That’s right, yet another Cornbread recipe! But in my opinon, you can never have enough Cornbread (it’s that good!). There are different opinions on whether cornbread should be made with or without a sweetener. Me personally, I can eat it both ways depending on the dish. As usual though, it goes without saying, I still draw a hard line with using Jiffy mix! I get it, Jiffy convenient when you’re pressed for time and is much more foolproof for the novice cooks / bakers. But Cornbread is just not the same to me when is choke full of preservatives and not made entirely from scratch. In this post, I’m happy to share it with you all my recipe for Honey Cornbread!
Key Ingredients for Honey Cornbread
The cornbread is made from your standard ingredients: Cornmeal, Baking Powder, Flour, Butter, and Table Salt. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of all Buttermilk, Honey and Nutmeg.
- Nutmeg: It just wouldn’t be one of my recipes if there wasn’t some complexity in the flavor profile, and this Honey Cornbread recipe is no exception to that. That being said, what I love about the addition of nutmeg in this recipe is that it gives the cornbread a slightly nutty flavor that helps to draw out the natural flavor of the cornmeal. In addition, the nutmeg really enhances many of the other ingredients, such as the sugar, honey and buttermilk, to both give the cornbread depth as well as give the cornbread a very pleasant aroma. You have to be very careful with nutmeg though, because too much of it can negatively effect the taste of any dish.
- Buttermilk: While there’s nothing wrong with using whole milk, you’ll find that traditional cornbread calls for the use of buttermilk, and my recipe is no exception to this. The problem with whole milk is because it’s lacking the acidic component found in buttermilk, it doesn’t really give the cornbread that airy texture that you get when the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda in the Honey Cornbread batter. Ultimately, the whole milk ends up making for a much denser cornbread (not to mention, the use of baking soda without an acidic component can give the cornbread an unpleasant metallic taste). Also for what little it’s worth, buttermilk is somewhat healthier than whole milk because of its lower fat content.
- Honey: This accomplishes a couple things that takes this Honey Cornbread recipe to another level. For one, honey tends to do a nice job at retaining moisture in dishes. This is a huge plus because often, you’ll see recipes that only use white sugar or brown sugar (or both). In this case, the extra moisture retention not only helps to make for a more tender crumb, but also allows for better carmelization on the crust of the cornbread. Also, the honey contributes to a deeper and more complex flavor that you won’t find in your typical cornbread recipes, which is a nice perk if you want to impress your guests with cornbread that feature a taste they’ve never had before.
- Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: You’ll find that many recipes will only use baking powder for Cornbread, which can be perfectly fine. But I opted to use both for a few reasons. For one, the gas bubbles from when the baking soda dissolves help to keep the gluten in the flour from coagulating too soon, which will allow for more efficient heat transfer throughout the batter (this will help to give the cornbread a more picturesque brown color). Also, the baking soda will act to neutralize the strong tangy flavor in the buttermilk (which will be discussed below). Furthermore, using both baking and baking powder gives the Cornbread an extra bit of lift, so that it’s not as flat.
And lastly, there’s one more thing I can’t stress enough. Cornbread is highly sensitive to the proportion of fat vs protein (I.E. flour and egg whites) that is used. Even being off by a mere tablespoon can completely change the shape, texture and flavor. That said, I strongly advise that you use a spoon to gather your flour and even level off the top of the measuring cup with a knife. If you scoop out the flour with the cup itself, you risk packing way more flour into the cup (and eventually the dough) than what is required, thus your cornbread won’t bake properly. Weighing your flour with a bowl and kitchen scale is also a perfectly fine option.
Tips for Making this Recipe
Allow the cornbread to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes after removing from oven. The inside of the Honey Cornbread will continue to set and coagulate even after you remove them from the heat. If you attempt to cut into the cornbread too soon while it’s still hot, you risk having it fall apart.
For the best results, use a cast iron skillet. Besides the fact that cast iron skillets do an excellent job at heat retention, which ensures even cooking throughout the batter, the cast iron skillet will also give the cornbread a nice crispy crust. This same crispy crust also helps to seal off the interior of the Honey Cornbread as it bakes, ensuring that it stays soft and moist.
