Sweet & Spicy Honey Cornbread
Some recipes you make once and forget. This Sweet & Spicy Honey Cornbread? Believe it or not, my Cuban family asks for it on repeat, especially when I make my turkey chorizo chili.
This spicy-sweet cornbread has become the side dish in my house, and honestly, I get it. Soft, moist, honey-sweet with a kick of cayenne and pepper jack cheese melted right into the batter. No jalapeños, no chiles. Just the good stuff.
A Cuban girl who didn’t grow up with cornbread now can’t imagine living without it!
Most sweet and spicy cornbread recipes reach for jalapeños. I went a different route. Cayenne pepper gives you a heat that’s subtle enough to get your attention. And, paired with honey in the batter and drizzled on top right before serving, you get that perfect sweet-heat balance in every single slice.
The pepper jack cheese is the other secret ingredient for this recipe. It melts into the batter and gives the cornbread a savory, gooey backbone that makes it feel indulgent without being heavy. It’s the kind of side dish that disappears before the bowl is empty.
I still remember someone bringing a store-bought cornbread to a family gathering. Sure, it was moist and fluffy but guess what? My sweet-spicy cornbread blew everyone away. Not to toot my own horn, but toot toot. Ha!
Can’t wait for you guys to make this recipe!
Sweet & Spicy Honey Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (8 tablespoons plus more for the cast iron)
- 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1 1/4 cup ground cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
- Cayenne powder for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 10” cast iron pan with melted butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add 8 tablespoons melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and honey. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Into the same bowl, add cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Fold in 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese. The cornbread batter will be like a thick pancake batter.
- Transfer the cornbread batter into the cast iron pan. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Serve with a drizzle of honey and cayenne pepper. Enjoy!
