Honey Butter Cornbread

Honey in the batter gives this cornbread a sweet, moist golden crumb. A honey-butter mixture brushed over the warm top adds a glossy finish, while small butter pats soften on the squares just before serving.

An 8-inch square pan makes nine thick pieces with browned tops and tender centers. Because the batter is deeper than it would be in a wider pan, check the center before the expected end of the bake rather than judging doneness by the edges alone.

Ingredients for Honey Butter Cornbread

For the cornbread

• 1 cup fine- or medium-grind yellow cornmeal (150g)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (85g), plus a little for greasing the pan
• 1/4 cup honey (85g)

For finishing and serving

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (28g)
• 2 tablespoons honey (42g)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pats (28g)
• 1 tablespoon extra honey for serving, optional

How to Bake Honey Butter Cornbread

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Fully preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
2. Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Combine the wet ingredients: In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, 6 tablespoons melted butter, and 1/4 cup honey. The melted butter should be warm, not hot, when added to the eggs.
4. Mix the batter: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Small lumps are fine. Spread the thick, pourable batter evenly in the pan.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 40–50 minutes, starting to check at 38 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the center set. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out without wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine. If the edges are brown but the center is wet, continue baking and recheck in short intervals.
6. Brush the top: Stir together the 2 tablespoons melted finishing butter and 2 tablespoons honey. Brush evenly over the warm cornbread to give it a glossy surface without flooding it.
7. Rest and serve: Let the cornbread rest in the pan for about 10 minutes. Lift it out using the parchment overhang and let it cool until sturdy enough to cut into nine thick squares. Add the butter pats to the warm serving pieces.

How to Tell When Thick Cornbread Is Done

Check the middle, not just the browned edges. Wet batter on the toothpick means the center needs more time; a few moist crumbs mean it is ready. Waiting for a completely dry toothpick can leave the squares crumbly.

The 40–50 minute range is for the deeper batter in an 8-inch square pan. A wider pan makes thinner cornbread that may bake faster, and different pan materials can shift the timing. Use the center test to decide when to take it out.

Keeping the Squares Tender

Once the wet ingredients meet the flour, fold only until the dry streaks disappear. More mixing can toughen the crumb. Brush the honey butter onto the baked top rather than soaking the bread, and give the slab time to rest before lifting and cutting it.

Serving Honey Butter Cornbread

Serve the squares warm with their butter pats and, if desired, a light drizzle of extra honey. They pair well with chili, beans, or stew. For a comfort-food spread, serve them with old-fashioned soul food mac and cheese.

How to Store and Reheat

Cool leftover cornbread completely before wrapping it tightly or storing it airtight. Keep it at room temperature for about 2–3 days, refrigerate it for up to about 5 days, or freeze well-wrapped squares for up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen squares before warming. Heat slices loosely wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for about 5–10 minutes, or microwave an individual slice for roughly 20–30 seconds. Add fresh butter pats after warming.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per square, based on nine squares: 320 calories, 5g protein, 15g fat, and 42g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked cornbread: 340 calories, 5g protein, 16g fat, and 45g carbohydrates. Values include the honey-butter finish and serving butter, but not optional extra honey; they vary with ingredients and the finished weight of the bread.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Thin potato rounds bake in a creamy garlic-cheddar sauce, with their edges still visible beneath a lightly browned cheese topping. This version starts with raw potatoes and a whole-milk sauce thickened on the stovetop. Baking the dish under foil first gives the potatoes time to soften; uncovering it later adds color. Check the center with a knife before serving—a golden top alone does not mean the potatoes are tender.

Makes 8 side-dish servings. Allow 25–30 minutes to prepare, 70–85 minutes to bake, and 15 minutes to rest. A cold or deeper casserole may need longer.

Ingredients for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

• 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled (about 1,350g)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 40g), plus a little more for the dish
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (about 25g)
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk (about 610g)
• 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 225g), divided
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

How to Make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

1. Preheat and slice: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with room below the rim for bubbling sauce. Cut the potatoes into even rounds about 1/8 inch thick. If using a mandoline, use its hand guard.
2. Make the sauce: Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly, then whisk in the flour. Cook for about 1 minute, until no dry flour remains. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until the sauce coats a spoon but still pours easily. If it is too thick to flow between the potatoes, whisk in extra milk a tablespoon or two at a time. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar, the salt, and the pepper until the cheese melts.
3. Layer the potatoes: Arrange one-third of the rounds in shallow overlaps in the dish and spoon over one-third of the sauce. Repeat twice, finishing with sauce. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top; some potato outlines should remain visible.
4. Bake covered: Loosely tent the dish with foil, keeping it off the cheese. Bake for 45–50 minutes.
5. Uncover and check: Remove the foil and bake for about 25–35 minutes more. Start checking after 25 minutes uncovered. The sauce should bubble at the edges, the cheese should have scattered golden-brown patches, and a thin knife should slide through the center layers with little resistance. Test more than one spot. If the top browns while the center is firm, loosely cover the dish again and continue baking until tender.
6. Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for 15 minutes so the sauce settles around the slices. Scatter the parsley over the top and lift the soft, overlapping rounds with a broad spatula.

