Sweet cornbread is one of those recipes that sounds simple, but getting the texture right can be tricky. Some folks cornbread recipes turn out dry, crumbly, or lacking flavor. My version bakes up moist, tender, and perfectly sweet with rich honey butter flavor in every bite. Growing up around Southern cooking, cornbread was always on the table.
Homemade Honey Butter Cornbread Ingredients
- Yellow Cornmeal: Yellow cornmeal gives honey cornbread its classic golden color and rich corn flavor. It has a slightly stronger, sweeter corn taste than white cornmeal, which pairs perfectly with the honey in this recipe. It also helps create that tender, slightly crumbly texture people expect from homemade cornbread. Feel free to use white cornmeal, it will look and taste different.
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Brown Sugar or Sweetener: This is where a lot of the magic happens! I love the sweet taste of this cornbread when I use brown sugar over standard. But regular sugar still works if you want to use it!
- Salt
- Eggs
- Buttermilk: A classic and a must for most Southern cornbread. It's going to produce cornbread that isn't dry. To substitute, you can use 1 ½ cups of milk + 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt: This is how I get the cornbread moist and tender. The buttermilk helps some, but I promise this will take it to the next level.
- Honey
- Butter
How to Make Sweet Honey Cornbread with Brown Sugar
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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- Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish or 10 inch cast iron skillet.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the yellow cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), honey, and melted butter until smooth.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
- Bake the Cornbread: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Drizzle Honey Butter: Combine melted butter and honey. Drizzle over the cornbread when the cornbread is hot straight out of the oven.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes minutes before slicing. This helps it set and makes it easier to cut clean slices.
- Serve: Serve warm with additional butter and a drizzle of honey if desired.
Sweet Honey Cornbread Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar or sweetener
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk See notes for substitution.
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Melted, measured solid.
- butter to grease the pan
Honey Butter Topping
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish or 10 inch cast iron skillet.butter to grease the pan
- In a large mixing bowl, add the yellow cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk until combined.2 cups yellow cornmeal, 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup brown sugar or sweetener, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), honey, and melted butter until smooth.2 eggs , 1 ½ cups buttermilk , ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Check the cornbread to see if the top has browned enough. If so, place a piece of foil over the pan. You don't have to seal it. You can tint the cornbread with foil to prevent it from over-browning on top, while still continuing to bake within.Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. My cornbread usually takes 25 minutes total to bake.
- Combine melted butter and honey. Drizzle over the cornbread when the cornbread is hot straight out of the oven.¼ cup honey, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes minutes before slicing. This helps it set and makes it easier to cut clean slices.
- Serve warm with additional butter and a drizzle of honey if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
It has a sweet honey flavor, but it’s not cake pretending to be cornbread. The honey adds richness and moisture without making it overly sugary. If you want to dial back the sweetness, don't add honey to the cornbread mixture prior to baking.
Yes, check out my Jiffy Cornbread Mix recipe and add the honey butter topping to it.
Yellow cornmeal is the classic move for that rich color and flavor, but white cornmeal works too.
Usually too much cornmeal or overbaking. Nobody wants cornbread that crumbles into dust the second you bite it. Be sure not to overbake.
Absolutely, and honestly that’s one of the best ways to make it. A hot cast iron skillet gives you those crispy golden edges everybody fights over. A 10 inch skillet works best.
The honey is what gives this recipe its signature flavor, but you can swap in maple syrup or sugar if needed.
Please do. Warm cornbread with melted butter and a drizzle of honey? Yeah, that’s the move.
A little crumbly is normal, but it should still be moist and tender. If it completely falls apart, it’s probably underbaked.
Yep. Just reheat it before serving so the texture stays soft and fresh.
Store it tightly covered at room temperature for a couple of days or in the fridge for longer freshness.
Absolutely. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to a few months. I like to wrap it in plastic wrap first, and then foil. The plastic wrap will help perserve the texture and keep it from drying out. Foil will provide an outer level of protection and prevent freezer burn.
Check your baking powder. If it’s old, your cornbread won’t get that fluffy texture.
A cast iron skillet is the best way. Before baking you can also heat your pan in a 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Then grease it and add the batter. That's the best way to do it with cast iron, and it will work a little for other pans, too.
Yes, check out my Cornbread Muffins recipe.
Of course. Just cut back on the honey or sugar if you want more traditional Southern-style cornbread flavor.
What to Pair with Cornbread
You cant go wrong with my popular soups and chili like Creamy White Chicken Chili and Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Southern dishes like Baked Turkey Wings, Southern Collard Greens, Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes, and Southern Baked Mac and Cheese will go hard with this, too!
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