I finally perfected my Honey Skillet Cornbread, and the small tweak that keeps it sweet and reliably moist while giving a satisfyingly crisp edge might just change how you make cornbread.
I always thought cornbread was supposed to be dry until I met Sweet And Moist Honey Cornbread from The Food Charlatan. I made it for company and they kept sneaking bites, the golden crumb from yellow cornmeal sings with a soft sweetness from honey, it has an edge from the hot skillet that I cant stop craving.
I won’t give you the method here but if you like a cornbread that doubles as dessert and bread you’ll be curious how it’s so tender yet crisp, seriously it wrecked my bar for boxed mixes. Try it when you want something honest and surprising.
Ingredients
- Gives grainy texture, lots of carbs and some fiber, makes cornbread hearty and rustic.
- Adds structure and carbs, less fiber than cornmeal, helps it rise and hold together.
- Acidic tang, reacts with baking soda to leaven, adds moisture and a slight tartness.
- Bind ingredients, give protein and richness, help with lift and golden color.
- Sweetens naturally, adds depth and moisture, a touch of floral flavor.
- Used for skillet, adds buttery flavor and crisp edges, boosts richness but adds fat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal (medium or fine)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for the skillet
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 425°F and put your 10 inch cast iron skillet in while the oven heats so it gets really hot.
2. In a bowl whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed and lump free.
3. In another bowl whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil and 2 tablespoons honey until smooth; room temp eggs mix easier, so let them sit a bit if they were cold.
4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined, no more than 20 or 30 strokes; it should be slightly lumpy, overmixing makes it dense.
5. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven with oven mitts, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and swirl so the butter melts and coats the bottom and sides, it should sizzle — that sizzle gives you the crispy edge.
6. Immediately pour the batter into the hot buttered skillet and smooth the top with a spatula, scrape the bowl but dont overwork the batter.
7. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
8. Take the skillet out, brush the top with a little extra melted butter or a drizzle of honey if you like it glossier, and let the cornbread rest about 10 minutes so it sets up.
9. Slice and serve warm with butter or honey, perfect for dunking in chili; store leftovers wrapped at room temp for a day or freeze for longer.
Equipment Needed
1. 10-inch cast iron skillet (gets oven-hot for that crispy edge)
2. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels
3. Two mixing bowls one for the dry stuff one for the wet
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula for folding and a metal spatula to smooth the top
7. Small heatproof brush or spoon for brushing melted butter or honey
8. Toothpick or cake tester plus a plate or cooling rack for resting the cornbread
FAQ
Sweet And Moist Honey Cornbread From The Food Charlatan Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Cornmeal: use fine polenta or stone-ground cornmeal 1:1 if you don’t have yellow cornmeal, polenta works great, stone-ground gives more texture so expect a heartier crumb.
- All purpose flour: swap with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier taste, or use a cup-for-cup gluten free blend 1:1 if you need gluten free, if using regular whole wheat only swap half to avoid a dense loaf.
- Buttermilk: make a quick sub by stirring 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes, or use 1 cup plain yogurt or kefir (thin yogurt with a splash of milk if too thick).
- Eggs: for 2 large eggs use 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water (let sit 5 minutes) as an egg replacer, or use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for a moist slightly sweeter result.
Pro Tips
1) Get that cast iron screaming hot before you pour the batter, and use thick oven mitts. The hot pan and sizzling butter give the crispiest edges and better rise, just be careful grabbing it.
2) Dont overmix the batter. Stir until mostly combined, a few lumps are fine — overworking gluten makes cornbread heavy and gummy.
3) Warm the wet stuff up a bit and measure flour properly. Room temp eggs and buttermilk mix smoother so you get lighter texture, and spoon-and-level your flour instead of scooping to avoid a dry, dense loaf. Also use an oven thermometer if your oven runs hot or cold.
4) Mix-ins and finishing moves: fold in things like a half cup of creamed corn, grated cheddar, or diced jalapeño for interest, and reheat leftovers in a toaster oven to bring back a crisp edge. If you want glossy top, brush a little melted butter or honey right out of the oven, it’ll taste better and slice cleaner after a short rest.
Sweet And Moist Honey Cornbread From The Food Charlatan Recipe
I finally perfected my Honey Skillet Cornbread, and the small tweak that keeps it sweet and reliably moist while giving a satisfyingly crisp edge might just change how you make cornbread.
8
servings
272
kcal
Equipment: 1. 10-inch cast iron skillet (gets oven-hot for that crispy edge)
2. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels
3. Two mixing bowls one for the dry stuff one for the wet
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rubber spatula for folding and a metal spatula to smooth the top
7. Small heatproof brush or spoon for brushing melted butter or honey
8. Toothpick or cake tester plus a plate or cooling rack for resting the cornbread
Ingredients
-
1 cup yellow cornmeal (medium or fine)
-
1 cup all purpose flour
-
1/4 cup granulated sugar
-
1 tablespoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1 cup buttermilk
-
2 large eggs
-
1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
-
2 tablespoons honey
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter for the skillet
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and put your 10 inch cast iron skillet in while the oven heats so it gets really hot.
- In a bowl whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed and lump free.
- In another bowl whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil and 2 tablespoons honey until smooth; room temp eggs mix easier, so let them sit a bit if they were cold.
- Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined, no more than 20 or 30 strokes; it should be slightly lumpy, overmixing makes it dense.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven with oven mitts, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and swirl so the butter melts and coats the bottom and sides, it should sizzle — that sizzle gives you the crispy edge.
- Immediately pour the batter into the hot buttered skillet and smooth the top with a spatula, scrape the bowl but dont overwork the batter.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Take the skillet out, brush the top with a little extra melted butter or a drizzle of honey if you like it glossier, and let the cornbread rest about 10 minutes so it sets up.
- Slice and serve warm with butter or honey, perfect for dunking in chili; store leftovers wrapped at room temp for a day or freeze for longer.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 98g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 272kcal
- Fat: 12.84g
- Saturated Fat: 3.45g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.35g
- Monounsaturated: 4.83g
- Cholesterol: 56.5mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Potassium: 125mg
- Carbohydrates: 34.6g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 12g
- Protein: 5.4g
- Vitamin A: 113IU
- Vitamin C: 0.06mg
- Calcium: 49mg
- Iron: 0.73mg