Jimmy’s Mash Bill Cornbread with Bourbon Honey Butter
The Distillery-Inspired Cornbread You Didn’t Know You Needed
There’s something unforgettable about walking through the distillery when the stills are fired up. One of my absolute favorite smells? When the distiller is cooking, it smells just like fresh-baked cornbread. And let me tell you, once that smell hits me, all I can think about is a warm slice of buttery cornbread straight out of the oven.
So I thought, why not turn that iconic smell into something you can bake at home?
And here it is: cornbread made using the same mash bill as Jimmy’s 90 Proof Bourbon. Yup, same grains, different format. Just pour yourself a glass of Jimmy’s, and let’s get to baking.
What’s a Mash Bill, Anyway?
For those who might not know, a bourbon’s “mash bill” is the mix of grains used to make it. Jimmy’s 90 Proof Bourbon uses:
75% corn – brings sweetness
20% rye – adds a spicy kick
5% malted barley – gives it a hearty, rounded finish
Using that exact ratio, I decided to recreate those flavors in the form of a rustic, comforting cornbread.
How I Did the Mash Bill Math
Okay, I won’t pretend I did this in my head. I definitely hit up Google for some quick math. Here's how I broke it down:
I started with a 6 oz package of cornbread mix.
Removed 1.5 oz from the mix.
Replaced that with:
1.2 oz rye flour (20%)
0.3 oz malted barley flour (5%)
You still use the wet ingredients listed on your cornbread package (usually egg, milk, oil), and just bake it according to the instructions. Easy peasy.
And pro tip: I love my non-stick baking pan, but parchment paper works great if you're using a regular one.
Let’s Talk Bourbon Honey Butter
While that cornbread’s baking away and making your kitchen smell like a distillery dream, it’s time to whip up the easiest, most delicious bourbon honey butter you’ll ever taste. You will definitely want a sweeter butter for this cornbread. Because we cut out some corn (which is a sweet-ish grain) and replaced it with the other grains (that are less sweet), this cornbread is a lot less sweet than a typical one. It’s also fairly dense with the other grains added, so adding that sweet butter will help moisten it up.
Here’s what you need:
1 stick of room-temperature butter
1 teaspoon Jimmy’s Bourbon
2 tablespoons honey
Just whisk everything together until smooth, pop it in the fridge to firm up slightly, and get ready to spread it on everything.
The Final Result: Jimmy’s Bourbon in Bread Form
Once the cornbread is out of the oven, let it cool slightly, but not too long. You want to enjoy it while it’s still warm and fluffy. My husband, the distiller here at Kiepersol, stepped into the kitchen and said, “It smells just like the distillery.” Mission accomplished. 🙌
I treated our cornbread like an appetizer to our dinner. Slice your cornbread like a sandwich, slather the sweet butter, lay an onion and freshly sliced tomato on (then, if you’re like me, salt and pepper), add a few bread and butter pickles, and that is one DELICIOUS bite! Paired with a neat pour of Jimmy’s 90, oh boy!
This cornbread would go well with a lot of meals. Ideally, and what I almost made was, a chicken fried steak, mac & cheese, and black eye’d pease. However, I was feeling lazy and made chili instead for our main course. The cornbread hit all the right notes: sweet from the corn, a little spice from the rye, and density from the barley. And that bourbon honey butter? Don't skip it. Trust me.
The Full Recipe
Mash Bill Cornbread
6 oz cornbread mix (remove 1.5 oz)
1.2 oz rye flour
0.3 oz malted barley flour
Plus the wet ingredients from the packet (usually 1 egg, milk, and maybe oil)
Bourbon Honey Butter
1 stick room temperature butter
1 tsp Jimmy’s 90 Proof Bourbon
2 tbsp honey
Mix and bake the cornbread as directed. Whisk together the butter, bourbon, and honey, then chill until slightly firm. Serve together, and enjoy every single bite.
Carrie Miller is Kiepersol's
Social Media & Community Specialist.