How Thin Should You Slice the Potatoes?

Aim for rounds about 1/8 inch thick and keep them as even as possible. Thicker or crowded areas can remain firm after the top has browned, so check those spots when testing for doneness. A sharp knife works; a mandoline makes uniform slices easier.

Why Bake Covered First?

The foil holds in steam while the raw potatoes soften. Uncovering the dish afterward lets the cheddar brown without leaving it exposed for the entire bake. Slice thickness, dish depth, and a cooler-running oven can lengthen the cooking time, so use center tenderness rather than the clock or surface color as the final test.

Serving and Potato Variation

Serve directly from the dish alongside roast chicken, turkey, ham, or pork chops. For a larger dinner spread, add soft garlic butter rolls. For a different creamy side, try stovetop white cheddar mac and cheese.

Yukon Gold potatoes can replace the russets at the same weight. Slice them evenly and check the center for tenderness; their texture and baking time may differ.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Assemble the casserole up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. If it goes into the oven cold, allow extra baking time and check that the center is tender before serving.

Cool leftovers, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot, uncovering briefly if the top needs refreshing. Cooked leftovers can be frozen, but the sauce may change texture. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating gently.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 side-dish servings: 340 calories, 13g protein, 16g fat, and 36g carbohydrates. Per 100g of finished casserole: approximately 130 calories, 5g protein, 6g fat, and 14g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; per-100g figures vary with moisture lost during baking.

Garlic Butter Rolls

These soft dinner rolls start as squares cut from mashed-potato dough. They rise into separate pillows with rounded corners, lightly golden tops, and fluffy centers. Brush them with garlic-parsley butter as soon as they leave the oven: the hot rolls take on a glossy finish, while the parsley stays visible. Use thick, cooled mashed potato so the dough remains soft but holds its shape when cut.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Rolls

For the dough

• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g), plus a little for handling
• ¾ cup plain, thick mashed potato, cooled (150g)
• ¾ cup warm milk (180g)
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (7g)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
• 1¼ teaspoons fine salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (40g)

For the garlic butter

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch of fine salt, optional

How to Bake Garlic Butter Rolls

1. Mix the dough: Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, cooled mashed potato, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Mix thoroughly for 8 to 10 minutes, until no dry flour remains and the dough is cohesive, soft, and slightly tacky. It should hold together rather than pour or spread.
2. Let it rise: Cover the bowl and leave it in a comfortably warm spot for about 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough looks roughly doubled and airy.
3. Cut the rolls: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into an approximately 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares and place them on the sheet about 1 inch apart. Handle them gently to retain some of the air from the first rise.
4. Proof and preheat: Loosely cover the squares and let them rise for about 30 to 45 minutes, until noticeably puffy. Their corners should soften and round, but the rolls should remain distinct. Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
5. Bake: Uncover and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, starting to check at 17 minutes. Rotate the sheet halfway through if your oven browns unevenly. The tops should be lightly golden with a few deeper patches; an opened roll should have a set, fluffy center, not a gummy one.
6. Brush and serve: Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir in the garlic powder and parsley. Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired. Brush over the rolls as soon as they leave the oven, then let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving warm. For dipping, set aside a little garlic butter before brushing the rolls.

What the Dough Should Feel Like

Use thick mashed potato, not loose, creamy mash that pours from a spoon. The mixed dough should feel tacky but hold together. If it sticks while you cut it, lightly flour the work surface and your hands; working in too much flour can make the rolls dense.

Thick leftover mashed potato can work. Account for any salt already in it when seasoning the dough. If the mash is very wet, the dough may spread instead of holding cut squares.

Proofing and Baking Cues

Room temperature affects both rises, so look for expansion rather than relying only on the clock. Wait until the dough is airy after its first rise and the cut squares are visibly puffy before baking. Under-proofed rolls can bake up dense.

Check early if your squares are small, and remove the rolls once the tops are lightly golden rather than waiting for a dark crust. Brushing garlic butter on while they are hot gives them their glossy finish without baking the parsley into the tops.

For a fresh-garlic finish, replace the garlic powder with one small finely grated garlic clove. Let it stand briefly in warm, not scorching, melted butter before brushing.

