Jennifer Garner Calls Ina Garten’s Cornbread Recipe the Best Thing She’s Had in Her ‘Whole Life’

My tried-and-true cornbread recipe is Golden Cornbread. For years, it’s been a family favorite, our go-to for a quick side on nights when we have dinner, such as chili, soup, or meatloaf. It’s just 30 minutes from when I start making the batter to the moment I take it out of the oven—another reason it’s a go-to dish. 

I didn’t imagine ever feeling the need to make another cornbread recipe. Then I watched the latest episode of Ina Garten’s “Be My Guest” with Jennifer Garner, and suddenly, I had a new way to make cornbread—Ina’s way.

She made it for Jennifer, the host of the “Pretend Cooking Show,” who exclaimed, “Wow! It tastes like the best thing I’ve ever had in my whole life.”

“I put flaked salt on the top,” Ina told her.

I was intrigued and headed to the kitchen.

Ina Garten’s ​​Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread

Ina’s cornbread recipe uses the same ingredients as mine but in different proportions—except for one key difference: Ina’s calls for butter, while mine uses oil. She also adds two clever tweaks. First, she browns the butter before mixing it into the batter, and second, she sprinkles flaky sea salt on top before baking. Both adjustments significantly elevate the cornbread’s flavor and texture.

The ingredients in her recipe are simple: unsalted butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, kosher salt, and flaked sea salt for sprinkling. 

It’s not difficult to make, but it takes longer than my go-to recipe for two reasons: The butter takes 15 to 20 minutes to brown, and the batter needs to rest for 15 minutes before being poured into the cast iron skillet to bake (a trick sure uses to ensure an extra-moist bread).

The extra time, if you have it, is worth it. The taste difference between my go-to recipe and Ina’s is significant. The brown butter cornbread has a deeper, richer flavor and some prominent saltiness. It’s a little sweet, savory, and salty—it hits all the perfect notes of something hard to resist. 

My go-to cornbread recipe is always a hit, but it’s not nearly as irresistible as Ina’s Brown Butter Cornbread Skillet. That said, I’m not giving it up just yet. Ina’s recipe involves extra steps, adding over 30 minutes of prep before it even goes into the oven. Meanwhile, the Golden Cornbread recipe is ready to serve in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknight family dinners.

However, when I want a cornbread that will impress guests, Ina’s recipe will be my go-to for special occasions.

One final note: When a recipe calls for unsalted butter, many home cooks use salted butter if it’s all they have. Don’t do that with this recipe! Between the full tablespoon of kosher salt in the batter and the sea salt on top, you don’t want any additional salt.