Honey Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins
Tender, golden cornbread muffins with crisp edges, a moist crumb, and a gentle honey sweetness. Mixed with just two bowls and a whisk, they come together in about 55 minutes and are perfect alongside chili, soup, or barbecue.
- Prep
- 17 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 18 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- 12 standard muffins
Steps
Before you start
- Take the buttermilk and eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly and don't re-solidify the melted butter.
- Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 400°F (200°C) before you start mixing; the oven needs about 15 minutes, which you'll use for mixing.
- Use medium-grind yellow cornmeal for the best texture; stone-ground gives a more rustic crumb.
- Total time is about 55 minutes: 17 minutes hands-on, 20 minutes baking, and 18 minutes of cooling and resting.
Preheat and prep panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well with butter or nonstick spray.
- The oven will finish preheating while you mix the batter.
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Ready when: Pan is lined or greased and the oven signals it has reached 400°F (200°C)
Tip: Don't skip full preheating; a hot oven gives domed tops.
Melt the butter
- Melt the 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter in a small saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts.
- Set aside to cool for about 3 minutes while you whisk the dry ingredients; it should cool for about 5 minutes total.
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Ready when: Butter is fully liquid and warm, not hot, to the touch
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar for 30 seconds until evenly combined with no clumps of leavening.
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Ready when: Mixture looks uniform in color with no white or tan streaks
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, honey, and eggs until the honey dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Slowly whisk in the cooled melted butter in a steady stream.
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Ready when: No streaks of honey or egg remain, and no butter clumps form
Tip: If small butter clumps appear, your buttermilk was too cold; whisk briskly and they will smooth out.
Combine the batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains, about 15 strokes.
- The batter will be thick but pourable and slightly lumpy.
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Ready when: No dry pockets of flour; a few small lumps are fine
Tip: Overmixing makes tough, peaked muffins. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Rest the batter
- Let the batter sit in the bowl for 5 minutes.
- This lets the cornmeal absorb liquid, softening the grit and giving a more tender crumb.
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Ready when: Batter has thickened slightly and looks less loose
Fill the muffin cups
- Divide the batter among the 12 cups using a level ¼-cup (60 ml) scoop, so each cup is about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are evenly filled, about ¾ full
Tip: Use a second spoon or your finger to push batter off the scoop cleanly.
Bake the muffinsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan front to back after 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly.
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Ready when: A toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, and edges are deep golden
Tip: Check at 18 minutes; cornbread dries out quickly if overbaked.
Brush and cool
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- If using, brush the warm tops with the warmed honey.
- Let muffins rest in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool at least 5 more minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Muffins lift out of the pan without tearing and feel firm on the sides
Tip: Don't leave them in the hot pan longer than 5 minutes or the bottoms will steam and turn soggy.
Good to know
Tips
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or better, weigh it; packed flour makes dry muffins.
- For extra crisp edges, grease the pan cups with butter instead of using liners and preheat the greased pan for 3 minutes.
- Fold in ¾ cup (100 g) corn kernels, shredded cheddar, or 1 diced jalapeño for a savory variation without changing the baking time.
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking since many ovens have hot spots.
Make ahead
Whisk the dry ingredients together up to 1 week ahead and store airtight at room temperature. Bake the muffins fully up to 1 day ahead and reheat before serving. Do not hold mixed batter, as the leavening loses power.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature in an airtight container: up to 2 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, wrapped individually in plastic then placed in a freezer bag. Reheat from room temperature at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes, from frozen for 12 to 15 minutes, or microwave a single muffin wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20 to 30 seconds.
Substitutions
- buttermilk → Whole milk plus lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir 1 tablespoon (15 ml) acid into 1 cup (240 ml) minus 1 tablespoon milk and rest 10 minutes. Plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with milk also works.
- honey → Maple syrup. Use the same amount; flavor is slightly more mellow and browning is similar.
- unsalted butter → Neutral oil such as canola. Use ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 ml); muffins will be moist but less buttery in flavor.
- all-purpose flour → 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Texture is a bit more crumbly; rest the batter the full 5 minutes.
