Cranberry Cornbread 

Alternative to cast iron is a similar sized Pyrex glass dish. I put it in the oven with the butter as the oven heats up, then pour the batter into the dish to bake. Butter sizzles, as intended. It works.

What if you don't have a cast iron skillet?

Lodge cast iron products are reasonably priced and with proper are, last forever!

Hahaha I forgot to put the sugar in. Don’t do that.

Genius in treatment is the heat retention of a cast iron starts working on the crust (see photo) immediately upon spooning the batter into the pan. If you don't have/can't justify the pan, use the heaviest oven-safe pan you've got--cake pan, skillet, dutch oven, tagine, etc.--and see how it goes. Use decent oven mitts. Keep your focus when spooning in the batter. I just skip the butter in the pan thing. Heat the skillet, take it out with good mitts and light coat of Pam over open dishwasher door

This was delicious and super easy. Crunch buttery edges, sweet moist cornbread with tangy cranberries. Next time I might add another 1/2cup of cranberries to the batter before putting it in the pan since the cup spread over the top didn’t sink in much.

I made one in a regular cake pan. Turned out just great. I also used dried apricots instead of cranberries.

The cast iron pan is preheated in the oven so the batter will immediately cooking and browning what it's poured into the pan. Melting the butter in the while it preheats saves you from having to washing a second pan. But there is no reason why you couldn't melt the butter in the microwave, pour some into the hot pan and mix the rest into the batter. That could be a better method, if pouring hot butter out of a hot heavy pan into the batter would be awkward for you.

Another vote for cast-iron pans. Best place to buy? Hardware store. Haven't made this yet, but will. When I do: 1. Save 1 T. flour/cornmeal mix, toss with cranberries, stir cranberries into batter before baking. Dry coating keeps them from sinking. 2. Heat pan/melt butter, pour in batter on stovetop, then place in preheated oven. Much less chance of spills, drips, burns. Also, if you don't have buttermilk, kefir or plain yogurt thinned with a bit of milk or water provides similar tang.

Made this for a fall end of season community farm potluck. Used local, fresh cranberries, doubled the recipe and baked in a pyrex 13" x 9". Followed most instructions but melted butter in microwave first and did vinegar + milk for buttermilk. Baked @ 375 for 48 minutes. WONDERFUL!

Just use Melissa Clark's Brown Butter Cornbread recipe and add cranberries. That cornbread is the best you will ever taste.

I don't own a cast iron skillet (used to, hated it). For cornbread, I always use a pyrex baking dish - typically 8x8" but depends on the recipe. I melt all of the butter in that dish in the oven while the oven is heating up, then pour off what needs to go into the batter, leaving the rest in the hot pan to sizzle the crust. Very happy with this solution.

Buy one...they are wonderful!

Agree with Amy. A cast iron skillet can be found at a reasonable price point. They are invaluable for recipes such as this - and for so many other things. Be sure to season it, and to keep it seasoned. I made Socca last evening in mine by preheating the pan in the oven, pouring in the batter (sizzle!) then broiling. You cannot beat the crisp edge the preheating technique in these recipe provides.

I've made a lot of cornbread.... muffins, Southern style, back of the box, etc. This is easily one of the top cornbreads I've ever made. An unexpected combo with the cranberries but so, so good. It's going into short rotation for sure.