These buttermilk-rich Honey Cornbread Muffins are slightly sweet, with a moist and buttery cake-like crumb. They only take 30 minutes to make – the perfect side for summer grilling, bowls of winter chili, and holiday dinners!
If you like cornbread that’s moist and flavorful, with a touch of sweetness – THIS is your recipe! My Honey Cornbread Muffins have been popular with dinner guests and readers for many years (check out the comments at the end of the post). Say goodbye to dry, crumbly, bland cornbread forever with this easy recipe that incorporates tangy buttermilk, creamy butter, and sweet honey. (Another cornbread recipe you might like is my Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Pecans.)
Why These Cornbread Muffins with Honey Are The Perfect Side
Cornbread was not a way of life for our Upper Midwest family when I was growing up. Then, as an adult, I discovered moist, sweet cornbread at a barbecue restaurant, and I was in love. I NEEDED more of it in my life! These cornbread muffins with honey are perfection, the only cornbread my family wants. Here’s why it’s the perfect side:
- Moist + lightly sweet. This is my #1 draw, the reason why I created this recipe in the first place!
- Make them “lightly crisp” or “soft”. In this post will you notice that some muffins are baked in the pan without paper liners while other muffins are baked in paper liners. I wanted to show you the difference this makes. If you like a lightly crisp edge to your muffins, spray your muffin pan and do not use paper liners. If you like them more soft, use paper liners!
- Versatile. We enjoy these muffins with chili in the winter and anything that comes off the grill in the summer. They’re also a classic sweet-and-savory side for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
- Customizable. Add crispy bacon, tart cranberries, or spicy jalapeños to the batter if you want to play around with the flavors.
- Better than a box-mix. With this made-from-scratch recipe, you know exactly what’s in the muffins. And they are better!
- Prep-friendly. Get a head-start on your holiday baking by making these muffins in advance and freezing them.
“I made these lovely sweet corn muffins exactly by the recipe and baked them for 15 minutes. They turned out absolutely wonderful. So sweet and moist and not dry at all. I’m very pleased with the texture and taste of these!”
Lydia
Recipe Ingredients
Buttermilk adds a subtle tang that ties all the sweet and buttery flavors together. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Cornmeal – Cornmeal is made from dried, ground corn. It’s dense, so I lighten it up with some flour and baking powder for a softer texture. I always use yellow cornmeal, for its beautiful golden color. If you can only find white cornmeal, or if you simply prefer the white variety, it will still taste the same – but the muffins will have a pale color.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is the base that provides a soft, tender texture.
- Sugar – A little bit of granulated sugar adds to the sweetness, plus it promotes browning, which makes for a gorgeous golden crust. Feel free to use less – I often do!
- Baking soda – This creates rise in the muffin batter.
- Salt – This contrasts so well with the sweetness.
- Buttermilk – This makes the muffins moist and tender, and adds a touch of tangy flavor. I always recommend using store-bought buttermilk for the best results, rather than making your own with milk and vinegar or lemon juice.
- Butter – This adds lovely flavor, moisture, and crumb.
- Eggs – These add rich flavor and bind everything together.
- Honey – This adds gorgeous flavor and tenderness to the muffins. It also attracts moisture, which keeps the muffins soft.
Variation Ideas
Play around with the textures and flavors in these honey cornbread muffins if you like – it’s easy!
- Bacon-cheddar. Stir 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the batter for smokey, cheesy goodness.
- Spicy jalapeño. Finely chop some jalapeño pepper and mix it into the batter for a spicy kick.
- Maple-bacon. Swap the honey for maple syrup. Fold 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon into the batter for a sweet-and-savory flavor profile.
- Cranberry-pecan. Mix 1/3 cup dried cranberries and 1/3 cup chopped roasted pecans into the batter for natural fruitiness and crunch.
- Blueberries. For breakfast, my family likes it when I add fresh blueberries to these muffins. I add 1 cup. The blueberry cornbread muffins go really well with bacon, ham, and sausage.
