Moist Honey Cornbread Muffins Recipe

Those who grew up eating cornbread often sit on one of two sides of a dividing fence. On one side is team sweet. On the other side is team savory. And while this recipe resides firmly on the sweet side, we have a feeling it may very well appeal to fans of the savory variety as well.

These moist honey cornbread muffins are the brainchild of recipe developer and private practice registered dietitian Kristen Carli of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness. Carli regularly bakes them up as a treat to enjoy alongside chili or to eat in the morning, slathered with delicious homemade honey butter. Their individual size makes them so easy to portion and serve, or grab for a on-the-go treat whether you're running errands or going on a hike. You'll also be happy to hear that leftovers will be welcome tucked into lunch boxes or bags the next day.

The honey butter topping could not be easier to prepare, and it's the perfect finishing touch for these muffins. "Honey butter is so delicious on these cornbread muffins that there will likely not be any leftovers," says Carli. "But if you have any leftovers, it is also delicious on waffles or pancakes!" Yum!

To make these moist honey cornbread muffins, you will need the usual suspects for a quick bread of this kind: milk, melted butter, honey, and eggs are the required wet ingredients, while cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt are the required dry ingredients. Combine them, and you have yourself a delicious batter ready to portion and bake.

Some of the honey and butter (this time softened, not melted) are reserved to make the heavenly honey butter topping. Spread it on these muffins hot out of the oven, and they'll be even more irresistible.

To make these moist honey cornbread muffins, first preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, which will make the muffins easier to remove and serve once they're baked.

Set the tray aside, and while the oven heats, make the batter. To do so, simply mix the milk, 1 stick of melted butter, the eggs, and ¼ cup of the honey in a stand mixer until well combined.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar, whisking to combine and breaking up any lumps. The cream of tartar works with the baking soda to leaven these muffins quickly, giving them a delightfully light texture.

When the oven is heated, it's time to combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Do this at the last minute, as the baking soda and cream of tartar will begin to work their magic quickly, and from there, you want to get them into the oven as fast as you're able to.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, taking care not to over-mix the batter, as this could cause gluten strands to develop, making the final muffins tough. When just combined, portion the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the muffins bake, you have just enough time to stir together the honey butter. To do so, simply combine the remaining ½ cup honey and stick of softened butter in a bowl, stirring until fully incorporated. Serve the muffins with the honey butter, and enjoy!