Honey Butter Cornbread Muffins Recipe

Preheat oven and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange a 12-cup muffin tin or 10–12 standard muffin cups and lightly grease each cup with butter or nonstick spray, or line with paper liners.

If using frozen or very cold butter for brushing, melt the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter now and set aside. Also have extra honey ready for brushing the hot muffins.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, whole milk, large egg, melted butter (4 tablespoons), honey (3 tablespoons), and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. The batter should be thick but scoopable. If it seems very stiff, add up to 1 tablespoon more milk.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. For even muffins use an ice cream scoop or two spoons.

Bake in the preheated oven for 14–18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots. The muffins are done when the tops are golden, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the edges have slightly pulled away from the pan.

While the muffins are hot, combine the 2 tablespoons melted butter (set aside earlier) with an additional tablespoon of honey if you like extra gloss. Brush the tops of each muffin generously with the honey-butter mixture so it soaks in and forms a shiny, slightly sticky finish. Sprinkle a small pinch of coarse sea salt or flaky salt on top of each muffin to enhance the honey-sweet flavor.

If using chives, sprinkle chopped fresh chives on top after brushing for a subtle savory contrast. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.