- MORE corn! Especially during summertime sweetcorn harvest, I like to throw a cup of fresh sweetcorn kernels (raw or cooked) into the batter. I love those little pops of corn!
How To Make Honey Cornbread Muffins
This cornbread is way better than box-mix cornbread muffins and so super simple to make.
Just mix the dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients, and combine them together! Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a muffin pan with cooking spray (for “lightly crisp” muffins) – or line the pan with paper liners (for “soft” muffins) instead.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients. Whisk the buttermilk, butter, eggs, and honey in a separate bowl until well combined.
- Fold together. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until just-combined.
- Add batter to the pan. Divide the batter into prepared muffin pan.
- Bake them. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the muffins are nice and golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.
- Serve. I always offer additional honey, so yummy! Butter is also very good. And Cinnamon Honey Butter is even better!
Simple Baking Tips for Success
Here are some simple baking tips – that can be applied to other muffin recipes as well!
- Don’t over-mix. Only mix the batter until it’s just-combined. This will help the muffins bake up as tender as possible.
- Stay in the center. For the best, even baking results, place the pan on the center oven rack. This offers the most even heat distribution.
- Don’t open it. Opening the oven door during baking alters the temperature inside the oven. If you want to check on the muffins, it’s best to turn on the oven light.
Serving Suggestions
My absolute favorite way to enjoy honey cornbread muffins is with a steaming bowl of my Slow Cooker Chili. Or try my Creamy Enchilada Chili. This loaded-with-summer-produce Chicken Chili is also perfect!
The savory-sweet muffins also go really well with most everything that comes off the grill. Think Beer Can Chicken, Chipotle Orange Salmon, or Shrimp and Sausage Kabobs. They also pair especially well with grilled mains that involve Barbecue Sauce.
Holiday dinners also beg for these muffins. Pair them up with my Mustard Pork Loin Roast, tender Roast Beef, or Grilled Turkey Tenderloin. To add a few more sides to the holiday table, try my Candied Carrots, easy Roasted Asparagus, or from-scratch Green Bean Casserole.
How To Store Cornbread Honey Muffins
I always double this recipe, so I can throw a batch in the freezer for an easy last-minute side!
- Counter: Place the muffins in an airtight container and store on the countertop for up to 2 days. This method isn’t recommended for high-humidity or high-temperature areas.
- Fridge: Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Add the cooled muffins to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for 30-40 minutes.
More Easy Side Dishes
Honey Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. For "lightly crisp" muffins, spray a standard muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. For "soft" muffins, line your pan with paper liners. Set pan aside.
- In a large bowl, mix corn meal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, eggs, and honey. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
- Divide the cornbread mixture into prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, until nicely golden. Remove pan from oven and let muffins rest in pan for 5 minutes before placing on a rack to cool. (These are EXCELLENT with Cinnamon Honey Butter!)
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in 2018, then updated in 2025.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe!! Been making these for years. My kids are nuts for them. For the cornmeal I mix half regular cornmeal and half medium or coarse cornmeal. I lessen the sugar and just use 1/4 cup. These muffins are great!
A bit sweet for my liking. Will probably cut the sugar down a little next time. But VERY good!
I love browsing your website for recipe ideas – the cornbread muffin recipe was particularly scrumptious! I have a rather unusual request for you as regards permission to link to your website.
I am a fantasy fiction author and I am looking for a web link with a recipe for cornbread muffins with honey to add to my latest blog post. My latest novels feature brownies (a type of house elf from Scottish folklore). According to folktales, brownies enjoyed being left corn muffins and honey as a gift to thank them for their help in homes. It would be lovely if I could include a link to your recipe as I’m sure that readers would enjoy discovering your website, which I have been following for a while.
Let me know if it will be all right to include a link in my blog post?
Best wishes,
Holly Merry
That would be sweet. Thank you, Holly Merry!
Brilliant – thank you so much. Wishing you best of luck with creating more lovely recipes.
