Description
Southern-Style Honey Butter Cornbread Poppers are golden, bite-sized cubes of cornbread pan-seared to crispy perfection and brushed with a sweet honey butter glaze. These poppers are soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and bursting with classic Southern flavor—making them ideal for snacking, serving as sides, or dazzling guests at a gathering.
Ingredients
For the Cornbread Base:
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp chopped jalapeños or red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Honey Butter Glaze:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- Pinch of salt
For Pan-Searing:
- 2 tbsp butter or neutral oil
Optional Garnish:
- Chopped parsley or chives
- Flaky sea salt or cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold in jalapeños if using.
- Pour into baking dish and bake 18–22 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then chill if needed. Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
- Heat a cast iron skillet with butter/oil and sear cubes until all sides are golden.
- Melt butter with honey and salt to make the glaze.
- Brush warm poppers with glaze.
- Garnish and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes