For the Hot Honey:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the honey over low heat. Once warm, add in the peppers and crushed red pepper and cook for another couple minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and allow the honey to cool to room temperature while the peppers steep in it.
3. Strain and discard the peppers before using the honey (or reserve them for serving later).

For the Cornbread:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat while you mix up the cornbread batter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan and then remove it from the heat. Whisk in the hot honey and brown sugar until smooth (reserve the remaining honey for serving!).
4. Whisk the egg and buttermilk into the butter mixture until smooth.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. Resist the urge to overmix the batter.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the hot pan in the oven and allow it to melt and sizzle.
7. Carefully and quickly pour the cornbread batter into the hot pan and spread it out evenly.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp around the edges and set in the middle.
9. Serve warm with additional butter and the leftover hot honey drizzled over top. I like to serve it topped with some of the honeyed hot pepper slices as well.