I used corn flour instead of corn meal (it’s just what I had) and think I should’ve baked a little longer as a result, but still good! Will try less sweetener next time.
I made these lovely sweet corn muffins exactly by the recipe and baked them for 15 minutes. They turned out absolutely wonderful. So sweet and moist and not dry at all. I’m very pleased with the texture and taste of these!
These turned out absolutely perfect! I served these with a turkey chili and they were a hit!
These are super delicious and easy to make!
I have made these almost every day since I pinned it 3 weeks ago, and every time they are gone in minutes!
I use butter instead of oil for my muffin tin,, that’s the only change I made.
Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I used gluten free flour, ghee instead of butter and reduced sugar to 1/3. I baked the cornbread in mini bread loaves and wrapped them individually as treats for friends and neighbors. They were a big hit! I’ve tried a lot of versions but a farmgirl’s dabbles Is now my go to recipe. Thanks!
Good call on the ghee. I was thinking to use cassava flour or amaranth flour. This would be my first time trying either. Any recommendations?
I have tried SO MANY cornbread recipes but these were beyond a doubt the best EVER! I am so glad I found your amazing recipe!
Great recipe. I added 1/4 cup of applesauce for the butter. It keeps them moist but has less calories. My friends truly enjoyed them with taco turkey chili.
I made these and substituted whole wheat flour. Also had to bake for 20 minutes. They turned out wonderfully and delicious with just the right amount of sweetness. Can’t wait to make these again!
Loved these. They a nice dense and not crumbly muffin. The sweetness is perfect. I baked mine for 20 minutes. Will make these again.
I am so glad you liked this recipe, Pam. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I have been looking for a cornbread recipe I really like for a while now, trying things with milk vs buttermilk, butter vs lard, cornmeal and flour vs all cornmeal, and so on. It has been surprisingly difficult to find a recipe that ticks all my boxes. It probably sounds like I’m going to say “This is finally the one!” Sad to say, this recipe still wasn’t the one, but it was pretty close! I think it was just a little too saccharine for me. I think that paired with the flour reminded me too much of a cake, and the corn flavor wasn’t coming through much.
I might try this again with a higher cornmeal ratio (or all cornmeal), half the sugar, and possibly lard instead of butter. Maybe a tiny bit more salt, too (I used salted butter and measured a tad less salt to compensate, so I may have put less than intended).
By the way, this recipe works fine in a 10″ iron skillet instead of muffins. It’s also the first time I’ve managed to turn the bread out onto a plate in one perfect piece!
P.S. if you’re worried about the lack of baking powder: Baking powder is just baking soda + an acid to activate the soda. Buttermilk is already acidic, so you don’t need the additional acid from baking powder.
Max – to get more corn flavor and less sugar, you can put a small can of whole kernel corn in the food processor, cut honey in half and fold in corn. It might give you more of what your looking for. Also, if your cornbread is sticking to your iron skillet, the skillet isn’t seasoned enough…..brush with canola oil and throw in oven on 300 for 20inutes. Brush again and heat oven to 400 for 10 minutes.
This recipe is perfect just as it is. Thank you for a great contribution to my favorite recipes. If someone wants to change everything about a recipe then post comment write a recipe book. Total recipe changes to a posted recipe are not appreciated.
These are sooo good! This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Hi Luann – thank you so much, so happy you like the muffins! :)
These are the best corn muffins ever!
I have made them many times, and they’re always perfect.
The amount of sweetness, to me, is just right.
We had them tonight with crockpot ham and bean soup; it was a satisfying meal on a rainy fall night in Ohio.
Thanks for a superb recipe!
So glad to hear this, Mavis – thank you!
Best ever! Will never use another recipe!
Wonderful! Thank you!
Made these today. All I have to say is WOW! They are delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Yay! Thanks for coming back to let me know, Mary. :)
Excellent, delicious muffins. Only variation, I used canned coconut milk instead of buttermilk. Definitely a keeper of a recipe. Thanks
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing about your variation!