Description
Cornbread Swim Biscuits are a delightful Southern-inspired baked treat combining the natural sweetness of honey and corn with a tender, moist crumb. These biscuits are made by baking a unique batter poured over melted butter, creating a rich, buttery crust. Perfect for a comforting breakfast or side dish, they offer a golden, slightly crunchy exterior with a soft, flavorful interior.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup (85 g) honey
- 1 can (15.25 ounces) corn kernels, drained (or 1 ¾ cups fresh/frozen)
- 1 cup (245 g) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter, melted
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (183 g) yellow cornmeal, finely ground, no additives
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by ensuring it’s clean and dry; do not grease it.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, drained corn kernels, milk, granulated sugar, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, finely ground yellow cornmeal, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to ensure even distribution and to eliminate lumps.
- Combine Mixtures Carefully: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy—avoid overmixing to prevent tough biscuits.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Pour the melted unsalted butter evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Without stirring the butter into the batter, pour the batter directly over the melted butter. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan to the edges.
- Score the Batter: Using a knife, score the unbaked batter into 9 equal squares in a 3×3 grid. This helps with portioning and ensures even baking.
- Bake With Care: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 28 to 33 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown on top. If the edges begin to brown too quickly before the center has fully baked, tent the dish loosely with aluminum foil after 28 minutes to prevent overbrowning while allowing the interior to finish baking.
- Let Rest Before Serving: Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the biscuits rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Resting allows the biscuits to absorb the butter at the bottom, enhancing moisture and flavor.
- Serve Warm: Serve the cornbread swim biscuits warm with additional honey or butter as desired for a comforting and delicious treat.
Notes
- Scoring the batter before baking is essential for easy portioning and ensures even cooking.
- Do not overmix the batter; a slightly lumpy mix produces tender biscuits.
- If baking dish edges brown too fast, tent with foil to prevent burning.
- Using finely ground cornmeal results in a smoother texture; coarser cornmeal will yield a grainier biscuit.
- Biscuit flavor is enhanced when baked over melted butter that pools at the bottom of the pan.
- These biscuits are best served warm for optimal taste and texture.
