Brown Butter Honey Cornbread with Smoked Jalapeño

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-15 · Updated 2026-06-15

Moist cornbread infused with nutty brown butter, sweet honey, and a smoky kick from jalapeños for a comforting Southern side. This Southern-inspired recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, combines yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar into a breakfast that fuels the morning without the midday crash — make-ahead-friendly and balanced enough to anchor the first meal of the day. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 8, so it sits comfortably in a weekly breakfast rotation alongside fruit, yogurt, or coffee. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small, finely chopped smoked jalapeño

The cast-iron skillet we’d sear this in → Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt.
2. Step 2: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter and cook until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tbsp honey.
3. Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs with 1 cup whole milk and the brown butter-honey mixture until combined. Stir in the finely chopped smoked jalapeño.
4. Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.