Honey Cornbread
Bread · 8 Servings · 30 Minutes
This cornbread splits the difference between Northern sweet and Southern savory — it has honey for a gentle sweetness without becoming cake. Honey adds a gentle sweetness without turning it into cake. The real trick? Preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven, then pour the batter into the screaming-hot buttered pan. The bottom instantly sizzles and forms a crispy, golden crust while the inside stays tender and moist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal (medium grind)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp butter (for the hot skillet)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). A regular baking dish works too, but you'll miss that crust. The hot skillet is what creates the crispy bottom crust.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, honey, and melted butter until smooth.
- Combine: Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. A few lumps are fine — overmixing makes it tough.
- Hot skillet method: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Drop 1 tablespoon of butter into the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Pour in the batter — it should sizzle on contact.
- Bake 20-22 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool 5 minutes in the skillet before cutting into wedges. Serve warm with butter and a drizzle of honey.
Pro Tips
- The hot skillet sizzle is the key technique. It creates an irresistible crispy, buttery bottom crust that you can't get from a cold pan.
- Medium-grind cornmeal gives you texture. Fine-grind makes it more cake-like. Both work, but texture is what makes cornbread interesting.
- If you don't have a cast iron skillet, use a 9-inch square baking dish — preheat it and follow the same butter-and-sizzle technique.
- Cornbread dries out fast. Store leftovers wrapped in foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes.
Variations
- Jalapeño cheddar cornbread: Fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar and 2 diced jalapeños (seeded for mild, seeds-in for heat).
- Corn kernel cornbread: Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels for extra texture and pops of sweetness.
- Maple cornbread: Replace honey with pure maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
- Bacon fat cornbread: Replace the melted butter with rendered bacon fat for a smokier, more savory version. Use bacon fat in the hot skillet too.
Nutrition
Per wedge (1/8 of skillet):
Cornbread Pairs Perfectly With