Moist Honey Cornbread Muffins Recipe

Those who grew up eating cornbread often sit on one of two sides of a dividing fence. On one side is team sweet. On the other side is team savory. And while this recipe resides firmly on the sweet side, we have a feeling it may very well appeal to fans of the savory variety as well.

These moist honey cornbread muffins are the brainchild of recipe developer and private practice registered dietitian Kristen Carli of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness. Carli regularly bakes them up as a treat to enjoy alongside chili or to eat in the morning, slathered with delicious homemade honey butter. Their individual size makes them so easy to portion and serve, or grab for a on-the-go treat whether you're running errands or going on a hike. You'll also be happy to hear that leftovers will be welcome tucked into lunch boxes or bags the next day.

The honey butter topping could not be easier to prepare, and it's the perfect finishing touch for these muffins. "Honey butter is so delicious on these cornbread muffins that there will likely not be any leftovers," says Carli. "But if you have any leftovers, it is also delicious on waffles or pancakes!" Yum!

Gather the ingredients to prepare a batch of moist honey cornbread muffins

To make these moist honey cornbread muffins, you will need the usual suspects for a quick bread of this kind: milk, melted butter, honey, and eggs are the required wet ingredients, while cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt are the required dry ingredients. Combine them, and you have yourself a delicious batter ready to portion and bake.

Some of the honey and butter (this time softened, not melted) are reserved to make the heavenly honey butter topping. Spread it on these muffins hot out of the oven, and they'll be even more irresistible.

Make the cornbread muffin batter

To make these moist honey cornbread muffins, first preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, which will make the muffins easier to remove and serve once they're baked.

Set the tray aside, and while the oven heats, make the batter. To do so, simply mix the milk, 1 stick of melted butter, the eggs, and ¼ cup of the honey in a stand mixer until well combined.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar, whisking to combine and breaking up any lumps. The cream of tartar works with the baking soda to leaven these muffins quickly, giving them a delightfully light texture.

Bake the muffins at 375 F for 15 minutes, and whip up the homemade honey butter

When the oven is heated, it's time to combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Do this at the last minute, as the baking soda and cream of tartar will begin to work their magic quickly, and from there, you want to get them into the oven as fast as you're able to.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, taking care not to over-mix the batter, as this could cause gluten strands to develop, making the final muffins tough. When just combined, portion the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the muffins bake, you have just enough time to stir together the honey butter. To do so, simply combine the remaining ½ cup honey and stick of softened butter in a bowl, stirring until fully incorporated. Serve the muffins with the honey butter, and enjoy!

Moist Honey Cornbread Muffins Recipe
5 from 30 ratings
Bake these honey cornbread muffins as a side dish for chili, or enjoy them in the morning, slathered with homemade honey butter.
Prep Time
4
minutes
Cook Time
15
minutes
Servings
12
muffins
honey cornbread muffins with butter
Total time: 19 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup honey, divided
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons cream of tartar
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining with muffin liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, 1 stick of melted butter, eggs, and ¼ cup of honey. Mix to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Whisk to combine.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then, mix to combine.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup honey and 1 stick of softened butter to prepare the honey butter you'll enjoy on your cornbread muffins.
  7. Stir to combine. Serve muffins with homemade honey butter.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 342
Total Fat 16.9 g
Saturated Fat 10.3 g
Trans Fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 69.2 mg
Total Carbohydrates 45.4 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Total Sugars 27.0 g
Sodium 172.6 mg
Protein 3.8 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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