This honey butter cornbread is an ideal side for weeknight dinners, holiday meals, or a cozy bowl of chili. It bakes up tall and fluffy with a rich buttery crumb and a touch of honey in the batter, then gets finished with a light, homemade honey butter. Best of all, the cornbread batter comes together in one bowl for easy prep.
I’ve been making variations of this cornbread for years for holiday tables and casual dinners. What sets this version apart is the honey in the batter that adds a subtle, pleasant sweetness and extra flavor depth.
If you enjoy easy, comforting recipes, try other simple treats like Oreo brownie cookies, white chocolate cinnamon blondies, or churro chocolate stuffed cookies.
Why You Will Love This
- One-bowl batter. Most of the cornbread is mixed in a single bowl for fast, low-mess prep (the honey butter is made separately).
- Simple ingredients. Pantry-friendly items make this easy to pull together.
- Homemade honey butter. The whipped honey butter on top elevates the flavor and texture.
Ingredient Notes
- Yellow cornmeal – a standard medium-grind cornmeal works well; I used Quaker.
- Butter – melt and cool the butter for the batter; for the honey butter, use room-temperature butter so it whips light and fluffy.
- Honey – real honey gives the best flavor in both the batter and the honey butter.
- Oil – canola or vegetable oil keeps the cornbread tender.
- Milk – 2% milk is fine, but any milk will work; bring to room temperature for best rise.
Step By Step Instructions
Follow these steps to make and bake the cornbread.
STEP 1: Mix wet ingredients. Combine the cooled melted butter, honey, oil, milk, and eggs in a large bowl.
STEP 2: Add dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined; a few small lumps are okay.
STEP 3: Pour batter. Transfer the batter to a prepared 9×13-inch pan.
STEP 4: Bake the cornbread. Bake at 350°F for about 30–40 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
STEP 5: Cool the bread. Let the cornbread rest for 15 minutes in the pan before slicing. Cutting while too warm can make the pieces crumbly.
STEP 6: Make the honey butter. In a mixing bowl, beat room-temperature butter with honey and a pinch of salt on high for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy, then spread over the warm cornbread.
Baking tips
Bring milk and eggs to room temperature about 1–2 hours before baking. Room-temperature ingredients help the batter come together smoothly and improve rise.
For soft, spreadable honey butter, leave the butter at room temperature for a couple of hours so it whips into a light texture.
FAQ
Yes. You can chill the honey butter, and if it firms up, simply microwave a small scoop briefly to soften before spreading. That said, honey butter is easiest to spread at room temperature.
Yes. Use an 8×8 pan and halve the recipe for a smaller batch.
Yes. Cover the pan with foil and rewarm in the oven for a few minutes before serving, or reheat individual slices in the microwave.
Storing and Freezing
Store leftover cornbread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep the honey butter covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate.
Freezing
Freeze the cornbread in an airtight container for up to 30 days. Thaw for about an hour at room temperature and warm slightly before serving for the best texture.
Other Easy Recipes To Try
If you make this recipe, please leave a star review below and tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. I hope you enjoy it!
Honey Butter Cornbread
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 TBSP Honey
- 1/2 cup Oil, canola or vegetable
- 1 1/4 cup Milk, room temperature
- 3 Large eggs, room temperature
Honey Butter
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 TBSP Honey
- 1/8 tsp Salt
Instructions
Cornbread
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray, line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper, and spray again. Melt the butter and let it cool for a few minutes.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, honey, oil, milk, and eggs. Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir until just combined.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30–40 minutes, until the top is light golden and a tester comes out clean.
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Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Honey Butter
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With a mixer, beat the room-temperature butter, honey, and salt until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 minutes.
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Spread the whipped honey butter over warm cornbread and serve.