Sweet Southern Cornbread Recipe  – Moist and Easy

A Southern classic gets a little sweeter thanks to honey — and maybe some honey butter, too.

Sweet Southern cornbread is a staple side dish that pairs perfectly with spicy traditional chili or white chicken chili, along with thousands of other dishes. You’ll often find cornbread of any variety as a side dish with meals loaded with other comfort food classics because it’s so versatile, flavorfully simple, and a staple in many regions and cultures.

In case you weren’t aware just how deeply regional tradition in the US dictates the flavor of this yellow bread, there are notable differences in the way people in the Northern and Southern parts of the country prepare and partake in cornbread. 

Southern cornbread is generally far less sweet than its Northern counterpart as well as crumbly and dry, making it a perfect neutral side for almost any dinner. Northern cornbread is often cakey and sweet, which falls into line with treating it like a dessert or a side dish.

Another notable difference is how they are prepared. Southern cornbread is often made in a cast iron skillet, whereas Northern cornbread is generally baked. 

Many people swear that cornbread prepared in a skillet is the best it can get, and I tend to agree — so this Southern-style prep is going to be key to this sweet version of the classic cornbread recipe.

The best way to make cornbread still comes down to personal preference, though. While some people will strongly argue in favor of one method or texture over another, the true test is going to come down to your palate. We’re not here to stomp on tradition or judge anyone — we’re here to help share the love!

I personally love a good mixture of both, and that’s precisely why I want to share my sweet Southern cornbread recipe with you. Why settle for one or the other when you can have the best of both worlds!

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread

This Southern comfort food recipe is sweet and delicious. It pairs well with just about anything! What to eat with cornbread is not a matter of running out of great ideas to enjoy alongside it, but rather coming up with excuses for more.

Feel free to use this line any time someone in your home questions your love for cornbread.

Our recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt, which is considerably healthier than vegetable oil-based recipes without compromising flavor or moisture. Plus, if you buy a larger container, you can use it with other recipes, or even top it with honey and cinnamon (my personal favorite) for a dessert.

This recipe is also quick and easy. I love nothing more than getting food on the table ASAP while keeping that homey feel. Cornbread is a surefire win!

Our Best Tips for Perfect Cornbread 

Follow this advice for the best results! We promise they’ll make a huge difference.

1. Butter the pan. A buttered pan makes for a memorable dish that has the perfect amount of silky crispness. Don’t skip this step!
2. Stop cooking at the right time. I know, I know — that’s obvious, right? Isn’t that true for EVERY recipe? Well yes, of course, but how will you know when it’s true for cornbread? Look for edges that are golden brown and a center that resists when gently pressed with a fingertip. When you think it’s ready, test the center with a skewer or toothpick. It’s done when there’s a few clinging crumbs left behind. This brings us to our next suggestion:
3. Cover with foil if necessary. If you find that your bread is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of cook time.
4. Don’t overmix. We suggest using a whisk for smaller batches and saving the hand mixer for larger ones.
5. Stick with yellow cornmeal. Yellow cornmeal has more texture and that signature bright color that makes the dish pop.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal, finely ground
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, unmelted and separate
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
• Dash of vanilla extract

Note that you will use a whole stick of butter for this delicious cornbread, with 7 tablespoons melted and 1 tablespoon separate and unmelted. You can adjust the honey in this perfect side dish to get the right amount of sweetness for your palate.

(Or consider swapping or adding granulated sugar or brown sugar, as detailed below.)

Instructions:

Follow these simple steps to enjoy our easy cornbread recipe today:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. When your oven reaches this temperature, place the 1 Tbsp unmelted butter into skillet and place skillet in the oven.
2. Melt remaining 7 Tbsp of unsalted butter and set aside in a medium bowl.
3. Add all dry ingredients in large bowl and stir until combined. Make a small well in the center.
4. Pour the honey, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract into well. Whisk until smooth and combined.
5. Pour melted butter and Greek yogurt into the bowl and mix until combined.
6. Carefully remove hot skillet from the preheated oven and quickly add the batter to the skillet, spreading evenly.
7. Place skillet back into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until done.

Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container for 2-4 days in the fridge. Be sure to let your warm cornbread cool to room temperature before putting it away — but it’s best not to let it sit out for more than a couple hours unless it’s sealed in plastic wrap.

Tips for Topping Your Cornbread

Looking to add more flavor, texture, or variety to your Southern Sweet Cornbread?

Make your own honey butter for a perfect addition! It’s our favorite way to enhance this already great recipe.

    Honey Butter Recipe:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Blend all ingredients until smooth and combined and top off your hot fluffy cornbread with a perfectly sweet honey butter!

Looking for contrast? Drizzle with hot honey or top with diced sweet jalapeños. 

Hoping to serve your cornbread for a light dessert? Sprinkle with powdered sugar for that touch of added sweetness that won’t take away from the cornbread roots.

You can also lightly brush your finished cornbread with honey while it is still warm. Yum!

How to Modify This Recipe

Gluten-free cornbread is easy to make and enjoy! You can replace the flour in this recipe with gluten-free 1:1 or measure for measure flour to keep it simple.

If you’re low on honey, trying to save money, or have to modify for an allergy, replace the honey this recipe calls for with 2/3 cup sugar. (We recommend granulated sugar.) You can also replace some of the granulated sugar with a little bit of brown sugar for more moisture.

Additionally, you can reduce the amount of honey or sugar if you find that this cornbread recipe is too sweet for you. (But isn’t that kind of the point?)

If you need to, or simply choose to, you can replace the buttermilk with whole milk or almond milk. Buttermilk gives it a tangy kick that is from the true South, but there’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to making this recipe. While it won’t be as tender and moist, it will still be flavorful and delicious if you substitute the buttermilk.

Want a quick and easy way to serve this recipe to guests or save it for later? Bake it in a buttered muffin tin at 375 degrees F. This makes a perfect breakfast on the go, a snack for later, and is also a serving solution for parties or family dinners, like your Southern-inspired Thanksgiving spread or summer patio party. 

Don’t have a skillet? No problem. You can prepare this recipe using an 8×8 buttered baking dish. Again, bake at 375°F until done — this will take approximately 30-40 minutes on average.

Next time you make this easy recipe for the Southern sweet side, be sure to rate and review this recipe so we know how it turned out!