Honey Butter Cornbread
Make the BEST homemade cornbread with this easy recipe! It's fluffy on the inside, crisp around the edges, and full of delicious honey-butter flavor.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
166Comments
Jump to recipe
Got some cornmeal in the back of your pantry? Great, let’s make cornbread! This cornbread recipe is my favorite. It’s made with browned butter, for maximum butter flavor, and it’s naturally sweetened with honey (maple syrup works, too).
This cornbread is not exactly traditional, though it has classic cornbread flavor as far as I’m concerned. It’s sweetened, like Northern cornbread, but it’s made in a skillet, like Southern cornbread. I grew up near the border of the two regions, in Oklahoma, and all I knew was my mom’s cornbread from the Jiffy box. Dinner was always more exciting with cornbread on the table.
On the cornbread sweetness scale, this one falls somewhere around the middle, near Jiffy levels. It’s not dessert-level sweet, nor is it dry. If you prefer sweeter cornbread, be sure to serve yours with honey or jam.
This cornbread is golden and fluffy on the inside. I love to make it in my large cast iron skillet—it yields lightly crisp edges and keeps the cornbread warm for a long time. What’s better than warm, freshly made, homemade cornbread?
Preheat the oven to 375 and let’s get going! If you don’t have a skillet, I’ve got you covered.
Cornbread Serving Suggestions
Since this cornbread is somewhat sweet, I love to serve it with spicy stews or chilis for contrast.
Another option? Serve cornbread with crisp, tangy salads.
- Arugula and Wild Rice Salad with Zippy Lemon Dressing
- Fresh Black Bean Salad
- Favorite Broccoli Salad
What are your favorite cornbread accompaniments?
Cornbread Variations
I’ll never tire of “basic” skillet cornbread, but here are some fun ways to change it up.
Add blueberries, chopped cherries or strawberries, or even cranberries.
Add up to 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit to the batter with the melted butter. You can see how that turns out in my Cranberry Maple Skillet Cornbread recipe.
Or, make it cheesy.
Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or other aged cheese. I added cheese, corn and peppers to my Brown Butter, Honey and Jalapeño Skillet Cornbread recipe.
Make it extra-savory with fresh corn or peppers.
Add any of the following to the hot butter and stir it around before proceeding: 1 large corn on the cob, shucked (or ¾ cup defrosted frozen corn kernels), and/or 1 finely chopped red or orange bell pepper, and/or 2 medium jalapeños, ribs removed and finely chopped.
Make cornbread muffins.
I haven’t tried this one, but I’m confident it will work. Once the butter is mixed into the batter, fill each of 12 muffin cups no more than two-thirds full (you may have enough for more than 12 muffins). Bake at 350 until the bread is brown around the edge, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs. I’d start checking them around 15 minutes.
Watch How to Make Cornbread
Skillet Cornbread Notes
This section contains affiliate links, which means that I’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through these links (at no cost to you).
I baked my cornbread in my 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet, which is a workhorse in my kitchen. I love cast iron because it’s non-toxic, retains heat like no other, and with proper care, will last a lifetime or more. Fair warning, it’s also very heavy at this size! I like the idea of this 12″ two-handled skillet better than my own (it’s also $10 less, at time of writing).
If you don’t have a suitable skillet, try any of the following:
- 8-inch square baking dish with tall sides
- 10-inch square baking dish
- 9 by 13-inch baking dish
Ideally, follow the instructions and melt the butter in your baking vessel in the oven. The browned butter flavor is really nice, and the hot sides of the baker will help yield crisp edges.
If you don’t want to bother with the browned butter step, your cornbread will still turn out really well. Just melt the butter in the microwave or in a pot on the stove, and proceed as written.
Baking times will vary slightly depending on your selection. Bake at the temperature specified in the recipe, until the cornbread is brown around the edge, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs. This could take more or less time depending on the size difference (the 9 by 13-inch option would likely be done sooner than a 12-inch skillet).
Please let me know how your cornbread turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
If you’re looking for more simple baking projects, check out these recipes. Most are stirred together by hand (no mixer required) and made with basic, wholesome ingredients.
Honey Butter Cornbread
Make the best homemade cornbread with this easy recipe! It’s fluffy on the inside, crisp around the edges, and full of delicious honey-butter flavor. Recipe yields one large skillet of cornbread (see recipe notes for alternate baking vessel options).
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal, medium-grind or finer*
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature**
- ⅔ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups milk of choice (regular cow’s milk, almond or oat milk, etc.), at room temperature
- Optional serving suggestions: additional butter, honey or jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the butter in a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet and place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter, about 5 to 13 minutes (keep an extra eye on it as time goes on—we want it to get bubbly and lightly browned, but not burnt).