Allow the batter to rest before placing in oven. Once all of the ingredients have been combined, I recommend allowing the batter to rest for at least 5-10 minutes. This will accomplish a couple things. One, this will give the flour & cornmeal time to absorb the moisture, which will contribute to a more tender and less gritty texture. Also, the baking powder will have more time to react with the added liquid, which will give the Honey Cornbread even greater lift while it’s baking. Be careful not to let it rest for too long though, because then you’ll end up with batter that is too thick and it won’t bake properly.
Do not overbake the cornbread. Unfortunately, cornbread is one of those baked goods that’s not very forgiving if you cook it for even slightly longer than directed in this recipe. If 30 minutes have passed since the Honey Cornbread was placed in the oven and you’re still uncertain about whether they’re done, you can always insert a toothpick inside of it to see if any wet batter comes out. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add Jalapenos or Corn Kernels to this recipe?
I’m personally not a fan of having these extra ingredients in my cornbread (personal preference), which is why I officially excluded them from my recipe. That being said, if you prefer having these items in your Honey Cornbread, you can certainly add them while combining the wet + dry ingredients.
Can I substitute the Yellow Cornmeal with White Cornmeal?
Absolutely! The main difference you’ll notice in the recipe, besides the color, is that the white cornmeal will have a milder and more subtle taste.
Can you substitute Oil for the Butter?
The answer to this question always gets tricky.
I do understand that not everyone is able to eat dairy products and that butter is simply not an option for such individuals. In such cases, you *COULD* replace the butter with a cooking oil, but with a couple of important caveats. For starters, while cooking oils and butter are both different types of fats that can be used in baked goods, their fat composition is not entirely equal. Cooking oils tend to have virtually no water in them (thus is 100% fat), whereas Butter typically has a water content of 20-25% (depending on the brand). So in the event you attempt to substitute the butter for cooking oils, I’d advise only using 75-80% of the amount of cooking oil.
The other caveat is that the use of cooking oils will change the flavor profile of the cookies. Seed oils (I.E. Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, etc.), are known to be neutral-tasting, meaning they have no flavor. So you will be losing the subtle nuttiness / sweetness in your cornbread that Butter offers. But then you also have your non-seed oils such as Coconut, Avocado or Olive Oil. These oils are *NOT* neutral-tasting, which means if you use them, you may end up with Honey Cornbread that taste like Olives, Avocados or Coconuts, as the oils will overpower the other ingredients.
All of that said, the short and sweet answer I can give you is I *DON’T* recommend it. For a more detailed answer, see above.
Can you freeze the Honey Cornbread? And if so, for how long?
You can definitely freeze this Honey Cornbread! Once the Honey Cornbread has cooled completely, you would simply wrap it tightly in both plastic wrap as well as alumninum foil and it should be good for at least 3 months. While they may still be safe to eat out of the freeze beyond 3 months, the cornbread will gradually lose their flavor and texture after 3 months have passed. For the best resuls, I would advise allowing it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before you’re ready to consume and then warm in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350*F.
How long can you store Honey Cornbread without freezing?
As long as the Honey Cornbread is stored in an airtight container or bag, it should be safe to eat for up to 3 days at room temperature and up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Beyond 3-5 days, I would advise that you dispose of the cornbread as it may no longer be edible.
Try These Other Sides
-
Best Cornbread (Southern-Style)
-
Easy Eggnog Cornbread Recipe
-
Best Baked Mac and Cheese
-
Honey Butter Biscuits (Better Than Church’s)
-
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Copycat)
Easy Honey Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Plastic Spatula
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls
- Oil / Cooking Spray (to grease pan / skillet)
- 1 10" Cast Iron Skillet
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 Cup Melted Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1 TBSP Honey
- 3/4 TSP Baking Powder
- 3/4 TSP Baking Soda
- 1/4 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1/4 TSP Nutmeg
- 1 Extra Large Eggs
Instructions
- Generously grease cast iron skillet and place in oven
- Preheat oven to 350*F and warm skillet while it preheats.
- In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (Flour, Cornmeal, Sugar, Nutmeg Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda) and whisk until combined.
- In measurement cup with Buttermilk, add Honey and stir until well-combined and fully dissolved.
- Add wet ingredients (Buttermilk, Butter and Eggs) to bowl with dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix batter.
- Once oven has finished preheating, remove cast iron skillet and immediately add batter to hot skillet.
- Spread batter around in cast iron skillet until it forms one even layer
- Place cast iron skillet with Cornbread batter in oven for 25-30 minutes***
- Remove Cornbread from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.