February 18, 2021

Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread

Name: Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons butter (softened and divided); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided); 2 cups flour; 2 cups cornmeal; 3 tablespoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups milk; 2 eggs (beaten)

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This Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread is the cheesiest, mile high cornbread that will no doubt steal the show of any meal it accompanies.

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Original content posted September 2015. Updated February 2021.

When you think of comfort food, what comes to mind? To me, it definitely means soups, stews and anything else cooked in my large dutch oven that’s always at the ready. Of course, comfort food also includes all things carbs, and this savory Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread definitely fits the bill!

Perfect alongside a steaming bowl of my Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup, Beer Braised Beanless Chili or Slow Cooker Chipotle Corn Chowder, this mile high cornbread is perfect warm from the oven, at room temperature and at any time of day.

Butter, cheddar and cream cheese are swirled together within the batter before being poured into a piping hot iron skillet. The result? You’ll be reaching for just “one more piece” again and again.

Why Make Cornbread in a Cast Iron Skillet?

A cast iron skillet is the traditional choice for skillet cornbread as it will give you your recipe a crunchy crust. Your skillet should be with butter or other fat to create a nonstick surface.

If you do not have a cast iron skillet, you could try making this Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread in a dutch oven, however, you might have to adjust your cooking time to account for the change in batter depth.

If you’re lucky enough to have a piece or two leftover, this Cheddar and Cream Cheese Cornbread is heavenly for breakfast with a runny egg and sausage sitting on top. It also makes a great vehicle for sandwiches when split in two. A perfect excuse to make another skillet of cheesy cornbread right about now, don’t you think?

TIP: If you’re looking for an autumn twist to this delicious side, check out my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread.

How to Make Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread

[1] Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 12 cast-iron pan in oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan add 7 tablespoons butter.

[2] Over medium-low heat, melt butter.

[3] Add cream cheese and 1 cup cheddar cheese to saucepan.

[4] Stir together until completely combined.

[5] Remove saucepan from heat and add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

[6] Stir together until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

TIP: Stir only until you no longer see any dry ingredients.

[7] Add milk and eggs to saucepan.

[8] Stir ingredients together until just combined.

TIP: Mix only until you no longer see any individual ingredients. Over mixing the batter will result in a tough, rather than tender, cornbread.

[9] Remove cast iron skillet from oven and add remaining tablespoon of butter.

TIP: Tilt pan so that melted butter covers bottom of pan. This will insure that you’ve created a nonstick surface.

[10] Pour cornbread batter into preheated cast iron skillet and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.

[11] Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let cornbread cool at least 10 minutes prior to serving.

How Long Do You Let Cornbread Cool?

After baking this Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center removes cleanly, you’ll want to allow it to cool for 10 minutes prior to serving.

Instead of remove all of the cornbread from the skillet at once, I like to slice it and remove each piece individually. The longer you leave the cornbread in the skillet, the better. This will allow the center of the cornbread thoroughly cool and become more of a bread like texture as it tends to be a bit more wet when it first comes out of the oven.

If you’ve tried this Cheddar and Cream Cheese Skillet Cornbread or any other recipe on Melanie Makes, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you and respond to each and every comment!

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3.77 from 13 votes