I dug up an old family note and turned it into a Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe featuring a little-known Southern twist.

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I fell in love with what I call my Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe, but I still get surprised every time. Using mashed sweet potato gives it a softness I didn’t expect, and honey sneaks in like a caramel whisper on the tongue.

I honestly can’t decide if I should serve it with coffee or after dinner, and that question keeps people talking. There’s a little Gourmet Cornbread vibe but without the fuss, like a small, delicious contradiction.

I keep wanting to tell you the secret, yet I know you’ll taste it and figure it out on your own.

Ingredients

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Sweet potato: Adds moist natural sweetness, fiber and vitamin A, helps color and soft texture.
Cornmeal: Gives gritty corn flavor, lots of carbs and some fiber, creates rustic crumb.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure and gluten, mostly carbohydrates, keeps cornbread from falling apart.
Unsalted butter: Adds rich fat, tenderness and flavor, helps brown crust and carry honey notes.
Honey: Sweetens with floral sugars, adds moisture and shine, mild antioxidants included.
Buttermilk: Gives tangy acidity, reacts with leaveners for lift, makes crumb tender.
Eggs: Bind ingredients, add protein and structure, help browning and gentle lift.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium cooked and cooled)

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup unsalted butter melted

1/4 cup honey, plus extra for serving

1 tsp vanilla extract optional

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for honey butter)

3 tbsp honey (for honey butter)

Pinch flaky salt (for honey butter)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet or an 8×8 baking pan with a little butter, or heat the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes then add the butter so it sizzles — sorry, wait, do not use that character. Use a hot skillet for a crispier edge if you got one.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt until evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs, then whisk in 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla if using. Stir in 1 cup mashed sweet potato until combined; it’s ok if a few small lumps remain.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined — don’t overmix or the cornbread will get tough. The batter should be fairly thick.

5. Scrape the batter into your prepared pan or hot skillet and smooth the top. Tip: if using cast iron, the edges will get gloriously crisp. Tap the pan once to settle the batter.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 22 to 28 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven has hot spots.

7. While it bakes make the honey butter: beat 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 3 tablespoons honey and a pinch of flaky salt until light and fluffy. If it seems too soft chill for a few minutes to firm up.

8. Remove cornbread and let cool in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and slice. Brush warm pieces with a little extra honey if you want extra shine and sweetness.

9. Serve warm with generous dollops of the honey butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Store leftovers wrapped at room temp for 1 to 2 days or in the fridge up to a week; reheat slices in the oven or toaster for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375°F)
2. 9 inch cast iron skillet or 8×8 baking pan
3. Two mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Whisk
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping (a wooden spoon works too)
7. Hand mixer or sturdy whisk for beating the honey butter
8. Pastry brush or spoon for brushing extra honey, plus a toothpick to test doneness
9. Oven mitts and a sharp knife for slicing, plus a cooling rack if you got one

FAQ

Q: Can I use canned sweet potato or leftover mashed sweet potato? A: Yes, canned or leftover works fine, just drain any extra liquid and measure 1 cup. If the mash seems watery reduce the buttermilk by 1 to 3 tablespoons so the batter isn't too runny.

Q: How do I get a crispy edge and moist center? A: Preheat the oven and your pan, cast iron is best for crisp edges. Bake at 375°F for about 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges pull away a bit. Let rest 10 minutes so the center firms up.

Q: My batter is too thick or too thin, what do I do? A: If too thick add 1 tablespoon buttermilk at a time, up to 3 tbsp. If too thin, fold in 1 tablespoon cornmeal or flour at a time until it holds some shape. Don't overmix, it'll get tough.

Q: Can I make this gluten free? A: Yes, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Texture will be slightly different but still tasty.

Q: How should I store, reheat and can I freeze it? A: Store wrapped at room temp for 1 to 2 days, refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or microwave 20 to 30 seconds. Freeze wrapped slices up to 2 months, thaw overnight in fridge then warm.

