Honey Butter Cornbread

If Honey Butter Cornbread has ever called your name from the corner of a potluck table (you know, the one with the little glossy top that shimmers like it pays rent), this one’s for you. Because sometimes you don’t need a complicated dessert-or-bread identity crisis… you just need a warm, sweet, buttery square that makes everyone in the house suddenly “check the kitchen” five times.

This Honey Butter Cornbread is the kind of recipe that feels like a hug with a golden crust. It’s sweet but not cupcake-sweet, tender but still proudly cornbread, and the honey butter soak? Oh honey. That’s where the magic lives. It’s also a total win for busy days: mix, pour, bake, baste, devour. (And yes, it’s okay to “taste-test” the honey butter directly from the bowl. I’m not your boss.)

Why You’ll Love This Honey Butter Cornbread

• It’s extra moist thanks to cream-style corn, sour cream, and whole milk.
• It’s sweet and cozy with brown sugar + granulated sugar + honey (the triple threat).
• It bakes in a 9×13, which means it’s perfect for feeding a family, guests, or your future self with leftovers.
• That honey butter glaze sinks in like a warm blanket—especially after you poke holes like it’s a cornbread “poke cake.”
• It’s a reliable crowd-pleaser: picky eaters, cornbread purists, and “I don’t like sweets” people all mysteriously go quiet while eating it.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups yellow ground cornmeal
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (14.75 oz) cream-style corn
• 1.5 cups whole milk (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup butter, melted and cooled (about 11 tablespoons)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 stick salted butter, partially melted (8 tablespoons)
• 1/3 cup quality honey (local raw honey is chef’s kiss)

How to Make Honey Butter Cornbread (Step-by-Step)

1) Preheat and prep

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13 baking dish generously—like you’re trying to impress your grandma.

2) Mix your dry ingredients

In your largest bowl (trust me), add:

• flour
• cornmeal
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• baking powder
• salt

Whisk until it’s evenly combined and looks like a sandy, sweet blanket.

3) Mix your wet ingredients

In another large bowl, whisk together:

• whole milk
• melted butter (cooled—no scrambled eggs today)
• sour cream
• eggs
• cream-style corn
• vanilla extract
• honey

Whisk until smooth. It’ll look rich and creamy, and at this point you’ll be tempted to drink it. Please don’t. (Or at least wait until the cornbread is in the oven.)

4) Combine wet + dry (without over-mixing)

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in. Whisk until there are no dry pockets of cornmeal, but don’t overdo it. Cornbread batter isn’t trying to win a bodybuilding contest—gentle mixing keeps it tender.

5) Bake

Pour the batter into your buttered 9×13 dish. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes.

But! At around the 20-minute mark, we’re going to do something wonderful.

Honey Butter Time: The Best Part

6) Make the honey butter

In a bowl, combine:

• 1 stick partially melted salted butter
• 1/3 cup honey

Whisk until it becomes creamy and glossy. If it looks a little separated at first, keep whisking—this is the kind of persistence that pays off deliciously.

7) Baseline glaze at 20 minutes

When the cornbread has baked for 20 minutes, pull it out (carefully—hot dish energy) and pour half of the honey butter over the top. Use a basting brush to spread it edge-to-edge so every corner gets loved.

Slide it back into the oven and finish baking until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

The Poke-and-Soak Trick (A.K.A. How to Make People Beg for the Recipe)

8) Poke holes like a poke cake

Once it’s done, take it out of the oven and use a wooden skewer or fork to poke holes all over the top. Don’t be shy—those little holes are highways for honey butter.

9) Pour on the rest of the honey butter

Now pour the remaining honey butter over the top, working it into the holes and cracks so it seeps down into the cornbread.

Let it sit a few minutes (if you can stand it), then serve warm. And yes, extra honey butter on the side is not “too much.” It’s called good decision-making.

Aneta’s Little Story From My Kitchen

This Honey Butter Cornbread became my go-to after one of those days when everything felt loud—emails, laundry, someone asking what’s for dinner while I was already making dinner. I needed something that felt comforting but didn’t require a culinary marathon.

I baked it in a 9×13, set it on the counter, and before I could even clean up the bowls… a corner piece mysteriously disappeared. Then another. And suddenly, everyone was “just having a small piece.” You know how that goes.

Now it’s my secret weapon for family nights, chili dinners, and any moment that needs a little golden warmth.

Tips for the Best Honey Butter Cornbread

• Room temperature ingredients matter. Cold milk and sour cream can make melted butter clump up. (Not the end of the world—just less smooth batter.)
• Don’t over-mix. Over-mixing can make cornbread tough. Mix until combined, then stop like a responsible adult.
• Use a metal or glass 9×13. Metal bakes a bit faster and browns more; glass may need an extra few minutes.
• If the top browns too fast, tent with foil. Cornbread shouldn’t look sunburned.
• Want thicker squares? Bake in a smaller pan and increase time slightly, but 9×13 is perfect for that classic soft center + golden edges combo.
• Honey butter too runny? Let it sit a minute or whisk longer. It thickens as it cools. (Like some of us after 30. Kidding. Mostly.)

FAQs About Honey Butter Cornbread

Warm Slices, Happy Hearts

If you’ve been craving something comforting, buttery, and just sweet enough to make a rough day feel softer, this Honey Butter Cornbread is it. Serve it with chili, soup, BBQ, or enjoy it straight from the pan while pretending you’re “just cleaning up.” (A very believable story. I support it.)

Make it once, and I promise it’ll earn a permanent spot in your recipe rotation—because Honey Butter Cornbread isn’t just a side dish… it’s a whole mood.

Keep the Cozy Going (More Yummy Pairings!)

If you loved this sweet, buttery Honey Butter Cornbread, here are a few reader-favorite recipes that pair perfectly with it—whether you’re planning a cozy soup night, a game-day spread, or just want another “wow” dish on the table:

• Try it alongside Shrimp and Corn Chowder for a cozy bowl-night dinner (corn + cornbread = instant best friends).
• Make it a full comfort-meal moment with Creamy Boursin Chicken Soup that tastes like a warm hug—perfect for dunking those golden edges.
• Want something with a little kick to balance the sweetness? Serve it with White Chicken Chili that’s hearty, creamy, and weeknight-easy.
• And if you’re feeling extra “honey butter everything,” don’t miss Creamy Honey Butter Skillet Corn for the ultimate sweet-and-savory side (yes, it’s as dreamy as it sounds).

And if you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out—please leave a quick review and tap your star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ below! Your feedback helps other home cooks (and makes my day, truly).

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