Cornbread Recipe with Honey Butter
This is my favorite Cornbread Recipe since it's soft and tender with a lightly sweet and moist crumb! The cornbread is easy to make and absolutely holiday-worthy, and it steals the show at any BBQ. Do not skip the honey butter topping that gets brushed over the top while it’s hot out of the oven - it will make every bite memorable.
Ingredients
For Cornbread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (medium grind), or fine yellow cornmeal*
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled*
- ¼ cup neutral-flavored baking oil, such as canola, avocado, light olive oil, etc.
- 1 cup whole milk, warm (100-110˚F)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
Honey Butter Topping:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3-4 Tbsp honey, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Prep - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking dish or casserole dish with parchment paper (See the notes to make this in a cast-iron skillet)
- Mix the dry ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, oil, milk, sour cream, and eggs until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cornbread dense. Let the batter sit and rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to hydrate the cornmeal. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake at 400˚F for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Prepare the honey butter topping: In a small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons of melted and cooled unsalted butter with 3-4 tablespoons of honey (adjust to taste) until smooth. Brush over cornbread while still hot. Cool slightly before slicing and serving. Best enjoyed warm.
Notes
*Cornmeal Notes - a fine cornmeal will give you a lighter and fluffier texture. When weighing the cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups of fine cornmeal will weigh 180g, while regular cornmeal weighs 240g. Avoid coarsly ground cornmeal, which will have a gritty texture.
*To Melt and Cool Butter - to save time, microwave butter until partially melted, then stir to melt and cool slightly at the same time. *To bake in a cast-iron skillet - preheat a 10-inch cast-iron pan in the oven while it preheats. After the batter has rested and is ready to bake, add 1-2 Tbsp of butter to the hot skillet and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan, and then pour in the batter and bake for 20-25 minutes. Add up to 1 cup of mix-ins folded into the batter, such as chopped jalapeños, shredded cheese, bacon, or ham. Make Ahead - bake and cool the cornbread completely, but do not add the melted honey butter. Wrap in plastic wrap or an airtight container and store. When ready to serve, warm and add the honey butter. Storage - cool leftovers completely, and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat, Place cornbread in a 300°F oven loosely covered with foil until warmed through.
*To Melt and Cool Butter - to save time, microwave butter until partially melted, then stir to melt and cool slightly at the same time. *To bake in a cast-iron skillet - preheat a 10-inch cast-iron pan in the oven while it preheats. After the batter has rested and is ready to bake, add 1-2 Tbsp of butter to the hot skillet and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan, and then pour in the batter and bake for 20-25 minutes. Add up to 1 cup of mix-ins folded into the batter, such as chopped jalapeños, shredded cheese, bacon, or ham. Make Ahead - bake and cool the cornbread completely, but do not add the melted honey butter. Wrap in plastic wrap or an airtight container and store. When ready to serve, warm and add the honey butter. Storage - cool leftovers completely, and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat, Place cornbread in a 300°F oven loosely covered with foil until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Cornbread Recipe with Honey Butter
Amount per Serving
Calories
489
% Daily Value*
Fat
27
g
42
%
Saturated Fat
12
g
75
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10
g
Cholesterol
102
mg
34
%
Sodium
309
mg
13
%
Potassium
220
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
55
g
18
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
19
g
21
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
632
IU
13
%
Vitamin C
0.1
mg
0
%
Calcium
145
mg
15
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
