Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Honey Butter Skillet Corn is a sweet, creamy side dish that cooks in one skillet in about 20 minutes. It’s the corn dish that disappears first, whether it’s a Tuesday dinner or the holiday table.
Sweet corn tossed in golden honey butter with cream cheese for a rich, creamy sauce.
I brought this to a neighborhood potluck last summer, wedged between two pasta salads. It was the first empty dish on the table, and two people asked for the recipe before dessert came out.
Recipe Highlights
- Ready in 20 minutes, start to finish
- One skillet, no oven, easy cleanup
- Frozen corn goes in straight from the bag
- Four main ingredients plus pantry seasonings
- Works for cookouts and holiday dinners alike
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
CORN – Two 12-ounce bags go straight into the skillet frozen, no thawing.
|
Corn Option |
Prep |
Good to Know |
|
Frozen (this recipe) |
None, straight from the bag |
The little water it releases cooks off in the pan |
|
Canned |
Drain well |
Use about 5 cups, roughly three 15-ounce cans |
|
Fresh |
Cut the kernels off 6 to 7 ears |
Cooks a minute or two faster than frozen |
BUTTER – You’ve heard me say this before, but for 99% of my cooking and baking I use unsalted butter. If you use salted, start with ½ teaspoon of salt and adjust to your liking.
HONEY – Any honey in the pantry works. For a mellower side, use 2 tablespoons instead of 3.
CREAM CHEESE – In a hurry, 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave softens it right from the fridge.
SEASONINGS – For a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chili powder with the garlic powder.
PARMESAN – Stir a little grated Parmesan into the corn at the end for a savory twist.
How To Make Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Melt the butter with the honey in a large skillet.
- Add the frozen corn and cook until the extra liquid is gone.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Melt in the cream cheese and serve warm.
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – Let the corn cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
FREEZE – This one keeps beautifully in the fridge, so plan on that instead of the freezer. Cream cheese sauces turn grainy after thawing.
REHEAT – Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of milk, stirring, for about 5 minutes. The microwave works too, in 30-second bursts with a stir between each. For a big batch, cover and warm in a 325º Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD – Cook it up to a day ahead and reheat gently with a splash of milk before serving. The sauce comes back smooth. For same-day prep, set the cream cheese out in the morning and measure everything, then the cooking takes 15 minutes.
More Easy and Delicious Recipes
Serving Suggestions
BACKYARD COOKOUT – Set this out next to BBQ Baked Pork Chops or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and watch it go before the buns do.
WEEKNIGHT DINNER – Pair it with Crockpot Meatloaf or Chicken Thighs and Rice for the kind of dinner everyone shows up on time for.
STEAK NIGHT – Sweet corn next to savory Crockpot Steak Bites is a steakhouse plate at home.
HOLIDAY TABLE – Come November, this slides right in next to the turkey and stuffing. It reheats well, so make it a day early and free up a burner.
Recipe Success Tips
MEDIUM HEAT – Steady medium heat keeps the honey golden and sweet all the way through. If the pan starts to smell toasty, pull it off the burner for a minute.
SKILLET SIZE – A 12-inch skillet heats the corn fast and evenly. A 10-inch works too, just give it an extra minute or two.
THIN SAUCE – The sauce tightens in the last minute of cooking. If it looks thin, let it bubble one more minute.
Expert Tip – Let the corn sit untouched for the final minute. The kernels on the bottom pick up light golden edges, the best bites in the skillet.
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I Need to Thaw the Frozen Corn First?
No, the corn goes into the skillet straight from the freezer. The kernels thaw in the warm honey butter within a couple of minutes, and the timing in the recipe accounts for it. There is no colander to wash and no planning ahead, which is half the charm of this side.
Why Is My Skillet Corn Watery?
Give it one or two more minutes in the pan and the sauce thickens right up. Frozen corn releases water as it heats, and that liquid needs time to cook off. Keep the corn moving over medium heat until the pan looks mostly dry, then add the cream cheese.
Can I Make This Corn Less Sweet?
Yes, cut the honey back to 2 tablespoons. The corn still gets that honey butter flavor, just softer. You can also skip the honey in the pan and finish with a light drizzle on top instead, so each serving gets a little sweetness right where you taste it.
Can I Double Honey Butter Skillet Corn?
Honey Butter Skillet Corn doubles easily for a crowd. Use your widest skillet or a Dutch oven so the corn heats in a shallow layer. Plan on a few extra minutes for the liquid to cook off, and add the cream cheese once the extra liquid is gone.
More Cookout Sides
Making this corn for a cookout? Round out the table with a few more warm-weather favorites.
Oma’s German Cucumber Salad – A crisp, creamy salad straight from my Oma’s kitchen.
Warm German Potato Salad – Tangy, bacon-flecked potatoes served warm, the way German cookouts do it.
Greek Pasta Salad – A make-ahead pasta salad that holds up for hours on the picnic table.
Air Fryer Zucchini – Crisp-tender zucchini ready in minutes while the grill stays busy.
Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 12-ounce bags frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
Garnish (optional)
Instructions
Make the Honey Butter
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and melt completely.
- Stir in the honey and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Cook the Corn
- Add the frozen corn and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the corn is hot and the liquid has mostly cooked off, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well.
Finish and Serve
- Add the cream cheese in pieces. Stir until melted and the sauce coats the corn, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using. Serve warm.
Equipment
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.