Maple and Walnut Cornbread Recipe

Joshua Bousel

Sweet Northern-style cornbread with a crisp crust, enhanced by maple syrup and toasted walnuts. [Photographs: Joshua Bousel]

Maple syrup adds a distinct sweetness that pairs well with the toasted walnuts that give this tender and moist cornbread a nice crunch.

Why this recipe works:

Preheating the pan and coating it with butter creates the dark crusty with a light nutty flavor
Using sour cream along with buttermilk increases the mild tanginess and overall flavor of the bread
Adding a little oil to the batter results in a more cake-like moistness

1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled slightly, plus 1 additional tablespoon for pan
2 tablespoons canola oil

1.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place walnuts in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat and toast until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer walnuts to a bowl and place skillet in oven.
2.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, buttermilk, syrup, eggs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and canola oil. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Stir in walnuts.
3.

Using pot holders, carefully remove hot pan from oven. Place 1 tablespoon butter in skillet and swirl to completely melt and coat inside of pan. Pour in cornbread batter and place in oven. Bake until skewer inserted into middle of cornbread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out to wire rack and let cool an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Reheat any leftover cornbread before serving again.