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Get ready for the ultimate combination of sweet, savory, and spicy! This jalapeño cheddar cornbread with a swirl of sweet honey butter is the perfect side dish for BBQs, chili nights, or just about any meal that needs a little extra flavor.
Cornbread with a Kick!
There’s just something about jalapeño cornbread that instantly makes me think of family gatherings, cozy dinners, and BBQs in the backyard.
The subtle sweetness of cornbread mixed with that spicy kick of jalapeño? It’s the perfect balance of comfort and bold flavor. And then, if you really want to take things to the next level, slather on some sweet honey butter. Trust me—it’s an absolute game-changer.
I first made this jalapeño cheddar cornbread for a summer cookout, and let me tell you, it stole the show. People were practically fighting over the last piece, and let’s just say, I now bring it to every gathering.
It’s easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for pairing with just about anything—whether it’s a big pot of chili or fresh off the grill ribs. Plus they make a great breakfast treat reheated with some honey butter slathered on top ♡ Get ready for this recipe to become a family favorite at your house too!
Ingredients Needed
Image shows ingredients needed to make cornbread including: all purpose flour, cornmeal, buttermilk, melted butter, honey, grated cheddar cheese, salt, baking soda, and eggs.
- Jalapeños: Fresh for spice and flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp for maximum flavor.
- Cornmeal: Adds the classic cornbread texture.
- Honey: Optional, but I prefer a bit of sweetness to my cornbread.
Substitution Options
- Flour: If needed swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free 1:1.
- Buttermilk: Make your own to save a trip to the store! Add 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or plain white vinegar to your measuring cup, then pour the milk in to reach 1 and 1/2 cup. Whisk this together and let it sit for a couple minutes.
- Jalapeño: The heat mellows beautifully in the oven. For muffins with a mild kick, use 1 jalapeño; for a medium spice level, go for 2. If you want to amp up the heat, toss in the jalapeño seeds—they pack the most punch! Personally, I prefer to leave the seeds out of the batter.
Find the complete recipe card below with measurements and full instructions.
Let’s Make JalapeÑo Cornbread Step-by-Step
- Preheat oven to 400℉ degrees. Spray a muffin tin with non stick baking spray, set aside.
- In medium-size mixing bowl add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt, stir to combine.
- Add in the eggs, milk and honey. Stir to combine. Then pour in the melted butter. Stir until batter is smooth.
- Fold in the jalapeno and cheese until just combined with the batter.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. There is no need to use liners as long as you are spraying the muffin tin with a non-stick spray beforehand.
*To know they are done, the tops of the muffins will look golden and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Baking Methods
- Muffins vs Cake Pan: This recipe can do both! There’s instructions in the recipe card below for baking these as muffins or in a 9×13 cake pan. Either way, prepare the batter the same, preheat the oven to 400. The only thing that changes is the baking time.
- Cast Iron Skillet: Baking cornbread in a skillet creates an irresistibly hearty, crunchy crust. Just use a greased 9-inch or 10-inch oven-safe skillet, and bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
Fun Additions to Try
- Corn: Adding 1 cup of cooked or drained canned corn kernels or creamed corn boosts the sweet corn flavor and adds a delightful texture to the muffins.
- Scallions: 1/4 cup of chopped green onions brings a wonderful freshness to the mix.
- Bacon: For a savory twist, crumble or chop 6 strips of cooked bacon and fold them into the batter.
Storage
- Store these cornbread muffins at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 5 days. If needed warm in the microwave to soften.
- Or store them in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in microwave to warm as desired.
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Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread with Sweet Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 jalapeno de-seeded and finely chopped
Sweet Honey Butter
- 1 teaspoon honey add more or less as desired
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ degrees. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick baking spray, set aside.
- In medium size mixing bowl add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt, stir to combine.
- Add in the eggs, buttermilk and honey. Stir to combine. Then pour in the melted butter. Stir until batter is smooth.
- Fold in the diced jalapeno and grated cheese until just combined with the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean .
Honey Butter
- Stir together the room temperature butter and honey until well combined. Serve with the muffins as desired.
Video
Equipment
Notes
- Flour: If needed swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free 1:1.
- Buttermilk: Make your own to save a trip to the store! Add 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or plain white vinegar to your measuring cup, then pour the milk in to reach 1 and 1/2 cup. Whisk this together and let it sit for a couple minutes.
- Jalapeño: The heat mellows beautifully in the oven. For muffins with a mild kick, use 1 jalapeño; for a medium spice level, go for 2. If you want to amp up the heat, toss in the jalapeño seeds—they pack the most punch! Personally, I prefer to leave the seeds out of the batter.
- Muffins vs Cake Pan: This recipe can do both! Prepare the batter the same, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top and edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cast Iron Skillet: Baking cornbread in a skillet creates an irresistibly hearty, crunchy crust. Just use a greased 9-inch or 10-inch oven-safe skillet, and bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipes to Enjoy With this Cornbread
Recipe first published September 7, 2018. Updated September 25, 2024. Recipe is unchanged.
Photography by KJandCompany.co
So yummy and moist! Reminds me of the cornbread my great-grandmother used to make! I love to bake from scratch, and this one is a keeper!!!
Can I substitute sugar for the honey in the main recipe?
Yes you can.
Made these for my extended family Saturday night dinners. We had bbq ribs and baked potatoes with salad and the muffins, and all I can say is wow! The muffins were a fantastic added touch. Everyone loved the cornbread muffins !
They are my go to cornbread from now on.
Thanks you so much for this easy recipe.
Donna W.
Used this recipe as a LOOSE base for our cornbread tonight haha. Had to make a lot of substitutions based on what we had. Milk + lemon juice instead of buttermilk, oil instead of butter, would have used white sugar instead of honey IF I HAD REMEMBERED SUGAR AT ALL. Decided against the jalapeños because we had kids eating with us.
That being said, it was the best texture of any cornbread I’ve ever made. Cooked it in a preheated cast iron skillet at 400° until golden brown and done throughout.
It was dense and bread-y instead of the typical (for me) cakey and crumbly, and the crust was reeeeaaaaal crunchy.
After a slather of butter and a drizzle of honey I didn’t even miss the sweetness in the cornbread. I can’t wait to try the recipe for real— jalapeños and all!