Even though there are many options on our Thanksgiving table, we pay attention to the breadbasket. And every year, one of the non-negotiable items is cornbread. This year, it’s going to be this nicely cheesy version, with shredded cheddar incorporated into the batter, and then some more strewn across the top before baking for good measure.

This recipe is everything I want in a cornbread: moist (dry cornbread is a no-go for me, unless we are talking about stuffing), a little crumbly in the best way, and loaded with sharp cheddar cheese so you get that pop of flavor in every bite.

There is a reason that cooks have long reached for their cast-iron skillets when making cornbread. The dark, heavy metal gives the crust a wonderful color and a wonderful crispness on the outside. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can absolutely use any other heavy ovenproof pan. Just make sure it’s about 12-inches in diameter and has sides that are at least 2-inches tall.

Leftovers are great toasted the next day, with a smear of lightly salted butter or hot honey, or butter and hot honey mixed together.

If you want to make the cornbread ahead of time and freeze it, that’s a great plan. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Then wrap the bread well in foil and freeze it. You can freeze the whole circle of cornbread, or if it’s easier (and I think it is), cut the cornbread into 4 quarters and freeze them separately. Defrost at room temperature; it will take about 12 hours to thaw. If you want to warm the bread before serving, just place it, still wrapped in foil, in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes. Unwrap, slice and serve.

Cheddar Cornbread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Hefty pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup for sprinkling

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the butter in 12-inch cast iron skillet and put the pan in the oven until the butter melts and starts to very lightly brown.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and cayenne. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.In another smaller bowl use a fork to stir the eggs with the buttermilk.

3. When the butter is melted, twirl the pan a bit so that the butter coats the sides as well as the bottom, then pour almost all of it, except for a couple of tablespoons, into the buttermilk mixture and stir quickly to combine. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, just until combined (you want to see lumps; don’t overbeat or the cornbread will become tough). Scrape the mixture into the hot butter-coated pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

4. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a wooden skewer or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the cornbread just starts to pull away from the outside of the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack, until warm or room temperature. Serve in squares or wedges.

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Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at https://themom100.com. She can be reached at [email protected].

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