Q: Can I make it as muffins or a sheet pan instead? A: Yes. For muffins, fill cups 3/4 full and bake 12 to 15 minutes at 375°F. For a 9×13 sheet, bake 20 to 25 minutes but check often. Adjust time for pan size and oven quirks.

Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Mashed sweet potato: swap with canned pumpkin puree or mashed butternut squash, same amount (1 cup). They’re just as moist and sweet, though with pumpkin you might want a tiny pinch extra sugar for flavor.
Yellow cornmeal: use polenta or coarse ground cornmeal 1 to 1. Masa harina works too but it tastes more like tortillas and tends to soak up liquid so you may need a splash more buttermilk.
All-purpose flour: use whole wheat pastry flour 1 to 1 for a nuttier, lighter loaf, or a gluten free 1-to-1 baking blend same amount. If you only have regular whole wheat, use half whole wheat half AP or expect a denser crumb.
Granulated sugar: swap with light brown sugar 1 to 1 for a deeper, caramel note, or use maple syrup instead (about 1/4 cup for 1/3 cup sugar), reduce buttermilk by ~1 tablespoon and lower oven temp by 25 degrees F when using a liquid sweetener.

Pro Tips

1) Use a screaming hot cast iron skillet if you want those crisp brown edges. Put the pan in the oven while it preheats, then add the butter so it melts and sizzles right before you pour in the batter. Watch it carefully though, butter can burn fast.

2) Pay attention to sweet potato moisture. Mash well and measure after it cools, if the batter looks too loose add a tablespoon or two of cornmeal or flour, if it’s too stiff add a splash more buttermilk. Letting the batter sit 8 to 10 minutes helps the cornmeal absorb moisture and gives a better texture.

3) Fold gently and stop when you still see a few streaks or tiny lumps. Overmixing makes the cornbread tough, and the cornmeal should stay a bit gritty for good mouthfeel. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots so it browns evenly.

4) Make the honey butter a little ahead and chill it if it’s too soft, then let it soften briefly before serving so it spreads nice. Reheat leftovers in the oven or toaster to restore that crisp edge, and brush warm slices with extra honey plus a pinch of flaky salt for contrast.

Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I dug up an old family note and turned it into a Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe featuring a little-known Southern twist.

Servings

servings

Calories

399

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F)
2. 9 inch cast iron skillet or 8×8 baking pan
3. Two mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Whisk
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping (a wooden spoon works too)
7. Hand mixer or sturdy whisk for beating the honey butter
8. Pastry brush or spoon for brushing extra honey, plus a toothpick to test doneness
9. Oven mitts and a sharp knife for slicing, plus a cooling rack if you got one

Ingredients

1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium cooked and cooled)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup honey, plus extra for serving
1 tsp vanilla extract optional
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for honey butter)
3 tbsp honey (for honey butter)
Pinch flaky salt (for honey butter)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet or an 8×8 baking pan with a little butter, or heat the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes then add the butter so it sizzles — sorry, wait, do not use that character. Use a hot skillet for a crispier edge if you got one.
In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt until evenly mixed.
In another bowl beat 2 large eggs, then whisk in 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla if using. Stir in 1 cup mashed sweet potato until combined; it's ok if a few small lumps remain.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined — don't overmix or the cornbread will get tough. The batter should be fairly thick.
Scrape the batter into your prepared pan or hot skillet and smooth the top. Tip: if using cast iron, the edges will get gloriously crisp. Tap the pan once to settle the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 22 to 28 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven has hot spots.
While it bakes make the honey butter: beat 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 3 tablespoons honey and a pinch of flaky salt until light and fluffy. If it seems too soft chill for a few minutes to firm up.
Remove cornbread and let cool in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and slice. Brush warm pieces with a little extra honey if you want extra shine and sweetness.
Serve warm with generous dollops of the honey butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Store leftovers wrapped at room temp for 1 to 2 days or in the fridge up to a week; reheat slices in the oven or toaster for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.