About This Recipe

Cornbread muffins are the individual-portion version of one of the most important quick breads in American culinary history. The muffin format makes them practical for serving alongside soups, stews, barbecue, and chilli, providing a portable portion of the golden, slightly sweet bread that no other side dish can replicate.

The debate between sweet Northern-style cornbread and unsweetened Southern-style cornbread is one of the most earnest culinary discussions in American food culture. This recipe takes the practical middle ground of a small amount of sugar that adds flavour depth without making the cornbread taste like cake. Those who want the traditional Southern unsweetened version can simply omit the sugar entirely.

Buttermilk is the preferred liquid for cornbread muffins, its acidity reacting with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to produce a particularly tender, light crumb. The combination of buttermilk and the natural sweetness of the cornmeal produces a flavour that is simultaneously simple and satisfying.

History and Origins

Cornbread has been made in North America since before European colonisation, when Indigenous peoples ground dried corn into meal and made various flat breads from it. European colonists adopted cornbread making and adapted their European quick bread traditions to use the abundant corn. Cornbread muffins became a practical format for serving the bread individually in the 20th century.

Cornbread Muffins

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Cupcakes

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

18

minutes

Calories

2280

kcal

Ingredients

• •t150g fine cornmeal

• •t150g plain flour

• •t60g white sugar

• •t2 tsp baking powder

• •t0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• •t0.5 tsp salt

• •t2 large eggs

• •t240ml buttermilk

• •t80ml neutral oil or melted butter

Directions

• Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin generously or line with cases.
• Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
• Whisk eggs, buttermilk and oil together.
• Fold wet into dry until just combined.
• Divide between tin holes filling three quarters full.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
• Serve warm.

Notes

• Use fine cornmeal rather than coarse polenta for these muffins. Coarse polenta produces an unpleasantly gritty texture. Fine cornmeal produces the smooth, tender crumb that defines good cornbread.
  Greasing the tin directly rather than using paper cases produces a crispier, more golden exterior crust which is the characteristic finish of classic Southern cornbread. Paper cases work but produce a softer exterior.
  Do not overmix the batter. A few lumps are perfectly fine and produce a more tender result than a completely smooth batter. Overmixing makes cornbread tough.
  These are best eaten warm from the oven with a generous amount of salted butter pressed into the split surface. The contrast of the warm, slightly sweet bread and the cold, salty butter is one of the great simple eating pleasures.
  Melted butter in place of oil produces a richer, more flavourful cornbread at the cost of a slightly less moist crumb. Butter is worth using if serving these as a side dish to a special meal.
  For the crispiest exterior preheat the greased tin in the hot oven for 5 minutes before adding the batter. Pouring the batter into a hot tin causes an immediate sizzle that sets a crisp crust.
  Leftover cornbread muffins are excellent crumbled into a bowl and topped with warm chilli or stew, a traditional Southern serving method called cornbread crumble.

Make Ahead Tips

Best eaten the day of baking. Keep at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat in a 160C oven for 5 minutes or microwave for 20 seconds. Freeze for 3 months.

Storage and Serving

Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. These are best fresh and warm. Reheat before serving as the texture stales quickly at room temperature. Freeze for up to 3 months and reheat from frozen in a 180C oven for 10 minutes.

Variations and Substitutions

Add 100g of grated mature cheddar and 1 to 2 diced jalapenos for a cheese and jalapeno cornbread muffin that is one of the most popular savoury muffin variations. Add a tin of drained sweetcorn kernels to the batter for extra corn flavour and a pleasant textural addition. Add 100g of diced crispy bacon to the batter for a smoky, savoury version. Replace buttermilk with coconut milk and add a tablespoon of honey for a sweeter, tropical version. Add smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne for a spiced version that pairs particularly well with black bean dishes. Make a cast iron skillet cornbread by pouring all the batter into one greased and preheated cast iron pan and baking for 22 to 25 minutes for the crispiest, most authentic result. Serve mini versions as canapé bases topped with pulled pork or smoked salmon.

You might also like

Banana Nut Muffins Blueberry Muffins Cinnamon Sugar Muffins Strawberry Muffins Pumpkin Muffins Carrot Cake Muffins