These cornbread muffins have a perfect balance of moistness, richness, and corn flavor thanks to sour cream, a touch of sugar, and spice. The hot honey butter smeared across the top makes these a perfect side dish for any meal. The small batch of 6 ensures the perfect portion, though doubling is never a bad idea.
I’ve been making these small-batch cornbread muffins for years, and nothing brings me more delight than seeing a baby smash it in their mouth every which way. Or adults glean in amazement as they pull it apart on their plate, spread with a dab of hot honey butter, and slowly savor it. I don’t know if the world needs another cornbread muffin recipe (there are 40M recipes on google and counting), though this one always lands on my holiday table. And for a good reason.
These cornbread muffins are, dare I say, perfect. Small batch or not. Perfect in a way that they have a perfect balance of craggy cornmeal, moistness, and richness. The touch of sugar balances the tang from the sour cream, and the addition of Aleppo Pepper has a fruity, earthy undertone that enhances all the flavors. The use of muffins versus a classic cast-iron skillet makes these portable and easy for serving. Hence, perfect for babies’ hands and mouths.
There is no proper way to eat these cornbread muffins, though the hot honey butter smeared across the top is a great way to start. The apple cider vinegar provides a much-needed tang to the honey-butter mixture, while a hint of red pepper flakes are present in every bite. Of course, you can always add the red pepper flakes to taste (or not at all), though I’ve witnessed even the most discerning, spice-adverse folks smear it on their cornbread with delight.
Possible Substitutions
ALEPPO PEPPER. A decreased amount of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika (affiliate link) are excellent substitutes.
SOUR CREAM. Full-fat greek yogurt works great!
BUTTERMILK. Easily substitute buttermilk with a combination of vinegar and milk.
FAQ’s about Cornbread Muffins with Honey Butter
Too much cornmeal or not enough moisture, in this case from the sour cream or buttermilk, causes the cornbread to crumble. The best way to prevent this is to use a scale when measuring.
The egg not only helps create a soft crumb texture, but also helps the cornbread muffin stay together.
While these cornbread muffins are best eaten the same day, they can be tightly wrapped, refrigerated, and toasted in a 350°F oven the next day.
You really can’t go wrong with serving these cornbread muffins with hot honey butter with chili, on a thanksgiving spread, or with barbecue in the summer.
More Recipes using Buttermilk to Try
PrintSmall Batch Cornbread Muffins with Honey Butter
These cornbread muffins have a perfect balance of moistness, richness, and corn flavor thanks to sour cream, a touch of sugar, and spice. The hot honey butter smeared across the top makes these a perfect side dish for any meal. The small batch of 6 ensures the perfect portion, though doubling is never a bad idea.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 muffins 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the cornbread muffins:
- 2/3 cup (83 grams) all-purpose flour*
- 2/3 cup (97 grams) medium-grind yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) granulated sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup (160g) sour cream
- 3.5 tablespoons buttermilk*
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
For the whipped hot honey butter:
- 1/3 cup (76g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- a few pinches of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven.Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter 6 wells in a muffin tin or use muffin liners.
- Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, Aleppo pepper, and kosher salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir the mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until evenly combined. The batter will be thick.
- Bake the cornbread muffins. Evenly distribute the batter among the 6 prepared muffin wells, about 1/4 cup of batter per well. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean with a few crumbs, about 13 minutes. Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding.
- Make the brown butter. Meanwhile, make the hot honey butter. Heat a 3-quart pan over medium heat, and add half the butter. Cook, stirring continuously, until the butter foams, stops sizzling, and turns a dark amber brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Whip the hot honey butter. Add the other half of the butter, red pepper flakes, salt, vinegar, honey, and room temperature browned butter to a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the butter mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Adjust salt and honey to taste. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Serve. Eat the cornbread muffins with hot honey butter, honey, butter, or plain.
Notes
The addition of Aleppo Pepper was inspired by Marcus Samuelsson’s Cornbread at the Red Rooster Harlem.
FLOUR. If you opt to measure by volume instead of weight, whisk the flour first to aerate it, then spoon into a measuring cup, and then level it off with the back of a knife.
BUTTERMILK. Substitute 3.25 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar for buttermilk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 196 calories
- Sugar: 2.7g
- Sodium: 191mg
- Fat: 8.9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 25.3g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 4.7g
- Cholesterol: 48mg
Keywords: cornbread muffins recipe, honey cornbread muffins
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