Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – 13 Min

Oh, you know those summer days when the sun is just soaking into everything and you crave food that tastes exactly like happiness? That’s what this corn brings to my table. Forget fussing over boiling water or waiting for the grill—this recipe for Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish is truly the quickest, richest side you can make right on the stovetop. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight or piled high next to your barbecue feast!

I still remember the summer afternoons spent in my nonna’s backyard; you could practically smell the sunshine coming off the cornfield just a stone’s throw away. We’d gather heaps of fresh corn, laughing and chatting as we stripped the husks and prepped for dinner. One of my favorite memories is the simplicity of sautéing the corn in a pan with a touch of butter and, of course, a drizzle of honey. That combination—sweet, buttery, and bursting with flavor—stayed with me. Now, as a gluten-free culinary storyteller, I love sharing this easy skillet corn dish with honey butter. It not only evokes those sun-drenched days but also proves that even the simplest ingredients can tell a delicious story. Trust me, you’ll be making this again and again!

Meet the Author: Why Trust This Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish Recipe

I’m Elena Brown, and I call myself a Gluten-Free Culinary Storyteller. My whole kitchen philosophy revolves around taking those classic, comforting recipes—like this amazing skillet corn—and making them work for everyone, especially without sacrificing flavor. I spend my time digging through old recipe boxes and figuring out how to bring those heritage dishes to your modern kitchen in the simplest way possible.

If you’re looking for reliability, you’ve found the right place! You can see more about my journey making heritage recipes accessible over on my About page. I promise this easy stovetop recipe is tested until it’s perfect.

Ingredients for Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish

When I say this is easy, I mean it! We are leaning heavily on what many of us already have in the freezer, which is the secret to a super swift sweet corn side dish. You only need a few things, and magic happens fast. Don’t worry about having everything perfectly softened; this recipe is very forgiving!

• 24 ounces Sweet corn (frozen is best, trust me, that’s about 5 cups!)
• 4 tablespoons Salted butter
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• 4 ounces Cream cheese (that’s usually half a standard block)
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (give it a taste before adding more!)
• Salt (just a pinch, optional, as the butter is already salted)

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Now, here’s where you can play a little! If you’re using fresh corn, you’ll want to cut the kernels off about 4 ears after you’ve quickly cooked them first. Canned corn is fine if you drain three cans well, but frozen or fresh always gives the best texture for this easy stovetop recipe.

For flavor twists, try swapping the cream cheese for Boursin cheese—it’s amazing! You can also sneak in bacon crumbles or a pinch of dried sage. These little add-ins really make it feel custom, but the basic four ingredients are pure gold on their own.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make This Easy Stovetop Recipe

Okay, get ready, because this is where the entire Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish comes together in less than fifteen minutes. Seriously! We’re moving fast, but we aren’t rushing the flavor. By the time you finish the last step, you’ll have the perfect sweet corn side ready to serve. We’re aiming for about 13 minutes of total cook time here, so keep your eye on the pan!

Melting the Honey Butter Base

Start by getting your large skillet nice and warm over medium-low heat. Toss in your butter and your honey. You want them to just mingle together until they form a beautiful, flowing liquid. Don’t rush this! If the heat is too high, the sugar in the honey will scorch fast, and that’s a taste we definitely do not want in our corn!

Cooking the Corn to Perfection

Next, dump in all that frozen corn! Yes, straight from the freezer—no need to thaw it. Turn the heat up just a bit to medium-high. Let it cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often. This is important because we want the corn to stop steaming and start getting those little golden-brown spots. That caramelization is where so much flavor comes from in this easy stovetop recipe.

Achieving Creaminess with Cream Cheese

Once the corn looks slightly kissed by the heat, drop the heat back down to medium-low and bring in your cream cheese. This is the magic ingredient that gives the sauce body! Stir constantly for the next 4 to 5 minutes until the cream cheese is totally smooth and coats every kernel. It thickens up fast, so keep that spoon moving so nothing sticks to the bottom!

Why This Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish Shines

Honestly, there are so many side dishes out there, but this one always wins because it’s just so darn reliable and tasty. You get so much flavor bang for almost zero effort. Here’s why it’s a staple in my kitchen:

• It’s incredibly fast—start to finish in under 20 minutes!
• It works perfectly as an easy stovetop recipe using frozen corn.
• The combination of honey and cream cheese makes the coating unbelievably luxurious.
• It’s the ultimate barbecue side dish that travels well!

Essential Equipment for Your Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish

You don’t need a whole arsenal of fancy tools for this one, thank goodness! The only thing you really need to make sure you have is a really good, large skillet. I mean it—large! If you crowd the pan, the corn releases its water and just steams instead of caramelizing.

