Honey Cornbread
Serve slightly sweet Honey Cornbread alongside dinner tonight! Made with simple ingredients, this naturally sweet cornbread recipe is perfect for sharing. Makes 12 servings.
Like any Southerner, I have opinions when it comes to cornbread… and I fear my cornbread opinions aren’t the most popular down here because, well, I like my cornbread on the sweeter end of things.
That said, I like HONEY flavors in my cornbread instead of granulated sugar, so I wanted to share with y’all a recipe we’ve been making for years at our house that does just this.
This Honey Cornbread has that hint of natural sweetness that’s pleasant (and not overwhelming, in my opinion.) You can make it in advance or let the kids help you throw it together as a side dish for your dinner.
Whenever you make it, it’s good. And it’s great for sharing, too, if you’re into that kind of thing. And — spoiler alert — I am, so we make this cornbread every year for our New Year’s Day party.
As a Southerner, I think cornbread pairs with everything, but it’s especially good with… Texas Chili | Sweet Tea Oven Fried Chicken | Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops | Memphis-Style Barbecue Ribs | Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup
What you’ll need to make this recipe:
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- A Square Cake Pan (or a 9″x13″ pan if you want thinner cornbread)
- Large Bowl
- Liquid measuring cup
- A whisk and a rubber spatula
You could probably make this cornbread in a cast iron skillet to make this skillet cornbread or transform the recipe into cornbread muffins using a muffin tin, but the baking time will be different. (If you’re looking for an awesome muffin recipe, check out Sweet Cornbread Muffins.)
Here’s what you need:
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
- Stoneground yellow cornmeal — I like to use a medium grain cornmeal for this recipe. You could also use white cornmeal, as the tastes are similar.
- All-purpose flour — just regular ‘ol plain flour is what you need. I have not attempted to make this recipe with gluten free flour, so I do not recommend using that.
- Baking powder — make sure yours is fresh, as this will cause our cornbread to rise!
- Kosher salt — or
- Honey — locally sourced honey is awesome, but you can use whatever type you have in your pantry.
- Egg — I like to grab large eggs from my grocery store and that’s what I used in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter — melted, please and thank you.
- Milk — I’ve made this with lower fat milks, as well as whole milk. The cornbread will be more flavorful if you use whole milk.
How to make Honey Cornbread from scratch
Preheat the oven, and spray your baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. You can also brush it with oil or unsalted butter, too, if you don’t use cooking spray. Set this aside for later.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk ‘em until combined.
Combine the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl or a liquid measuring cup. This includes the honey, egg, melted butter and milk. Whisk these together, too.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. You don’t want to overmix these because if you do, they won’t rise as beautifully.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish. Smooth out the top with your spatula, a butter knife or an angled spatula. Your call. 🙂
Bake the cornbread until golden brown. Confirm it’s completely cooked through by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with crumbs or clean, you’re good to go. If it has batter on the end, bake the cornbread for longer and keep an eye on it!
Let the cornbread cool slightly before slicing into pieces and serving with your favorite meal!
How to store and freeze cornbread
This cornbread can last on the counter of your house, covered, for 4-5 days, but it rarely lasts that long for us. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
To freeze cornbread, package it in a freezer safe, airtight container, and freeze for up to a few months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, defrost it in the fridge and then eat at room temp or toast in the toaster oven.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
We bake this cornbread every year for New Year’s Day because cornbread = gold = coins/money/financial prosperity for the new year.
It also pairs really well with our gumbo.
If you’re going to make this Honey Cornbread recipe to serve to a crowd, here’s what I suggest doing:
- Bake the cornbread in advance! Cornbread doesn’t have to be hot to serve, and if your guests or you like it work with a pat of butter, you can always warm it in the oven before serving.
- Make a second pan if you’re feeding a lot of people! This naturally sweetened cornbread pairs so nicely with so many dishes that it’s going to go fast.
- Serve it with extra honey and room temperature butter. Because that’s simply the best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Personally, I like to use a local honey, but you can use whatever type you have on hand!
I’d venture to say that if you’re not a honey fan, you will not like this cornbread. It’s best for you to find another cornbread recipe, like Creamed Cornbread Casserole or Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins, and just to skip this one completely.
I find the that combination of milk, butter and honey in this recipe does wonders for the texture, as well as the moisture factor. While the cornbread has a good crumb, it’s still plenty moist and not crumbly.
I like to look at the color of a baked good before I pull it from the oven, and then I do a toothpick test. Take a clean toothpick, and insert it into the middle of the cornbread. When you pull it out, the toothpick should be clean and not have any batter on it. Keep in mind that it’s OK if the toothpick has a few crumbs on it.
I’ve never tried this and do not recommend swapping agave for honey at this time.
I don’t recommend doubling the recipe. If you want extra cornbread, prepare a second pan of it instead, as the baking time would be off and things might go astray.
No. Traditional southern cornbread is not sweet. Most recipes do not have any sugar or honey added.
Quick tips for making Honey Cornbread
- Swap out the flour for your favorite gluten free baking flour to make it gluten free.
- Don’t skimp on the honey. It adds such lovely sweetness, as well as moisture to the dish. If you want a cornbread that’s not sweet, this recipe is NOT for you, and I do not advise changing it.
- Store the cornbread on a plate, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, or in an airtight food storage container on the counter top for up to 5 days.
Homemade Honey Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup stoneground yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 4 teaspoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup milk
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Alternately, you can brush the dish with a high smoking point oil or butter, too.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the honey, egg, melted butter and milk, and whisk until incorporated.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish, and smooth out the top with an angled spatula or a butter knife.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top has browned slightly. Carefully insert a toothpick into the center of the cornbread. If it has crumbs when removed, you’re good to go! If it still has batter on the end, bake for another 5(ish) minutes, then test again.
- Enjoy warm with your dinner and enjoy slightly warm.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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