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Hot Honey Butter Bath Corn

Hot honey butter bath corn is a summer corn recipe where cobs boil in a milk-butter bath for tender, deeply flavored kernels. Finish by warming hot honey until glossy, then drizzle so it pools between the rows for a sweet-and-spicy bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn butter bath
  • 6 ears corn Husked
  • 4 cup water
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cubed
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
Hot honey drizzle
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 1 tsp hot sauce or red pepper flakes Hot sauce to taste, or use red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the butter bath and cook the corn
  1. Combine water, whole milk, cubed unsalted butter, sugar, and salt in a large pot, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat until bubbling around the edges.
  2. Add the corn ears to the boiling liquid, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes until the kernels are tender and the bath looks slightly reduced and silky.
  3. While the corn cooks, warm honey, hot sauce (or red pepper flakes), and the remaining unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until combined and glossy.
  4. Remove corn from the butter bath and let excess liquid drip off so the cobs stay coated but not watery.
Drizzle and serve
  1. Arrange the corn on a platter and drizzle generously with hot honey butter, aiming the honey into the rows for pooling.
  2. Serve immediately with extra hot honey on the side so the sweetness and heat stay bright.

Notes

Pro tip: For the deepest flavor, keep the pot covered during the 20–25 minutes so the milk-butter bath stays hot and concentrates. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently so the kernels don’t dry out. Freezing isn’t recommended because the corn texture can soften. Dietary swap: Use plant-based butter and milk for a dairy-free version while keeping the hot honey drizzle the same.