This Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread with Whipped Hot Honey Butter is absolutely delicious! The classic cheddar jalapeño skillet cornbread is taken to the next level with the perfect whipped hot honey butter to spread on top. Everyone will love it!
Why You’ll Love This Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe
- It’s tender and fluffy – this cornbread is moist, tender, and fluffy. The buttermilk helps to give it the perfect texture.
- It’s cheesy – extra sharp cheddar cheese is hand grated and folded into the cornbread batter along with the jalapeño for the perfect cheesy cornbread.
- It’s easy to make – if you’ve never made your cornbread in a skillet then you may be a bit intimidated but trust me, it couldn’t be easier to make!
More Reader Favorite Cornbread Recipes
- Brown Butter Honey Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Skillet Cornbread Chili Pie
- Herbed Brown Butter Cheddar Cornbread
- Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins
- Gluten Free Honey Cornbread Muffins
Skillet Cornbread Ingredients
Butter: you’ll need a high quality unsalted butter for both the cornbread and the whipped honey butter on top.
Flour: this recipe calls for all-purpose flour but if you need a gluten free option I’ve included on below.
Salt: any good cornbread recipe is going to include a bit of salt to really give the cornbread some flavor.
Corn Meal: Regular corn meal (sometimes called corn flour) is all you need here. If you like a little more texture in your cornbread you can use a medium grind corn meal.
Baking Powder: This helps to give the cornbread it’s rise.
Cheddar Cheese: We’re specifically using extra-sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe to ensure that delicious sharp cheddar flavor shines through.
Jalapeño: you can’t have a jalapeño cornbread without plenty of freshly diced jalapeño. You can removed the seeds and stem if you want to ensure the cornbread has a more mild flavor.
Buttermilk: buttermilk is my go-to in all of my cornbread recipes. I love the lightness and tenderness it adds to the finished product.
Ingredient Swaps
- all purpose flour – if you prefer you can swap the all-purpose flour with a cup for cup gluten free flour instead.
- buttermilk – you can easily substitute the buttermilk with whole milk or half and half. If you need, I’ve included instructions on how to make a plant-based buttermilk substitute, below.
- butter – you can use a vegan butter for this recipe if you prefer.
- cheddar – I love the flavor that extra sharp cheddar cheese gives this cornbread but feel free to play around with different shredded cheeses you enjoy. A blend of mozzarella and cheddar would be delicious.
How to Make a Plant-Based Buttermilk
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can easily make a quick substitute in a pinch!
Here’s how:
- Pour one cup of full-fat coconut milk into a measuring cup.
- Add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the milk.
- Let the milk sit for 5 minutes and stir again before using.
That’s it! The acid in the vinegar or lemon juice will help to give the coconut milk a similar taste and texture of buttermilk. It won’t be exactly the same but it will get you by and still taste great.
I’ve made this recipe using a homemade buttermilk substitute and I highly recommend using full-fat canned coconut milk instead of another plant-based milk like almond or soy. Full fat coconut milk has a higher fat content than other plant-based milks and will give you results most similar to buttermilk.
Whipped Hot Honey Butter
As if this cornbread is not good enough on it’s own, the whipped hot honey butter on top takes it to the next level. Here’s what you need to make it:
- unsalted butter
- hot honey
- salt
To make the whipped butter just add everything to a mixing bowl and then use a hand mixer to beat the butter on high speed until it’s nice and fluffy.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Step One: Place a 8 or 9 inch skillet in the oven and then set to preheat at 400 degrees.
Step Two: To a large mixing bowl add the corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, add the shredded cheese and jalapeño and stir until well combined.
Step Three: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and 1/4 cup melted butter.
Step Four: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold until everything is well combined.
Step Five: Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the skillet back to the oven and let melt completely. Once the butter has melted, remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the butter around until the skillet is fully coated. Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Step Six: Bake the cornbread for around 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean. The center of the cornbread should be puffed and the edges golden brown.
Step Seven: While the cornbread is still hot, brush some of the honey butter overtop of the cornbread. Let cool for a few minutes and then slice the cornbread into 8 slices and serve warm with an extra dollop of honey butter, a drizzle of hot honey, and flaky sea salt.
Can I Bake This Cornbread Into Muffins?
Yes! Transfer the batter to a muffin pan that has been lined with muffin liners or well-greased. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops of the muffins are golden brown. The tops of the muffins should bounce back if lightly pressed.
Recipes to Pair with Cornbread
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
- Healthy White Chicken Chili
- Healthy Pumpkin Chili
- Southwest Chicken Chili
- White Bean Turkey Chili
How to Freeze and Reheat
To freeze: Let the slices of cornbread come a complete cool and then transfer to an air-tight freezer safe storage bag. The muffins will stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months.
To reheat: When you are ready to reheat a slice of cornbread remove it from the freezer and let it come to a complete thaw on the counter. Then, wrap the slice in foil and reheat in a 350 degree oven until hot.
I hope you give this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread a try! They are so fluffy and delicious and the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu!
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
PrintCheddar Jalapeño Cornbread with Whipped Hot Honey Butter
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread with Whipped Hot Honey Butter is absolutely delicious! The classic cheddar jalapeño skillet cornbread is taken to the next level with the perfect whipped hot honey butter to spread on top. Everyone will love it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz sharp yellow cheddar, shredded
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- flakey sea salt, for garnish
Whipped Hot Honey Butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup hot honey, plus more for serving
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place a 8 or 9 inch skillet in the oven and then set to preheat at 400 degrees.
- To a large mixing bowl add the corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, add the shredded cheese and jalapeño and stir until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and 1/4 cup melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold until everything is well combined.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the skillet back to the oven and let melt completely. Once the butter has melted, remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the butter around until the skillet is fully coated. Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
- Bake the cornbread for around 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean. The center of the cornbread should be puffed and the edges golden brown.
- Make the Whipped Hot Honey Butter: While the cornbread is baking make the whipped honey butter. Add the softened butter and honey to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat at high speed for 1 minute until fluffy.
- While the cornbread is still hot, brush some of the honey butter overtop of the cornbread. Let cool for a few minutes and then slice the cornbread into 8 slices and serve warm with an extra dollop of honey butter, a drizzle of hot honey, and flaky sea salt.