Go Back

Hot Honey Butter Bath Corn

Hot honey butter bath corn made by simmering corn on the cob in a milk-and-butter bath until tender, then finishing with glossy hot honey that pools between kernels. This summer corn recipe delivers sweet-spicy flavor and a glistening, richly coated bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn bath
  • 6 corn ears Husked; keep whole for even cooking.
  • 4 cup water
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Cubed; use the whole stick (½ cup).
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
Hot honey drizzle
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 1 tsp hot sauce Use 1–2 tsp to taste; alternatively use red pepper flakes (½ tsp).
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the butter bath
  1. Combine water, whole milk, cubed unsalted butter, sugar, and salt in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until bubbling steadily.
  2. Add the corn ears, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes until tender and deeply flavored, keeping the simmer gentle beneath the lid.
Make the hot honey drizzle
  1. Warm honey, hot sauce (or red pepper flakes), and the remaining tablespoon of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until combined and glossy, stirring just until smooth.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove corn from the butter bath and let excess liquid drip off for a few seconds so the coating stays thick rather than watery.
  2. Arrange corn on a platter and drizzle generously with hot honey butter so it pools between every row of kernels.
  3. Serve immediately with extra hot honey on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the corn submerged during the covered cook so every cob gets the same deep, milky-butter flavor. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm gently so the coating doesn’t break. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: use salted butter and reduce added salt to 1/2 tsp if you prefer less sodium.