Apple Cinnamon Skillet Cornbread

Family kitchens in the Appalachia Mountains often have smells of fresh made cornbread filling the air, making use of the high yield of corn from the crops that abound throughout the region. Try this sweet and savory version, using apples and spice to brighten up traditional cornbread.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp organic Canola Oil
  • 1½ cups fine ground yellow Cornmeal
  • ½ cup peeled and small diced Red Apple (like Gala)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp organic Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Salt, plus additional pinch at end of cooking
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 2 cups organic Whole Milk
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice

Let’s start cooking:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, place 2 Tbsp canola oil and place in hot oven to heat.
  3. Whisk together cornmeal, apple, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, mix together the milk and lemon juice, and allow to sit for 5 minutes at room temp to sour.
  5. In a third bowl, whisk together eggs, milk mixture, and 2 Tbsp of oil.
  6. Add all liquid ingredients to dry cornmeal mix, and stir gently to combine.
  7. Remove hot skillet from oven, and pour cornmeal mixture into hot pan. *BE EXTRA CAREFUL pouring the batter into hot oil in the pan. Be cautious it does not splatter! Bake until golden in color and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake time approx. 20 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and sprinkle top of cornbread with a light pinch of salt. Slice and serve warm, fresh out of the oven!