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Honey Cornbread

Honey cornbread with a tender, golden crumb and a warm honey-butter topping. Baked in an 8x8 pan until the edges are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 cup sugar
Wet ingredients
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 0.5 cup butter, melted
Honey butter topping
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp soft butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep the pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease an 8x8-inch baking pan. Make sure the pan is evenly greased so the cornbread releases cleanly.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Keep whisking until the dry ingredients are evenly combined with no visible lumps of baking powder.
  2. Whisk whole milk, eggs, honey, and melted butter, then stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear so the crumb stays tender.
  3. Pour the batter into the greased 8x8-inch baking pan. Spread it into an even layer so it bakes uniformly.
Bake and finish with honey butter
  1. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400F until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Look for set edges and a lightly browned top as the visual cue.
  2. Mix honey and soft butter, then brush over the warm cornbread before slicing. Spread it quickly while the cornbread is hot so the topping melts and seeps into the surface.

Notes

For the tenderest crumb, stir the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear—overmixing can make cornbread tough. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; rewarm slices in a 300F oven for 5-8 minutes. Freezing is yes: freeze wrapped pieces for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat butter and decrease the topping honey-butter by half while keeping the bake the same.