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to combine, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and honey until fully blended. Add the milk and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the liquid into the dry mixture, and stir just until moistened through (we’ll stir it more soon). When the butter is melted and golden, use oven mitts (the skillet is crazy hot!) to remove the skillet from the oven, and give it a gentle swirl to lightly coat about an inch up the sides.
- Pour the melted butter into the batter and stir just until incorporated. Pour the batter back into the hot skillet, using a spatula to scrape all of the batter from the bowl into the skillet.
- Carefully return the skillet to the oven and bake until the bread is brown around the edge, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully (with oven mitts), place the skillet on a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving—perhaps with extra butter, honey or jam on the side.
- This cornbread will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or up to a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Gently reheat before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Keys to the Kitchen by Aida Mollenkamp, one of my favorite cookbooks.
*Cornmeal suggestions: I used Braggadocio “popcorn cornmeal” for the batch shown here and loved it (bought it at Whole Foods in Kansas City). I’ve also successfully used Bob’s Red Mill’s medium-grind cornmeal with success—since it is not ground as finely as the other, you’ll notice a bit more texture in the end product (“rustic” and very good). Stone-ground varieties, like the two mentioned here, will offer a bit more nutritive value than more refined options.
**Temperature note: If you, like me, always forget to pull ingredients out of the fridge in advance, just place the eggs in a bowl of warm water while you melt the butter. You can very briefly warm the milk in the microwave to raise its temperature.
Baking vessel options: Instead of a cast iron skillet, you can bake this cornbread in an 8-inch square baking dish with tall sides, or a 10-inch square baking dish, or a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. I believe you could also turn this bread into muffins by dividing the batter between a 12-cup muffin tin (I have not tried to be sure). For any of these variations, bake at the temperature specified above, until the cornbread achieves the visual cues provided, which could take more or less time depending on the size difference (muffins would be done much faster; the 9 by 13-inch option would likely be done a little sooner).
Make it gluten free: I believe that a one-for-one gluten-free baking blend should work pretty well. Please report back in the comments if you give it a try.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I can’t believe I’ve made boxed cornbread for so long!! I made this with the intention of making corn muffins. I made a dozen muffins and had tons of batter leftover, so I did a batch in the skillet as well. I used garlic infused honey, and added a drained 4 oz can of green chiles and about 1/2 c of shredded cheddar. For me, the muffins took 18-20 minutes and the cast iron skillet still took about 25 minutes at 375 (I started baking both simultaneously.) I will freeze the muffins and eat the skillet cornbread with borracho beans! Thanks for the recipe!!
Kristen, your variations sounds so good! Thank you for reporting back.
Just made this for the second time, and guests gobble it up! I adore the ease and rustic look of cooking and serving from a cast iron pan. This batch was a tad drier than the first, so I’d say I probably could’ve shaved a few minutes off the cooking time. I also didn’t let the butter get as golden as I did the first time, which really lent a rich flavor I won’t skip again. I will make this forever, thank you! It’s now the only one I’ll make!
Thank you, Abby! I’m so glad to hear it.
I made the honey butter cornbread for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t have a 12″ cast iron skillet so used a square baking pan. It turned out perfectly– beautiful and delicious. It makes a really good breakfast too. Thank you, Kate! I really appreciate all the notes you put at the end of the recipe too.
I’m happy it still turned out, Colleen! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
I made this for my family this Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I didn’t have a skillet so I used an 8 by 8 baking dish and it came out great. I used Bob’s cornmeal and added a bit extra maple syrup and butter. It was super moist and delicious. Thanks for all the easy to follow and delicious recipes for beginners!
Wonderful to hear, Erin! Thank you for your review.
Have you ever tried buttermilk in this recipe?
That sounds like an interesting idea, but find it works best as written.
Never made or really ate cornbread but hubs came home with 2 cans of cornmeal accidentally. Followed this recipe except kids had drank all the milk so I used half and half and didn’t have enough honey so did a combo of cheap syrup and honey and this turned out great! Kids have never had it before and think it’s the best thing ever! They said definitely make again!
Wonderful, Laura! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Great recipe, and SO easy to make! It was perfect for my new 12-inch Lodge skillet, and so good with my New Year black-eyed peas. I added in some chopped rosemary, because why not? Your blog is one of my favorite resources!
I made this along with your butternut squash chipotle chili. Both were huge hits in my house! Thanks for this easy yet delicious cornbread recipe. I will definitely be making this again!
Sounds like a delicious combination, Anna! Thank you for your review.
I have some corn grits aka polenta left from making your goat cheese polenta and roasted veggies… yummy by the way :D
I am thinking of using and grinding in the blender or mini food processor to get a more fine texture. What do you think?
