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Honey Basil Olive Oil Cornbread (sourdough or not)

Elevate your cornbread game with this delightful and unique twist on a classic recipe. Honey basil cornbread combines the natural sweetness of honey with the aromatic essence of fresh basil, resulting in a moist and flavorful treat. The combination of the earthy cornmeal, fragrant basil, and the subtle sweetness of honey creates a harmonious blend of flavors that will leave your taste buds craving for more. Whether served as a side dish or enjoyed on its own, this honey basil cornbread is a perfect balance of savory and sweet, making it a delightful addition to any meal or gathering.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: quick bread, sourdough, sourdough discard

Equipment

  • 1 loaf pan

Ingredients

Non-sourdough recipe

  • 120 g all-purpose flour
  • 150 g yellow cornmeal
  • 100 g cane sugar
  • 170 g honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 225 g sour cream or buttermilk
  • 65 g olive oil
  • 8-10 basil leaves

Sourdough recipe

  • 70 g all-purpose flour
  • 150 g yellow cornmeal
  • 100 g cane sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 75 g sour cream
  • 65 g olive oil
  • 170 g honey
  • 100 g sourdough discard
  • 8-10 basil leaves

Instructions

  • Pulse basil leaves with olive oil.
  • Cream together egg, sugar, and basil olive oil. Mix in honey, sour cream/buttermilk (and sourdough discard if you're making the sourdough version).
  • Combine together your dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and baking powder.
  • Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and pour into your baking pan.
  • Preheat oven to 375ºF. Generously grease your baking dish with butter and then dust with flour.
  • Bake for 25 minutes till the top is golden and lightly toasted or when a toothpick or knife inserted to the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Notes

Note:
buttermilk: buttermilk can be substituted with 1 tbsp lemon juice + milk. Set aside ~5min before using. 
Variations:
You can use this recipe as a baseline to make other variations– just swap out the ingredients! For example, one of my favorites-- Pineapple Cornbread. Swap out 1 cup of milk with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup pineapple juice. Pineapple juice is already acidic so you can leave out the lemon juice.