This buttermilk honey cornbread is a classic simple recipe with delicious flavor and a soft tender texture. It’s the perfect side dish for cozy soups, chili and more!

closeup of sliced honey buttermilk cornbread in skillet

You can go ahead and ditch the boxed mixes for good, because homemade cornbread is so easy to make! All you need is less than 10 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

My best cornbread recipe is slightly sweet, with crisp edges and a fluffy center. Buttermilk, honey and lots of butter all work together to create lots of great flavor.

This cornbread is delicious as it is, but I love to serve it warm with a slather of butter. Add a drizzle of honey to take it to a whole new level!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s everything required to make this easy honey buttermilk cornbread (full recipe at the bottom of this article):

honey buttermilk cornbread ingredients

How to make honey buttermilk cornbread

This cornbread recipe couldn’t be any easier to make!

  1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  2. Combine wet ingredients. Stir together the buttermilk, honey, melted butter, large egg and egg yolk.
  3. Mix together. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined, it’s okay if mixture is not completely smooth. mixing honey buttermilk cornbread batterhoney buttermilk cornbread batter in skillet
  4. Add to skillet. Add batter to a greased 9-inch cast iron skillet (or round baking dish) and spread it evenly to the edges.
  5. Bake. Bake cornbread in a 375°F oven for 30-35 minutes until the top just starts to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice and serve, adding butter and a drizzle of honey if you’d like.
baked honey buttermilk cornbread in cast iron skillet

How to make cornbread muffins

If you’d like to make cornbread muffins instead, simply grease a regular muffin tin pan with non-stick baking spray (or line with paper liners) and fill no more than 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes until tops start to brown. Yields 10-12 corn muffins.

Tips for making the best cornbread at home

  • Do not overmix the batter or the cornbread may come out tough. Mix until no streaks of dry ingredients remain, but batter may still be a little lumpy.
  • I prefer to bake this cornbread in a 9-inch cast iron skillet because it makes the edges a little crispy, but you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan or baking dish.
  • Cornbread freezes really well! Double wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for a month or more. Let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
  • I prefer to enjoy cornbread within 1-2 days of baking, but it will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

What to serve with this honey buttermilk cornbread

​Here are some dishes that pair really well with cornbread:

drizzling honey onto a slice of honey buttermilk cornbread

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This recipe was originally published July 2015 in partnership with Go Bold with Butter. 

get the recipe

Honey Cornbread

Servings: 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
This buttermilk honey cornbread is a classic simple recipe with delicious flavor and a soft tender texture. It's the perfect side dish for cozy soups, chili and more!
drizzling honey onto a slice of honey buttermilk cornbread
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (138 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk (250 ml)
  • ⅓ cup honey (113 grams)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled (85 grams)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch cast iron skillet. Alternately, you can use 9-inch round cake pan.
  • In large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • In separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, honey, melted butter, egg and egg yolk. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  • Pour batter into prepared skillet or cake pan. Bake until golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out with few moist crumbs, about 30-35 minutes.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature with butter and honey if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 200mg, Potassium: 188mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 275IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review below or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.