Whisks & Giggles

Honey Butter Cornbread Makes the Best Ever Corn Muffins!

By Jen Gadus | Published December 30, 2024 Easy
Skill Level
45M
Total Time
9
Servings
Honey Butter Corn Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe

Cornbread has been a beloved American side dish for generations, thanks to its versatility and comforting flavors. Whether served with chili, barbecued meats, or as part of a holiday spread, its slight sweetness and crumbly texture provide the perfect contrast to almost any dish.

A Brief History of Corn Muffins

Corn muffins trace their roots to Native American cooking, where ground corn—or maize—was a staple. Early US settlers then adopted cornmeal as a key ingredient, blending it with European baking techniques to create cornbread. The muffin variation emerged in the 19th century with the invention of baking soda and baking powder, leading to the light, fluffy texture we know today. Cornmeal-based breads then became a Southern staple, served alongside hearty meals.

Why We Use Flour in Our Honey Butter Corn Muffins

Ask any true southerner and they’ll tell you straight-up that cornbread does not use flour! (yes, it can be that passionate of a subject!). Traditional Southern cornbread has a more crumbly and dense texture that’s perfect for soaking up rich dishes like stews.

However, our corn muffins take a different approach by incorporating a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose flour-to-cornmeal. The addition of flour creates a softer, more cake-like texture that holds the muffin together a bit better, while still allowing the cornmeal’s signature flavor to shine. This balance of structure and tenderness helps these muffins serve as a stand-alone side dish or snack, appealing to a wide range of pairings.

Pairing Corn Muffins with Your Favorite Meals

Corn muffins are an awesome side dish for a variety of meals! Pair them with hearty chili, a smoky barbecue spread, or even a fresh salad to balance out bold flavors. Their slight sweetness also makes them a wonderful breakfast option—just add a little more honey butter, and you’ve got a quick morning treat.

What Internal Temperature to Cook Corn Muffins?

Remove the corn muffins from the over once their internal temperature is between 195°–200° F (90°–93° C). Cooking by internal temperature is the only way to ensure consistent, precise, moist, and delicious muffins (& cornbread!) every single time.

Additional Corn Muffin Tips for Success:

What makes these corn muffins so irresistible is their moist, fluffy texture. The combination of melted butter and honey locks in moisture while adding a subtle sweetness that complements the cornmeal.

Variations on Honey Butter Corn Muffins

You don’t have to use honey butter in your corn muffins for them to be delicious! You don’t even have to make muffins; here are some alterations you can make to our recipe:

How to Make Corn Muffins Gluten‑Free

Since we already call for gluten-free cornmeal in our recipe, the easiest option is to make traditional southern corn muffins by completely omitting flour. But, if you’d like to keep the ability for the muffins to retain their shape a bit better, use a gluten-free 1:1 flour. We find Bob’s Red Mill, 1 to 1 Baking Flour gives gluten-free baked goods a bit better texture, but King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour is also a fantastic option.

Also, be sure your other ingredients do not have any gluten-based fillers or thickening agents, like “modified wheat starch” or “modified food starch.” Your best bet is to always look for the “certified gluten-free” label.

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What Can I Do with Old/Stale Corn Muffins?

Freshly baked muffins are always best but leftovers can be gently reheated in the oven at 350° F/180° C (you can use a microwave but the bread may get gummy).

However, there is an old southern trick for turning dried out/stale cornbread into a stand-alone snack: soak it in a glass of milk (or buttermilk, if you want to be a true southerner). Then scoop it out with a spoon like you’re eating cereal—I promise you, this is a real thing!

Honey Butter: The Game-Changer

Honey butter elevates corn muffins & bread by adding a rich, sweet, and creamy element that complements the subtle natural sweetness of corn. Combining softened butter and honey creates a condiment that enhances each bite, making the muffins even more indulgent and satisfying. We then take this even further by incorporating honey butter directly into the batter!

How to Make Honey Butter—Detailed Steps

Making honey butter is quick and simple, but the key is achieving the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess.

  1. Mise en place.
    Gather a bowl, whisk or fork, unsalted butter, honey, and kosher salt.
    Tip: we use unsalted butter so we control the flavor and level of seasoning in our final result.
  2. Soften the butter.
    Be sure your butter is softened, but not melted. Room temperature butter is perfect!
  3. Add honey to the butter.
    Using a fork or a whisk, whip the butter until it’s light and fluffy while gradually adding in high-quality honey.
  4. Season.
    Once you’ve added a decent amount of honey, add a pinch of kosher salt and whip to thoroughly combine.
  5. Fine-tune to your liking.
    Taste as you whip, and adjust sweetness (honey) and seasoning (salt) to your liking.
  6. Store.
    Store your honey butter in a sealed container, in the fridge for up to a month or on the counter for up to 1 week. Enjoy!

The Final Bite

Cornbread has been beloved for generations—whether served with chili, barbecued meats, part of a holiday spread, or on its own as a comforting snack. For those looking to add a touch of tradition to their meals, cornbread is a staple that never disappoints.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Corn Muffin at Home

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Corn Muffin Ingredients

always measure by weight!
mix directly in your measuring cup.
our recipe makes 9 muffins.

Corn Muffin Directions

Mo’ Muffins!

This recipe is easily doubled if you need to serve a crowd or want to make a large loaf of cornbread.

Play with Texture

give your muffins a rustic texture by using a blend of medium and fine-ground cornmeal.

Adding Extras

Mix in extras like cheese or jalapeño after combining the wet and dry ingredients to ensure a smooth batter.
  1. Mise en place: gather equipment & prepared ingredients.
    Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C) and place cupcake liners into your cupcake pan.
  2. Combine the “dries”.
    Into your bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
    Note: be very careful if you’re measuring by weight as you add ingredients—it can be tricky or near impossible to remove if you accidentally add too much of one ingredient!
  3. Melt the butter (gently).
    Add the butter into your 1-cup measuring cup and microwave on 50% power for about 1 minute, or until butter is just melted.
    Note: keep an eye on this butter; if you microwave too long or too hot, it will “pop!” (if you know, you know...)
  4. Combine the “wets”.
    Into your 2-cup measuring cup, add the milk and eggs, using a whisk to thoroughly combine them. Then, slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking until fully incorporated.
    Note: slowly drizzling the melted butter will tempter the mixture, helping to avoid the dreaded broken emulsion/scrambled-egg scenario.
  5. Combine them all!
    Pur the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. You do not want to add air or create gluten by furiously whisking, you just want to get everything incorporated.
  6. Fill cupcake liners.
    Using your #20 scoop, divide the finished batter evenly across your 9 prepared cupcake liners.
  7. Bake.
    Bake for 20–25 minutes, until muffins reach an internal temperature between 195°–200° F (90°–93° C).
  8. Cool & enjoy!
    Allow to cool outside of the cupcake tin for 10–15 minutes before serving. Serve with additional honey butter for topping, if desired.
    Note: finished muffins can be stored in a container at room temp for appx. 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

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Corn Muffin FAQs

What is the best internal temperature for cornbread?

Cornbread should be cooked until its internal temperature is between 195°–200° F (90°–93° C).


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