Honey Cornbread Muffins — Between the sour cream, coconut oil, and butter in the batter, it’s impossible to wind up with dry honey cornbread muffins! Serve these at Thanksgiving, or alongside your favorite soups, chilis, and stews.
Honey Cornbread Muffins Recipe
Cornbread, like scones, can be horribly dry and tasteless. I promise these honey cornbread muffins are not.
I hadn’t had cornbread in ages and randomly it popped into my head. Actually, I had a craving for honey, and the muffins were the perfect excuse to satisfy my honey craving.
There’s honey in the batter to add sweetness and moisture, as well as drizzled on top. If you like sweet cornbread muffins, this is the recipe for you.
It’s an easy whisk-together recipe that follows standard muffin-making protocol. A bowl of dry ingredients, a bowl of wet ingredients, add wet to dry, fold, and bake.
The milk I used was Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk and I love it. It only has 30-calorie per 8 ounces, tastes great, and if I need a milk for baking, vegan or otherwise, it’s what I use most often. All Silk products are dairy-free and gluten-free and I like that Silk is committed to and believes in the benefits of a plant-based diet.
I combatted the dryness issue that often plagues cornbread by using a bit of coconut oil (you can’t taste it) and sour cream in addition to the melted butter in the batter. Between the oil, sour cream, and butter, there’s no excuse for dryness unless you over bake the cornbread muffins. Less is more with cornbread because it can become dried out and overdone quickly.
The muffins are soft, fluffy, light, and nicely sweetened from the honey. They’re like little sponges and soaked it right up, but you can omit the honey drizzle if you want to pair the muffins with chili, soup, or savory fare.
For me, the more honey, the merrier.
What’s in These Cornbread Muffins?
To make these sweet cornbread muffins, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
- Eggs
- Honey
- Coconut oil
- Sour cream
How to Make Cornbread Muffins
To make this sweet cornbread muffin recipe, simply stir together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. Then, combine the two and spoon the cornbread muffin batter into your prepared muffin cups.
Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full, then top with a sprinkle of cornmeal. Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350ºF and continue baking until the tops are domed, puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the sweet cornbread muffins to cool for roughly 10 minutes before serving them. I like to eat mine with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey on top, but enjoy these however you’d like!
Can I Make This Recipe as One Loaf of Cornbread?
I haven’t tried making these cornbread muffins as regular honey cornbread, but I’m sure you could turn the batter into a 9×13-inch pan and bake it that way. I haven’t made it like that myself though, so I’m not sure how long you’d need to bake the cornbread for.
Can I Freeze Cornbread Muffins?
Yes, but you’ll want to freeze them plain (i.e. without butter or honey on top). To freeze these sweet cornbread muffins, let them cool completely on your counter and then seal them in a freezer bag. To thaw the muffins, either reheat them in the microwave or set them on your counter.
Tips for Making Honey Cornbread Muffins
If you prefer less sweet muffins, you can scale back the amount of sugar you add to the batter. This cornbread muffin recipe calls for 3/4 cup sugar, but add 1/2 cup if you don’t want them to be as sweet.
Also, make sure your eggs and milk are room temperature before whisking them into the wet ingredients. If the milk and eggs are still fridge cold, you’ll wind up solidifying some of the butter and coconut oil when you stir them together.
Finally, this sweet cornbread muffin recipe makes about 14 muffins, but rather than dirtying another muffin pan after making 1 dozen, I used the remaining batter and made a mini cornbread loaf. I used my mini loaf pan and use my mini pans all the time for extra cupcake or muffin batter, or for mini cakes. Super handy.
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Honey Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal, plus more for sprinkling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, reduce to 1/2 cup for less sweet muffins
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
- 1 cup milk, I used Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, vegetable or canola oil may be substituted
- 2 tablespoons sour cream, plain or vanilla Greek yogurt may be substituted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a Non-Stick 12-Cup Regular Muffin Pan with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside. Recipe makes about 14 muffins but I made 12 muffins and used a mini loaf pan for the remaining batter rather than dirtying another muffin pan or discarding batter; do whatever is easiest.
- In a large bowl, add the first 6 ingredients, through optional salt, and whisk to combine; set bowl aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Add add remaining ingredients to butter and whisk to combine and until smooth and no white streaks remain.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and fold until combined; don’t overmix.
- Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or spoon, fill each muffin cavity to a solid 3/4-full. Any less and you won’t get a domed top.
- Add a generous pinch of cornmeal to the top of each muffin and loaf.
- Bake at 400F for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temp to 350F and bake muffins for about 5 to 7 minutes (about 15 to 17 minutes total), or until tops are domed, puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs dangling, but no batter. Mini loaf will take a approximately 2 minutes longer than muffins. Be very careful not to overbake or cornbread will be dry.
- Allow muffins and loaf to cool in pan for about 10 minutes before carefully removing.
- Optionally, drizzle with honey and add a pat of butter before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Thanksgiving Recipes:
Skillet Cornbread — Moist, fluffy, golden brown buttermilk cornbread prepared in a cast iron skillet for a crispy edge. Whether you make it for a weeknight family dinner or a holiday celebration, it’s so EASY, ready in 30 minutes, and FOOLPROOF!
Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing — This sausage stuffing is super easy to make since the slow cooker does all the hard work for you! There’s no sauteing or browning required at all!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Crumble Topping — The sweet potatoes are so tender, creamy, and fluffy while the crumbly, streusel topping adds a buttery, brown sugary crunch thanks to the pecans.
