Name: Southern Honey Butter Cornbread Poppers
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs; 1 cup buttermilk (or substitute with milk if preferred); 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted; ¼ cup honey; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional); ¼ cup finely chopped jalapeños (optional for a spicy kick); ½ cup unsalted butter, softened; ¼ cup honey; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; A pinch of salt (to balance the sweetness); Cornmeal: The cornmeal gives these poppers their signature texture and Southern flavor. It’s essential for that slightly grainy, moist cornbread feel.; Buttermilk: The acidity of buttermilk helps tenderize the cornbread while adding a subtle tangy flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk, regular milk will work too.; Honey: A key ingredient in the honey butter, honey provides the sweetness that beautifully complements the savory cornbread.; Cheddar Cheese: For a cheesy twist, shredded cheddar adds extra richness and flavor to the cornbread poppers. You can also swap this for another cheese, such as mozzarella or Monterey Jack.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cornbread Poppers:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or substitute with milk if preferred)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup honey
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
¼ cup finely chopped jalapeños (optional for a spicy kick)

For the Honey Butter:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt (to balance the sweetness)

Ingredient Highlights

Cornmeal: The cornmeal gives these poppers their signature texture and Southern flavor. It’s essential for that slightly grainy, moist cornbread feel.
Buttermilk: The acidity of buttermilk helps tenderize the cornbread while adding a subtle tangy flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk, regular milk will work too.
Honey: A key ingredient in the honey butter, honey provides the sweetness that beautifully complements the savory cornbread.
Cheddar Cheese: For a cheesy twist, shredded cheddar adds extra richness and flavor to the cornbread poppers. You can also swap this for another cheese, such as mozzarella or Monterey Jack.

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Instructions

Prepare the Cornbread Poppers:

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a mini muffin tin or line it with paper liners to ensure the cornbread poppers don’t stick.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and honey until smooth and well combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix. If you’re adding shredded cheese or jalapeños, fold them into the batter now.
Fill the Muffin Tin: Spoon the batter into the mini muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full to leave room for the cornbread to rise during baking.

Bake the Poppers:

Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a popper comes out clean.
Cool Slightly: Once baked, remove the poppers from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Honey Butter:

Make the Honey Butter: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the softened butter, honey, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and well combined.
Serve: Once the poppers are cool enough to handle, serve them with a dollop of honey butter on top or on the side for dipping. Enjoy these delicious poppers while they’re warm!

Prep Time: 10minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 20
Calories: 120
Fat: 5g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 2g