Cornmeal Honey Biscuits

Name: Cornmeal Honey Biscuits
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour; ¾ cup (100 g) yellow cornmeal; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (3 g) salt; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes; ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk, cold; 4 tbsp (60 ml) honey, at room temperature (3 tbsp for dough, 1 tbsp for brushing); 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

These tender, lightly sweet biscuits combine the earthy flavor of cornmeal with the delicate floral sweetness of honey. Using the classic biscuit method, cold butter is cut into a dry mixture of flour and cornmeal, then combined with a honey-sweetened buttermilk mixture. The result is a golden, flaky biscuit with a tender crumb and subtle corn flavor—perfect for breakfast with butter and jam, or served alongside soup, stew, or chili.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 38 min
Makes: 10 biscuits

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Use cold butter straight from the fridge; measure and cut it just before mixing
Have buttermilk at room temperature
Gather all ingredients and equipment before you begin

1
Preheat oven and prepare sheetOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C, 204°C).
- Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (100 g) yellow cornmeal, 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder, and ½ tsp (3 g) salt until evenly combined.
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Ready when: dry ingredients evenly combined
3
Cut in cold butter
- Add 4 tbsp (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes, to the dry mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- This should take 3–4 minutes.
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Ready when: mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with visible pea-sized butter pieces
Tip: Keep the butter cold and work quickly to prevent warm, dense biscuits.
4
Combine wet ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (60 ml) cold buttermilk and 3 tbsp (45 ml) honey until combined.
- If using vanilla extract, stir in 1 tsp (5 ml).
5
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined.
- The dough should be slightly shaggy and just hold together.
- Stop as soon as no dry flour remains—do not overmix.
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Ready when: dough is just combined with no visible dry flour
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough biscuits. Mix only until barely combined.
6
Shape and cut biscuits
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Gently pat or roll the dough to about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick.
- Using a 2-inch (5 cm) round biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and place them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Gather the scraps gently, press them together, and recut to use all the dough.
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Tip: Cut straight down with the cutter and lift away; don't twist. Twisting seals the edges and prevents proper rising.
7
Brush with honey and bakeOven 400°F / 205°C
- Lightly brush the top of each biscuit with the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 12–15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Ready when: tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Tip: Watch carefully after 12 minutes; oven temperatures vary, and biscuits can brown quickly.
8
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Good to know

Tips

Keep all ingredients and equipment as cold as possible, especially the butter, for the flakiest, most tender biscuits.
Handle the dough gently and minimally; overworking develops gluten and results in tough, dense biscuits.
For extra-tall biscuits, stack two dough rounds before cutting and bake as double-height biscuits.
Brush the biscuits with honey just before baking for a glossy, golden finish and subtle sweetness.

Make ahead

Shaped biscuits can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking. Add 2–3 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days. Refrigerator up to 5 days. Freezer up to 2 months (freeze baked biscuits in an airtight container). To reheat, warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes until warmed through.

Substitutions

buttermilk → Regular milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar; let sit 5 minutes before using. Or use Greek yogurt thinned with milk (1:1 ratio).. Maintains the tang and moisture of traditional buttermilk biscuits.
yellow cornmeal → Polenta (slightly coarser texture, more robust corn flavor) or white cornmeal (milder, sweeter corn flavor).. Use the same amount by weight for consistent results.
honey → Maple syrup (earthier) or molasses (deeper, slightly bitter) for a different flavor profile.. Use the same volume as honey; molasses may require slightly more as it's more intense.
vanilla extract → Omit entirely for a more traditional cornmeal biscuit, or use almond extract (¾ tsp) for a different aromatic note.. Vanilla is optional; omitting it does not affect the structure or yield.