Cabernet Cranberry and Blueberry Sauce — Move over boring cranberry sauce! Cranberries are so much better with blueberries and wine! Make your own sauce in 30 minutes, so EASY, and everyone LOVES it!!
Honey Butter Pumpkin Dinner Rolls — These rolls are soft, slightly chewy, and the pumpkin puree keeps them moist and adds just enough tooth-sinking density.
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts — These balsamic Brussels sprouts are easy to make and pair perfectly with any main dish. Serve with Parmesan and chopped pistachios to amp up the flavor!
Cranberry Baked Brie – EASY, 15-minute appetizer that’s filled AND topped with richly spiced orange-scented cranberry sauce!! Perfect for holiday entertaining!
Classic Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing – Nothing frilly or trendy. Classic, amazing, easy, homemade stuffing that everyone loves!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
These pictures have me drooling! I haven’t had cornbread in ages either, but when we do, I eat almost the whole loaf. The honey drizzle on top is a must! I’ve switched to using almond milk for baking and haven’t noticed any difference between that and regular milk. I haven’t tried the unsweetened version though (just the original), so I’ll have to pick one up next time!!
Love that you switched and haven’t noticed a difference. I don’t find that the unsweetened version tastes ‘un-sweet’, if that makes sense. It just tastes ‘normal’ and if I want it sweet, I can always doctor it up with zero-calorie sweetener options!
I adore sweet cornbread! Honey tends to moisten things up too when you put it on top! I also love cornbread with lots of chunks in it! Ouhhh now i’m gonna need to make cornbread REAL soon. I think i’ll keep them in little muffins, love breaking them open and spreading a little butter ;) Thanks, Averie!
Breaking them open and adding a pat of butter is the best :)
I thought I was the only cornbread lover out there–although I like making mine in an iron skillet–love the crusty edge combined with the soft center. These look yummy! Once I wade through the zucchini/blueberries/rhubarb for baking, I can tackle your muffins.
I love that you have an abundance of zuke and blueberries, two of my faves! Your skillet cornbread sounds perfect and amazing!
I love sweet cornbread! I have never attempted to make it myself at home – exactly because I’m scared it will come out too dry – but now I want to try your delicious recipe. The honey in the batter and drizzled on top sounds perfect, too.
It’s easy to dry it out but just don’t over bake and you’ll be set!
Oh girl. Cornbread and honey is my love language!!!! I am absolutely DYING over these photos and will absolutely have to make these tonight to go with Chili Night!! Perfect timing :) Pinned!
Are you for real going to make them? You’re a Southern girl and you like comfort food…I hope these pass muster! :) And you’re having chili night? Oh wow, that is great timing!! Thanks for pinning!
There is nothing worse than a dry corn muffin! That’s the reason I always use a mix – because I trust it. But now I want to try these. My cornbread stuffing has been on my list to make and post – so I may just have to try these babies first!
You make cornbread stuffing? That’s awesome and yeah I am breaking out the ‘fall’ recipes slowly here. A little early but whatever.
And I have never tried cornbread mix! But I promise these babies are so easy!
Such a fabulous muffin. These sound great!
Cornbread and honey is the perfect combination! Reminds me of my childhood…my Grandma would always make a big skillet of cornbread, and we would slather with honey and butter. These look delicious!
Love it when food brings us back to delicious childhood memories! :) I have the same thing happen with my grandma and memories too!
Love that these aren’t dry! Nothing’s worse than cornbread that feels like it was made exclusively out of cornmeal, baking powder, and water! I, too love the taste of honey in my cornbread! These will definitely find their way to my dinner table on of these evenings!
If you try them, LMK!
And yes, “Nothing’s worse than cornbread that feels like it was made exclusively out of cornmeal, baking powder, and water!” – Amen to that!
Cornbread muffins are one of my faves! Reminds me of fall because I love them with a big bowl of veggie chili. :)
I’m a little early on the fall recipes but figured, why not. They’re fairly all-seasons, right :) That’s what I told myself but I totally thought of veggie chili right along with these too!
Mmm…these would even be perfect with my morning coffee. Love how beautiful you make food look!
Pinning.
Thanks for pinning and the super sweet compliment!
We love sweeter cornbread here! The dry stuff is disgusting. Even at restaurants, it can be pretty gross. Can’t wait to try as a family. We love cooking together!
That’s awesome you cook as a family and yes, dry cornbread is blech, and yes restaurants can be the worst offenders. It just sits out and gets drier and drier!
Honey on (and in) cornbread is a great combination and I like that little hint of cinnamon you added. I often add a big spoonful of PB to the batter. I haven’t made any since last fall but after reading this it sounds good and would be perfect with one of your fabulous salads this time of year!
Pb in the batter…that reminds me that in PB Comfort there’s a biscuit recipe that has PB in the batter. I still remember how good those things were! I totally should make PB cornbread! As long as there’s honey and cinnamon, may as well go for broke with the PB! Great suggestion!
I love cornbread with that chewy texture it has so good and I prefer it on the sweeter side so the more honey the better…these look yummy.
Cornbread is my ULTIMATE weakness! I could seriously make a meal out of it. And good call on the mini loaf – you’re a genius!
It wasn’t all that genius, I just had extra batter and didn’t’ want to waste it so I poured it in there – same as I do with any quickbread recipe when that happens :)
My son loves cornbread, he’ll loves these. They do sound moist. Thanks for sharing