Cornbread with Honey Butter and Crispy Sage

Finger Food | Makes 16 pieces

Tender, slightly sweet cornbread topped with a rich honey butter and garnished with crispy sage leaves creates a rustic-yet-refined bite that perfectly captures the Gold Rush's warmth and comfort. The natural sweetness of the corn echoes the honey in your cocktail, while crispy sage leaves add an herbal savory note that keeps things balanced. This is the kind of bite that makes you want to reach for another—and another.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
• 1/4 cup honey
• 12-15 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
2. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Whisk together egg, milk, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Fold wet into dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes.
5. While cornbread bakes, heat remaining butter with sage leaves in a small skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove sage with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels.
6. Mix honey into sage butter. Cut cornbread into 16 pieces and serve warm, topped with a dollop of honey butter and a crispy sage leaf.