Sourdough Discard Cornbread
This sourdough discard cornbread bakes up golden on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside, with just the right hint of tang that makes every bite more interesting than your average cornbread.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) Baking Pan - or 9-inch (23 cm) cast iron skillet
- Cast iron skillet - optional, for crispier edges
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Toothpick
- Wire cooling rack
- Pastry brush - optional, for greasing the pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - 120g
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal - 170g
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar - 65g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk - 120ml, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard - 125g, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - 115g, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoons honey - optional, for extra sweetness
- 1 tablespoon butter - for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sourdough discard, melted butter, and honey until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan or hot skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes (pan) or 22-28 minutes (skillet) until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter and extra honey.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest batter. Cold eggs or buttermilk can cause melted butter to solidify into lumps.
- For the best texture, measure cornmeal by spooning it into the cup and leveling off, never packing it down.
- If using a cast iron skillet, preheating it in the oven before adding the batter creates an incredibly crispy crust.
- To make a buttermilk substitute, combine 1/2 cup of regular milk with 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes.
- For a savory version, reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon, omit the honey, and fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar and 2 diced jalapeños.
- Store cornbread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
- Reheat slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or wrap in foil and warm in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes for a just-baked texture.
- Adding a pat of butter on top before reheating helps restore moisture and brings back that fresh-from-the-oven flavor.
- If your sourdough discard has been sitting in the fridge for a week, it will still work perfectly in this recipe. Cold discard is totally fine.