How To Make Sheet Pan Cornbread When A Cast Iron Isn't Handy

Whether you're celebrating a holiday or digging into a bowl of hearty white chicken and navy bean chili, cornbread is an essential part of the meal. Cakey, dense, and a little bit sweet, cornbread is perfect for dunking into stew or turkey gravy, consuming slathered in butter and cranberry sauce, or adding to your holiday dessert plate you secretly plan to have for breakfast. It's also pretty easy to make in batches large enough to feed a crowd and still have leftovers — especially if you use a sheet pan.

Though normally the very best cornbread is cooked in a preheated cast iron skillet, a sheet pan is a decent alternative for big holiday gatherings or autumn cookouts. Stainless steel baking sheets are especially durable and have a slightly deeper rim to more easily contain the cornbread batter (just take care not to fill one all the way to the top to prevent the batter from overflowing). There's also the obvious advantage of being able to cook a big batch in one fell swoop rather than trying to divide it among baking dishes or muffin liners. While the thinner, flatter pan means it needs closer to 30 minutes to bake (even between 375 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit), it makes baking up this beloved side a lot less complicated.

The only downside to whipping up your cornbread in a sheet pan is that the slices are usually quite thin, making them harder to split and butter. Thinner cornbread also means it may be a bit dry. However, a light brushing of honey butter over the top before cutting easily solves both of these problems.

Whether you're making a sweet and savory upside down cornbread, a cheesy cheddar jalapeño cornbread, or feel that cornbread isn't cornbread without a can of good ol' fashioned creamed corn, rest assured that all of these versions can be modified to work with the sheet pan baking method. With any of these options, it's important to remember this style of cornbread is thinner and bakes longer than many other recipes, so you may need to add extra moisture to an upside down cornbread to prevent it from scorching, for instance.

This is also the perfect cornbread recipe to upgrade with add-ins like savory bacon, juicy pineapples or peaches, or a dollop or two of jarred salsa. Again, the additional moisture will protect the cornbread's texture for a better bite in addition to the added flavor. Just try to avoid adding any syrups or sugars until after it's baked, as these are sure to scorch at the high temperatures thinner cornbread requires.

Something else that practically guarantees a moist, fluffy texture is to stretch your boxed cornbread mix by whisking it together with cake mix. Vanilla, yellow cake, and white cake all add a touch of that signature sweetness while infusing your cornbread with a hefty dose of enriched wheat flour and leavening agents help it bake up tall and soft. This version also makes absolutely heavenly French toast for a twist on holiday brunch or as an accompaniment to stuffing waffles and gravy for your post-holiday brinner.