Serving and Storing Garlic Butter Rolls

Serve warm as dinner rolls, or alongside old-fashioned soul food mac and cheese.

The rolls are best on the day they are baked. Cool leftovers fully and store them airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm an individual roll briefly in the microwave, or warm a batch for a few minutes in a low oven, checking so they do not dry out. For longer storage, wrap cooled baked rolls airtight and freeze; thaw before gently reheating.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per roll, based on 12 rolls: 210 calories, 4g protein, 8g fat, and 31g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked rolls: 320 calories, 7g protein, 12g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Values vary with the milk, mashed potato, and amount of garlic butter used.

Old-Fashioned Soul Food Mac and Cheese

Golden, blistered cheese covers creamy elbow macaroni in this Southern-inspired skillet bake. It is meant to be served in generous scoops, with distinct elbows beneath the crust, rather than cut into firm squares.

This version uses eggs, evaporated milk, and whole milk to make a gently set custard instead of a flour-thickened cheese sauce. Sharp cheddar gives it a bold cheese flavor, while Colby Jack melts into the filling. Bake until the center is set but still creamy, then rest the skillet before serving.

Ingredients for Skillet Mac and Cheese

• 1 pound dry elbow macaroni (about 450g)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 55g), plus a little for the skillet
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated and divided (about 340g)
• 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, freshly grated and divided (about 225g)
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream (about 120g)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• About 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the custard, plus salt for the pasta water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Yield: 8–10 side-dish servings. Time: About 25 minutes prep, 45–50 minutes cooking, and a 15-minute rest; about 1 hour 25 minutes total.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Soul Food Mac and Cheese

1. Prepare the oven and skillet: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Lightly butter a room-temperature 12-inch oven-safe cast-iron skillet; do not preheat the empty skillet. Set aside 4 ounces of the cheddar and 2 ounces of the Colby Jack for the top.
2. Cook the macaroni: Boil the elbows in salted water until about 1 minute shy of package-tender. Drain well, then toss the warm pasta with the 4 tablespoons of butter.
3. Whisk the custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream until mostly smooth. Whisk in the evaporated milk, whole milk, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be pourable, with no visible streaks of egg.
4. Fill the skillet: Gently combine the macaroni, custard, and all the cheese not reserved for topping. Transfer to the skillet, making sure the mixture sits comfortably below the rim. Spread it evenly without packing it down; the pasta should look thoroughly moistened. Scatter the reserved cheese over the top.
5. Bake uncovered: Start checking at 30 minutes; a 12-inch skillet will take approximately 35–40 minutes. The edges should bubble, the cheese should be golden with a few deeper amber patches, and the center should move only slightly when the skillet is gently nudged. It should not slosh. If the top browns before the center sets, loosely shield it with foil and continue baking.
6. Rest and serve: Let the skillet stand for 15 minutes. Lift generous scoops directly from the skillet with a wooden serving spoon or spatula. The filling should hold together loosely while showing moist, distinct elbows.

What Custard-Style Mac and Cheese Should Look Like

The eggs set the dairy around the macaroni as it bakes; there is no separate roux-based sauce. A slight jiggle in the center is fine, but freely moving liquid means the custard needs more time. The 15-minute rest lets it settle enough to scoop while keeping the interior creamy.

A broad skillet exposes more surface than a deeper casserole. If using a baking dish of comparable capacity, expect the center to take longer and use the same bubbling-edge and slight-jiggle cues to judge doneness.

How to Keep the Center Creamy and the Top Golden

Do not keep baking just to darken every patch of cheese: once the center is set, extra oven time can dry the macaroni. If the center is ready but the top is pale, broil briefly, watching continuously, then rest the skillet.

Grate block cheese when practical for a smoother melt. Cooking the elbows just shy of tender gives them room to finish in the oven, and the butter coating helps limit how much custard they absorb. Monterey Jack can replace the Colby Jack, though the finished melt may differ.

Make-Ahead, Leftovers, and Reheating

To make ahead, assemble the mac and cheese, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake until the edges bubble and the center is set; a chilled skillet may need extra time.

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat portions covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven until hot, adding a small splash of milk if they seem dry. Freezing is not the preferred make-ahead option because the custard’s texture may change.

Serve warm from the skillet with fried chicken and collard greens, or alongside cornbread or candied yams. For another baked version, try Patti LaBelle Mac and Cheese.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 9 side-dish servings: 580 calories, 27g protein, 34g fat, and 45g carbohydrates. Estimated per 100g of finished mac and cheese: 195 calories, 9g protein, 11g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the cheeses, serving size, and final cooked weight.