We need room for that honey butter to coat everything perfectly, so grab your biggest 12-inch skillet, if you have one. A sturdy, heavy-bottomed pan will distribute the heat evenly too, which helps make sure that cream cheese melts beautifully without scorching on the bottom. That’s really the only tool that matters for this recipe!

Serving Suggestions for This Sweet Corn Side

This rich and savory sweet corn side is so versatile, but it truly sings when paired with grilled things. It’s my absolute go-to when we fire up the grill because it complements smoky flavors so well. I often serve it alongside simple grilled steak or burgers—it feels decadent without being heavy.

It’s also fantastic with something like my Balsamic Glazed Chicken. That sweet, tangy glaze finds a perfect balance with the salty honey butter sauce in the corn. It’s comfort food, Southern style, but ready in minutes!

Storage and Reheating Tips for Leftover Skillet Corn with Honey Butter

Oh gosh, if you have leftovers—which only happens if you didn’t eat it all on the first go—storage is easy! Seal any remaining skillet corn tightly in an airtight container. It keeps wonderfully in the fridge for about three or four days. Now, I have to warn you, because of that glorious cream cheese base, it will firm up quite a bit when cold. It gets way thicker!

When you reheat it, definitely scoop it back into your skillet over very low heat. Stir it constantly. If it seems too thick, just splash in a tiny bit of water or even a teaspoon of milk—it loosens up that sauce again beautifully. It won’t taste exactly like it did fresh from the pan, but it’ll still be delicious comfort food!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Stovetop Recipe

I know sometimes you need a quick answer before you even start cooking, or maybe you’re planning for next time! Here are the most common things folks ask me about whipping up this wonderful easy stovetop recipe besides how fast it is:

Can I make this Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish ahead of time?

You absolutely can prep it ahead, especially if you’re hosting and need one less thing to worry about right before serving! Remember what I said about leftovers? It firms up a ton in the fridge because of that lovely cream cheese melting in. It’s still tasty, but you MUST plan on reheating it low and slow on the stove, maybe adding just a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce back up. It’s never quite as good as fresh, but it’s a solid make-ahead option!

What is the best way to use fresh corn instead of frozen in this skillet corn with honey butter?

Oh, using fresh corn is wonderful, especially when it’s perfectly sweet! Since the cooking time relies on the corn being ready to heat through, you can’t just throw raw, hard kernels in there. You need to prep them first. If you look back in my Ingredient Notes, I mentioned this: you need to lightly cook (parboil or steam) about 4 ears of fresh corn first, let them cool just enough so you can handle them safely, and then slice those kernels right off the cob. That ensures they cook perfectly during the 6 to 8 minutes in the skillet!

How can I make this a spicier sweet corn side?

That is such a fun idea! If you like a little kick with your sweetness—which I often do when serving it as a barbecue side dish—you have a couple of great routes. The easiest way is stirring a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes in right when you are melting the butter and honey. Or! If you happen to have spicy honey, just use that instead of the regular honey. It lets the heat infuse right into the base sauce. Yum!

Nutritional Estimates for This Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter

Now, I know not everyone obsesses over the numbers like I do when I’m tracking my gluten-free needs, but it’s important to know what you’re eating, right? This Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish is rich because of all that delicious butter and cream cheese. It definitely feels like a treat!

Here are the estimates per serving, based on the recipe yielding 6 side dish servings. Keep in mind, since I’m a storyteller and not a lab technician, these numbers are a good general guide based on using standard ingredients. If you swap out the butter for oil or use less honey, your totals will obviously change!

• Calories: About 231 per serving
• Total Fat: Roughly 13 grams
• Carbohydrates: About 28 grams
• Protein: Around 5 grams

You’ll also get a nice bit of Vitamin A from the corn. It’s a cozy side dish, for sure, but totally worth it for how fast it comes together!

Share Your Experience Making This Perfect Side Dish

I poured my heart into sharing this incredibly simple Easy Skillet Corn with Honey Butter – Perfect Side Dish with you, hoping it brings back those warm memories for your family, too! Now it’s your turn to tell me everything!

Did you try the Boursin substitution? Did you add bacon? I absolutely live for reading your variations and hearing how this perfect side finished off your dinner plate!

Please take a moment to leave a quick rating below—even just five stars without a comment helps other cooks feel confident trying out this easy stovetop recipe. If you snapped a picture of your creamy, buttery corn, tag me on social media! I love seeing this sweet corn side on tables all over.

Happy cooking, friends!