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Sweet Cornbread {Whole Grain}

I’m betting this whole grain Sweet Cornbread made with honey will become a staple in your house, just as it is in ours.

Are you a bread person? I am. Actually, I’ll say I’m a carb person. Bread, muffins, granola… if it’s made with grains, I most likely crave it.

Since I try to eat healthfully, I make sure that the carbs I eat ar

e on the healthier side. To me that means homemade, whole grain, and free of (or low in) refined sugars.

I believe it’s ok to eat treats once in a while, so long as they’re homemade (not processed).  Rather than stopping at the bakery or drive thru every day, make a batch of homemade cookies, muffins, or mac and cheese once a week. When you make food at home, you know exactly what goes into it. And it limits the amount of junk you can eat because you have to invest the time to make it yourself. 😉

How does this Sweet Cornbread fit into all of this? Well, I’m guessing that like me, many of you crave bread with dinner. Especially this time of year when we eat a lot of soup recipes, chicken stew and chili recipes. On occasion, we’ll buy a loaf of bread from the grocery store, but it’s never as satisfying as homemade. When I have time, I like to make a batch of our favorite cloverleaf rolls or honey yeast rolls. But when I’m short on time (or chili is for dinner!), I make a quick batch of this whole grain sweet cornbread.

This method for making this cornbread is the same that you would use to make a simple batch of muffins. You mix up the wet and dry ingredients separately and then stir the two together. Mix the batter until it’s just combined, pour it in the pan, and bake!

Before you know it, you’ll have a square of this soft, moist Sweet Cornbread in front of you.

When my kids hear that we’re having cornbread with dinner, they get even more excited than I do. We like to serve this with a pat of softened butter. If you like, you can add a drizzle of honey on top. The cornbread itself is slightly sweet from the honey, and has a nice crust and texture thanks to the cornmeal. You can also make cornbread muffins using this recipe. I’ve included directions for both muffins and regular cornbread below.

Tips for making this Sweet Cornbread Recipe:

• We prefer this made with white whole wheat flour, but you can also use regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
• Pure maple syrup can be used in place of the honey, if you like.
• If you don’t have buttermilk on hand (I rarely do), follow my how to make buttermilk instructions. Whole milk is best, but any will work. See the note in the recipe.
• Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Mix it until it’s just combined and a few streaks of flour remain. Under-mixing just a bit leads to a soft, light crumb in your cornbread.

Sweet Cornbread Recipe

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Our favorite Cornbread Recipe! This sweet cornbread is made with honey and buttermilk. It's quick to prepare in one bowl.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword buttermilk cornbread, cornbread recipe, honey cornbread, sweet cornbread

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings 12 x8-inch pan or 14 muffins

Calories 170kcal

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup honey or pure maple syrup
• ▢ ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk or see note*
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ▢ 1 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish or muffin tin with cooking spray (or line with paper liners). Or, lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (or melt on the stove and transfer to a large bowl).
• Add the honey and applesauce and whisk to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg and vanilla.
• Add the baking powder and salt and whisk until very well combined.
• Add the cornmeal and white whole wheat flour. Stir with a rubber spatula until barely combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
• Transfer to the prepared baking dish, muffin tin, or cast iron skillet.
• Bake for 23-26 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (Bake muffins for 12-15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.) Serve warm.

Notes

*See my how to make buttermilk recipe. You can substitute whole milk plus lemon juice. Juice a lemon (half if it's a large lemon) into a liquid measuring cup. Add milk to make 1 cup; stir gently. Set aside for 5 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

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