Brown Butter Corn Bread

Sweet, nutty, … dare I say moist corn bread, a perfect side with a hearty dinner or just a snack.

If you follow me on instagram its no secret that I am not a baker. If the final product looks good, it doesn’t taste good. Most of the time however it’s the opposite, we have the taste down, but it looks like a child baked it. So you can imagine I was pretty proud when I took my tried and true corn bread recipe, broke it down ingredient by ingredient and put it it back together, but better to make this brown butter corn bread. Why you ask? Why didn’t I just USE the tried and true recipe if it was so good to start out with? 2 words, brown butter.

WHAT IS BROWN BUTTER?

So what is brown butter exactly? It is gently and slow cooked butter (5-7 minutes on low heat) until the milk solids have toasted and separated from the fat. Brown butter is ghee with the toasted milk solids still in. The result is a nutty, rich, and sweet butter that is a great substitution in baked goods, but also savory dishes as well. Although use sparingly in savory dishes. While browning butter is extremely easy it does take a watchful eye so be sure to read the recipe card below.

Just a tip! If you want to have brown butter on hand but don’t want to go through all the trouble of cooking it for every recipe, brown butter can be made in advanced. Once done and cooled down, place in an ice cube tray in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, pop it out and store in a zip lock bag or airtight container.

So why did I have to break the recipe apart? Why not just replace butter for brown butter? I tried, and I am not sure why this isn’t spoken about on other food blogs. It’s not a 1 for 1. When you brown the butter you loose moisture that you would have added in. First attempt on this corn bread replacing the same amount of butter for brown butter… it was dry… like dry AF. My husband said it was fine….fine….not good, just fine. Those words haunted me, so the next morning I made it again.

Of course as the baker that I am (insert laugh) I didn’t check to make sure I had all my ingredients before I started and of course I was out of milk. Yes I could have gone to the store down the street and pick up more. Thats what a baker would have done, but I am not a baker. So a little substituting milk for Greek yogurt and this happy accident made such a “moist” and delicious corn bread. This corn bread is definitely on the sweeter side, but not corn muffin sweet. Enjoy this brown butter corn bread with a slab of butter and honey.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR BROWN BUTTER CORN BREAD

• All Purpose Flour
• Corn Meal – This recipe calls for a 50/50 split between flour and corn meal. If you have ever made corn bread with 100% cornmeal then you know it comes out grainy, kind of dry, and doesn’t have that bouncy, fluffy, moist texture. Too much flour and you loose the cornmeal taste. 50/50 split gives you the best of both.
• Granulated Sugar
• Butter – Brown butter that is. Don’t worry it is incredibly easy to brown butter. See below to read a little more.
• Whole Milk
• Greek Yogurt
• Eggs

HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER CORN BREAD

Before diving into the step by step it is really critical that all ingredients are at room temperature. For example if you add the eggs to the hot brown butter they will cook before you can even begin to whisk. Add the brown butter to cold milk and yogurt and it will congeal.

Brown the Butter – In a sauce pan over low heat add the cubbed butter. Continuously stir as the butter starts to bubble and foam. Stir for about 5-7 minutes until butter has turned brown and a nutty aroma is present. Remove off the stove and let it come to room temp.

Combine the Ingredients – In a large bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt). In a separate smaller bowl whisk together eggs and brown butter, adding the mixture to the milk and yogurt mixture. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined.

Bake Until Golden – Grease and line a 9 inch pan (either circle or square) with parchment paper. Pour cornbread mixture into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until center comes out clean. Do not over bake.

STORING

This brown butter corn bread can be stored in an airtight container or zip lock bag at room temp for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Don’t know what to serve with this delicious and moist corn bread? See below!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup