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Hi Bold Bakers!
If your kitchen is anything like mine, there has been a lot of delicious baking going on lately! The days have been sunny but cool enough for a big sweater, and what better way to warm things up and brighten spirits than to turn on the oven and fill your kitchen with all the good smells.
All this baking has been pretty sweet, and as much as we love that around here, sometimes it’s nice to mix things up. That’s where my easy, delicious cornbread muffins come in! They are a touch sweet, but also full of rich, salty bacon and some diced jalapeños for flavors that not only build on and complement each other but will add something decidedly different to your baking repertoire.
My cornbread muffins are equally at home on a breakfast plate with a side of eggs as they are on the dinner table next to a steaming bowl of stew or chili. Make them in the morning and enjoy them all day!
What Are Cornbread Muffins?
Cornbread muffins are made with cornmeal, which is ground from dried corn kernels. It comes in various textures, from fine to coarse. Cornmeal is different from the very finely ground corn flour (which should not be used in my recipe). Cornbread muffins have a lovely texture that is coarser and homier than muffins made just from all-purpose flour, and the taste and texture of the corn lends itself perfectly to a more savory flavor.
The Corn In Cornbread Muffins
The wonderful texture of a cornbread muffin is made with both medium ground cornmeal and whole corn kernels. For the corn kernels, you can use canned (and drained) or frozen kernels, or shave them right off a fresh ear of corn if that’s what you have!
What Tools Will I Need?
- Two 12 cup muffin tins
- 15 paper muffin liners
- Two mixing bowls
- Measuring tools
- A wire whisk
- A pastry brush
How To Make Cornbread Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two muffin tins with the paper liners.
- In a bowl, combine the wet ingredients: buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, honey, bacon, jalapenos, and corn kernels.
- In a second bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until well mixed.
- Let the batter sit for 15 minutes to let. cornmeal hydrate
- Fill the prepared muffin cups with the batter ¾ of the way up.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, until the muffins have domed tops.
- Reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 5-7 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Wait until the muffins are cool enough to handle before removing them from the pan.
How Do I Store Cornbread Muffins?
Store cornbread muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven or pop in the microwave before eating.
Gemma’s Pro Tips For Cornbread Muffins
- Which grind is best? Use medium grind cornmeal for these muffins for the best texture. A fine grind will work as well and will create a finer textured muffin.
- Protect your fingers! Seeding and chopping jalapenos can hurt the delicate skin around your fingers, and the spicy sting can stay long after you have washed your hands. Protect your fingers when handling spicy peppers by using gloves or handling only with a fork and knife. I have even covered my hands with a leftover plastic produce bag from the grocery store in a pinch!
- Don’t have buttermilk? Make your own buttermilk substitute with milk and lemon juice.
- Rest your batter! Letting your cornbread muffin batter rest for 15 minutes before baking allows the cornmeal to fully hydrate, ensuring muffins that are soft and tender.
- Don’t overfill! The structure of cornmeal is not as strong as in all-purpose flour, and if you fill the muffin cups too high, they will spill over onto the tin instead of rising. They will still taste delicious, but they won’t look as pretty.
Make More Muffins!
- Best-Ever Blueberry Muffins
- Bakery-Style Double Chocolate Muffins
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Crazy Muffins: One Base Muffin Recipe, Endless Flavors
And don’t forget to buy a copy of my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Try These Recipes!
Simple & Savory Cornbread Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8floz/225ml) buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons (2oz/57g) butter, melted
- ½ cup (4floz/115ml) honey
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup (4.6oz/130g) corn kernels
- 4 slices of cooked bacon, finely chopped
- 2 fresh medium jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 1 ¼ cup (6 ¼ oz/177g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) medium grind yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two muffin tins with 15 paper liners.
- Combine buttermilk, melted butter, honey, eggs, corn kernels, jalapenos, and bacon in a bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until well mixed.
- Before proceeding, let the batter sit for 15 minutes to let the cornmeal fully hydrate.
- Fill the prepared muffin cups with the batter ¾ of the way up.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes on an upper-middle rack in your oven, until the muffins rise and have domed tops.
- Reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 5-7 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing muffins from the pan.
- These muffins are best enjoyed warm! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
can u make bakery-style sweet corn muffins? Like in a NY bagel shop:)
Hi Gemma! Can this be made ahead? Can i store the batter overnight and bake this in the morning? Thanks!
Hi…wat can we used if cornmeal is not available??
With the difficulty in finding grocery items, I was only able to find self-rising corn meal. Is there a way to convert this recipe to use that?
Hi Gemma greetings!
Since I don’t eat meat, can I substitute the bacon with some vegetables ? Like carrots? I can cut them out like bacon slices and lightly poach them before using in this recipe ? Could I also add finely chopped spring onions ?
I have corn kernels. Could I soak and grind it ?
Thanks,
Shruthi
Hi Gemma,
Since we are vegetarians and don’t eat eggs or meat, any substitutes for eggs?
Thanks
Would this work without the corn kernels please?
How can I adjust recipe if I leave out the honey. Do not care for sweet cornbread.
Thank you for sharing this, I’ve been waiting for this recipe
Thank you for this recipe ????