp sugar (to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp Amaretto
  • 1 tsp arrowroot starch
  • 2 tsp water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet (or cake pan).
  2. Cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Pour into a small bowl to cool slightly.
  3. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, and honey in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in until almost combined. Fold in cooled brown butter and cherries just until combined.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula.
  5. Bake cornbread for 22 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes; use a thin spatula to loosen cornbread from skillet before serving.
  6. For the cherry topping, combine cherries, sugar, and Amaretto in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  7. Place cherries and their juices in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until cherries have softened. Whisk together arrowroot starch and water in a small bowl; add to cherry mixture and continue cooking until thickened, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Store leftover cornbread at room temperature and warm before serving. Store leftover cherry topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Meet Laura

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.

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13 Comments

  1. I did not have enough cherries to make the cornbread AND the sauce, so I just made the cornbread, which was delicious. It may seem like a lot of sugar with 6 Tbs. of brown sugar AND 6 Tbs. of honey, but the finished product is not overly sweet. The brown butter gives a subtle flavor that’s hard to pin down but definitely enhances everything. Slices were really yummy warmed in the microwave and slathered with butter. I can’t wait to make it again with the topping.

  2. I swear I’m no purist for anything. If I can make it super delish by trashing it up, then I’ll do it. Just like with this cornbread – brown butter? cherry? heck to the yes!!