Perfect Buttermilk Honey Cornbread

Jump to Recipe

This is, hands down, the best buttermilk honey cornbread recipe! Sweetened solely with honey, absolutely no sugar in this recipe. It's fluffy, moist and you can't stop at just one piece. A bit savory, a bit sweet, it's the perfect cornbread to serve next to your favorite family dinners.

This isn't your grandmother's cornbread, all dry and crumbly, chugging down an entire cup of water after each bite. Oh no, no, no! This buttermilk honey cornbread is extra soft and fluffy. It puffs right up in the oven and melts in your mouth.

I have always loved putting honey on my cornbread. A pat of butter and a big drizzle of honey from the local farmers market all over a hot piece of cornbread, straight out of the oven.

So why not put honey in the cornbread! Instead of sweetening the cornbread with sugar, I use honey. And boy is it good!

Honey for the sweetness and buttermilk for the liquid. Cornbread with buttermilk is the secret ingredient for how to make a moist cornbread. It has a way of making baked goods super tender. I use it for pancakes and waffles too!

Cornbread goes perfect with a dinner of BBQ ribs or a hearty bowl of minestrone soup. And at the end of the meal serve up a blueberry peach crisp for dessert.

buttermilk honey cornbread batter in a baking pan.

How To Make Homemade Buttermilk Honey Cornbread

This is by far the easiest recipe, ever.

Whisk together melted butter and an egg. It helps if the egg is close to room temperature, everything combines smoothly then. Stir in the buttermilk and honey.

Keep stirring until the honey is completely dissolved.

Sift the dry ingredients over your bowl of wet ingredients and mix it in. Fill up an 8x8 baking pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes. I find that 28 minutes is the perfect amount of time for my oven.

Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack. It really helps to have the parchment paper so you can pull the cornbread out of the pan easily.

buttermilk honey cornbread with butter on top.

FAQ

What substitute can you use for buttermilk in cornbread?

If you don't have any buttermilk you can add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then use it.

How can you tell if the cornbread is done baking in the middle?

Use a toothpick. Insert the toothpick in to the very center of the corn bread, if it comes out clean (nothing gooey on it) then the cornbread is done.

Can I make this buttermilk cornbread in a cast iron skillet?

I haven't tested this recipe out in a skillet yet.

Can you add jalapeños and cheddar cheese to this cornbread?

Yes! Mix it in with everything else. I wouldn't do a ton of cheese but ½ cup would be good.

Is cornbread gluten free?

Corn meal is naturally gluten free, however some manufacturers also produce wheat products. To be 100% sure your cornbread will be gluten free, you need to select a gluten free cornmeal and use gluten free flour.

Can you freeze cornbread?

Yes. Transfer the cornbread to the fridge to thaw, then place in the oven to reheat. For optimum taste you should use frozen cornbread within 3 months of freezing. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then within a freezer ziploc bag.