Hi, I’m not sure without trying it. Sorry to not be helpful!
Very tasty! I made this with Anson Mills cornmeal (with a combo of 2 kinds of meal – 1/2 coarse and 1/2 fine). Baked in cast iron Lodge drop biscuit pan. Made 7 little cakes with a half recipe.
Hi! Do you think this would work if I halved the recipe?
Hi! You could try it, just make sure your skillet is smaller.
This is terrific cornbread. I used half extra virgin olive oil/half butter, maple syrup, and whole wheat flour (changes color but not much else). It’s got a great texture and tastes fantastic. Btw, if it helps others (halved recipe and used two eggs). Great with homemade chili.
I’m happy you love it! Thank you for your review.
We tried this as gluten free and vegan (using Myokos butter and vegan eggs and Bobs Red Mill gluten free flour blend) and it turned out fabulously to go with your chili recipe! It’s our favorite cornbread recipe yet!!
Hello,
I don’t have a cast iron skillet. Can I use a round cake pan or perhaps a Pyrex casserole dish? Thanks.
Hi! I have recommendations in the post if you don’t have a cast iron. :)
I have tried several cornbread recipes and this one is very superior. I mill my own corn flour and used Artisan Bread Flour specifically Honeyville Alta. I let the flour and liquids soak for about 15 minutes and you could see fermentation bubbles happening. I added the browned butter leaving a few tablespoons in the hot cast iron skillet. I also used fat free milk. With all the butter I figured the no fat milk would work fine and it did. Raised high is thick with a texture that is not dry. More like a cake.
Highly recommend this recipe. Initially I thought the butter called for was too much but ended up being perfect. I made tortilla soup using Frontier soup starter. Such a great combination. Lean soup high calorie bread lol.
Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this recipe, Robin! I appreciate you taking the time.
OMG. I’m a cornbread aficionado and this this the best cornbread I’ve ever had! It doesn’t even need butter on it. Wow.
Was searching for a healthier recipe can’t wait to try it ! Copied it in a scribbler of recipes to Try Soon Will rate it soon Thank You Also like the muffin idea
First time making and eating scratch made corn bread. So far I’ve only had the box version at the in-laws’s house (and just found out one of the ingredients is lard :( :( )
No surprise here – I love this recipe! Browned the butter in a regular pan before stirring into the batter and added 2 jalapenos as you suggested. Baked for 25 min in a 9×15 dish. Super tasty! Thank you!
This makes DELICIOUS sweet cornbread – probably the best I’ve ever had.
I am gluten and lactose intolerant so I used canola oil (without the browning process) instead of butter, lactose free milk, and a mix of cup 4 cup, great value, and Pillsbury gluten free flours (all 1/2 cup each). I just mix the liquids, mix the dry ingredients, then combine. Turns out great every time I make it! Thank you so much for a great, refined sugar free recipe!
You’re welcome, Liz! Thank you for sharing.
I am at this moment making this, I am not a cornbread eater but so far so good.
Thanks for the recipe . Came out very good, next time sugar.
Omg!!! Absolutely delicious I added blueberries and used polenta cornmeal it came out delish!! Will definitely be making for the holidays
Delicious!! Thanks so much for the recipe! I made mine with two cups of chopped apples and a cup of shredded cheddar. Would you suggest that I cut back on some of the liquid ingredients with the added apples?
HI Janet, I haven’t tried this with apples so I can’t say for sure without trying it myself.
This cornbread is incredible! Not hard to make and so much better than any box recipes. I didn’t have an iron cast pan so I used a stone casserole dish and it was perfect. Thank you!
Hi! Could I use spelt, instead of whole wheat?
Hi Tonya, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I know spelt can work as a replacement in my banana bread. But, I haven’t tried it here.
Oh My Gosh Kate! I have made a skillet cornbread for 35 years using the technique and cast iron skillet that you use in this. It was always OK, though a bit dry. This cornbread is fabulous! I will never make my old one again. Thank you for all of your time and patience in creating the wonderful recipes that you share. Yum Yum, it’s a winner!
Thank you, Gay! I’m glad you love it.
Thank you Kate for this recipe! My family loved it (said it was restaurant-quality) and it’s really the best recipe I’ve tried so far for cornbread. No one could even tell that it was pretty healthy with the honey, whole wheat flour, and almond milk. Since I used an 8×8″ baking dish, I baked for the specified time, but had to add another 15 minutes bake time at 350 degrees to cook completely. It was soooo good!
You’re welcome, Amanda! Thank you for sharing your feedback.
I love this recipe. I will use a 9×13 next time because it took much longer to cook through than provided for in the recipe and the edges became darker than I wanted and dried out a bit.
Great to hear, Emily! Thank you for your review.
