JioPlanet

Buttermilk Cornbread with Honey Butter

Why you’ll love it

Good cornbread walks a line: moist but sturdy, tender but with a real corn flavor and a crisp golden crust. This version uses buttermilk for tang and tenderness, a touch of honey for warmth, and a hot buttered skillet for those unbeatable crispy edges. Serve it with the honey butter and try to stop at one piece.

Quick facts

  • Prep: 10 minutes
  • Cook: 22 minutes
  • Total: 32 minutes
  • Servings: 9 squares

Ingredients

For the cornbread:

  • 1 cup (150g) fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) honey, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the honey butter:

  • 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet (or 8×8-inch baking pan) in the oven while it heats — a screaming-hot pan is the secret to crisp edges.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, honey, and melted butter until smooth.
  4. Combine. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain — a few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes tough cornbread.
  5. Bake. Carefully remove the hot skillet, swirl in a tablespoon of butter to coat, and pour in the batter. Bake 20–22 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Honey butter. Mash the softened butter with honey and flaky salt. Serve warm slices with a generous smear.

Tips

  • No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup of milk and rest 5 minutes.
  • Sweet vs. savory: Cut the sugar to 2 tablespoons and skip the honey for a savory version that loves chili and barbecue.
  • Don’t overbake. Pull it when the toothpick has moist crumbs, not when it’s bone dry — carryover heat finishes it.
  • Storage: Keeps 2 days at room temperature wrapped well, or freeze up to 2 months.