Honey Cornbread Recipe (Moist & Ready in 30 Minutes)

Name: Sweet Honey Cornbread Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 egg; 1 cup milk; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1/4 cup honey

This Honey Cornbread Recipe is one of my family’s most requested sides. Honey and sugar give it the perfect amount of sweetness while keeping it moist and tender. My kids can easily finish a whole pan, and it is ready in about 30 minutes.

Honey cornbread cut into squares stacked on plate topped with butter and syrup.

This honey cornbread comes together with pantry staples you likely already have, for about $2 a pan — that’s roughly 22 cents a slice. It’s one of the easiest ways to make a homemade side feel special without adding to your grocery bill.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Carrie, the owner, with long dark hair, wearing earrings and a purple top, smiles at the camera in front of a textured, beige background.

Ready in 30 minutes. Stir, pour, and bake. No mixer and no rise time.
Moist, not crumbly. Honey and oil keep every slice soft and tender.
Sweet like the boxed honey mixes. Kids love it.
Budget Friendly. It costs about $0.22 per slice.
Easy to bake. Use a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or muffin tin.

I love making this cornbread because it’s just as easy to mix up on a busy Tuesday as it is for a Sunday dinner. It comes out moist and tender every time, with golden, slightly crisp edges — no dry, crumbly cornbread here.

Ingredients

Flour – Gives the cornbread a soft, tender crumb instead of a gritty one.
Yellow Cornmeal – Fine or medium grind gives the smoothest texture. Coarse works but is grittier, and white cornmeal works too. Use plain cornmeal, not self-rising cornmeal mix, since this recipe already has baking powder and salt.
Sugar and honey – You need both. Sugar adds most of the sweetness, and honey adds flavor and keeps the cornbread moist. Any honey works. The plain honey in the baking aisle is just as good as a pricey local jar.
Salt – Balances the sweetness.
Baking powder – Helps the cornbread rise. Check the date on the can. Old baking powder is the main reason cornbread bakes up flat.
Egg – Adds structure and helps bind the batter.
Milk – Adds moisture to the batter. Whole or 2% both work.
Vegetable Oil – Keeps the cornbread moist and tender.

Pan Options

9×9 baking dish (as written): Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees for tall, tender squares.
8×8 pan: The batter will be a little deeper, so add about 3-5 extra minutes of bake time and start checking with a toothpick at the 23-minute mark.
Cast-iron skillet: Add 1 tablespoon of oil or butter to a 9-inch skillet and place it in the oven while it preheats. Once the oven is hot, carefully pour in the batter (it should sizzle) and bake 18-22. You’ll get crisp, golden edges you can’t get from a glass pan.
Muffin tin: Fill 12 greased or lined cups about two-thirds full and bake 13-15 minutes. Mini muffins need about 9-11 minutes.
9×13 pan (for a double batch): A sing batch is too thin and a double batch is too deep. Make 1 ½ times the recipe (use 2 eggs) and bake about 25-30 minutes, until the center springs back.

How to make Honey Cornbread from scratch.

Step 1 – Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a square baking pan (9×9) with non stick spray.

Dry ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.

Egg, milk, oil and honey added to the dry ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 3 – Then, in a separate bowl, whisk your egg, milk, oil, and honey until the honey is fully blended in. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick but pourable with a few small lumps, and that’s exactly right.

Step 3 – Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Step 4 – Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 5 – Allow the cornbread to cool slightly before slicing. Serve with butter and enjoy.

Cornbread cut into squares on a plate topped with butter and syrup.

Tips for Success

Spoon and level your flour and cornmeal. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra, and that is the most common reason cornbread turns out dry.
Stop stirring as soon as the dry flour disappears. Overmixed batter bakes up tough.
Start checking at 20 minutes. Every oven runs a little differently, and a couple of extra minutes is the difference between moist and dry.
Spray your measuring cup before measuring the honey. A quick coat of nonstick spray and the honey slides right out.

Variation and Substitutions

There are lots of different types of cornbread, they can be sweet almost cake like or you can add in jalapenos, cheese and other fun ingredients. The options are endless!

If you want to make your cornbread cheesy, try adding in some cheddar cheese! My cheese loving kids love when I make a batch with cheese in it!
Do you want a little kick to your cornbread, try adding some jalapeno’s to the cornbread mix. My family loves it when I combine the cheese and jalapeno in the cornbread mix. It is the perfect combination!
The cornbread muffins is great to make too! They are easy to grab and they are the perfect size that you will be going back for more!
Swap in ⅓ cup melted butter for a richer flavor.
Buttermilk works great in place of regular milk if you want a slightly tangier, more tender crumb.
Fine or medium-grind yellow cornmeal gives the smoothest texture. Coarse cornmeal will work, but the cornbread will be a bit grittier. White cornmeal works too.
Any honey works here. The plain clover honey in the baking aisle is just as good as a fancy local jar.

Honey being drizzled over cornbread on a plate.

How to Store Leftover Cornbread

Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it (see freezing instructions below).
Have leftover cornbread? Crumble it up and use it in my Cornbread Salad — it’s one of my favorite ways to use up extra slices.
Wrap the pieces in foil and warm in a 350 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes, or microwave a single piece for 10-15 seconds.

Can I Freeze Cornbread?

Yes! Let it cool completely, then wrap individual pieces in foil or plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, let it thaw completely at room temperature, then warm it in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

Make a double batch on a weekend and freeze half — future you will be glad to have homemade cornbread ready to go on a night when soup or chili is already on the stove.

Cornbread cut into squares topped with butter on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this recipe have both sugar and honey?

Yes. Sugar adds sweetness, while honey adds moisture and extra flavor.

Is this cornbread very sweet?

No. It is sweet, but not cake-like. For less sweetness, reduce the sugar to ¼ cup.

Can I use self-rising cornmeal?

Not as written. Self-rising cornmeal already contains leavening and salt, so the cornbread can rise unevenly and taste salty. Use plain cornmeal.

Can I make honey cornbread ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it up to 3 days ahead and store it covered at room temperature.

What to Serve with Honey Cornbread?

Here are some of my favorite dinner recipes to serve this delicious honey cornbread recipe along with. Adding Sweet Honey Cornbread to chili or a big pot of beans is my absolute favorite!