Hi! Just want to ask if I should use double the recipe if cooking in a 15 inch cast iron skillet? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it. I’m hesitant to say it will be big enough.
This is an excellent go to cornbread which is not too sweet and has a nice texture. I usually make when I have chile. Btw, made with extra virgin olive oil. Tastes delicious and doesn’t ruin texture. Making tonight, yet again.
Hi Kate
Love your recipies. I am wondering how the baking needs to differ if I want to add frozen blueberries or cranberries.
Thanks Joanne
HI Joanne, that would likely require recipe adjustments and I’m not sure without trying it. Sorry!
I made gluten-free by substituting 1-1 and it was perfect!!
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy to hear it turned out.
Excellent flavor in this recipe. I recommend the larger pan options.
I baked this in a 9 inch round cake pan, and the crust browned too much while the inside was still raw. Next time, will use larger, shallower baking receptacle.
I made your recipe today and it was wonderful! Thank you for all you wonderful recipes!
Thank you, Maureen! I appreciate your review.
I’ve been looking for a cornbread recipe for a long time that is only sweetened with honey, that rises, and isn’t too dense. Finally found one! I made this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, Stone Ground Cornmeal, local honey, & Almond Milk. It turned out amazing! Thank you so much!
Delicious. Made it dairy and gluten free with almond milk and Bobs Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour. Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Kate, I’ve never been disappointed. Your granola and muffins always bring smiles to faces. My grand daughter says,”Nana always has treats at her house” and 9/10 they are your recipes
I love to hear that, Ann! Thank you for your review.
Kate, I love all the recipes of yours I have tried. Thank you for all your work testing them until they are perfect. Though I believe you are vegetarian, hopefully you are not upset, I substituted leftover bacon fat for ½ the butter in the recipe. WOW!
Have you ever made your (vegetarian) chili and topped it with this cornbread? I have a new La Cruseut brazier and want to try a one-pot slow cook method, and these ingredients are at hand. I’m one to give it a try, and will probably cook it very low and slow so as not to burn the chili.
I know the allure to this cornbread recipe is the yummy crunchy top, bottom and sides, but I gotta kick the tires on this new pot. Wish me luck! I welcome your thoughts. :)
I haven’t, but I think it would be great to serve with it!
We LOVE this corn bread in our house! We grind our own corn that my husband grew In the garden. It’s the best tasting and healthiest cornbread that I’ve ever had! Thank you for the recipe. I shared it on my blog.
I love this recipe. I have always baked cornbread and one day my brother wanted to make it and asked me for the recipe, I couldn’t remember what recipe I would use, but sent him to your site because I love your recipes and this one didn’t disappoint. I’m assuming you either edited the recipe or folks didn’t read/remember step 1. And technically you are not putting the batter BACK into the skillet, you are putting it INTO the skillet in step 4. Such a great recipe, thank you!!
Thank you, this was delicious. I baked it in a buttered 9 x 13 glass Pyrex for 20 minutes and it was perfectly done. I melted the butter in a pan on the stovetop. Then I whisked in the honey, then the milk, then the eggs. Then I stirred in the dry ingredients. This is how I make my usual cornbread recipe and it seemed to work well here too and I didn’t have to concern myself with bringing things to room temp.
My family likes the honey flavor of this cornbread and I like that it is not overly sweet. I’ll definitely try it with maple syrup too.
Love, love, love this recipe! Teenagers & partner loved it too! The brown butter MAKES this bread. I subbed King Arthur’s GF 1:1 flour and they came out great! I used half honey/ half maple syrup. I poured the batter into muffins tins I spayed first, and they popped right out. (It took 15-18 min. in my oven) It made 17 regular size muffins. They have a smooth consistency, not gritty like some cornbreads. This was definitely on the sweeter sides of cornbread I’ve had. Love your recipes Kate! ❤️
That’s great to hear, Angi! I appreciate your review.
You click on the underline and it brings up Amazon. Wala Pan is there.
Hello, Do you have advice on how to make this using a 12″ cast iron dutch oven?
Can buttermilk be used in place of milk mentioned?
It will impact the taste for sure, but I’m not sure about baking. If you try it, let me know how it turns out for you.
So delicious! Used maple syrup as the sweetener as I had more syrup than honey.
DELICIOUS!! Used King Arthur 1:1 gluten free flour and it turned out perfect! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Here’s what happens when you pour scalding hot melted butter into a bowl with raw eggs (well mixed in)…you get scrambled eggs.
Only thing I changed was cut the honey to 1/3 cup. That sweetness was perfect for my family and the recipe still worked. This is the best corn bread!! Browning the butter really adds to the flavor! Thank you for sharing this.
You’re welcome, Justine!