Cornbread Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
These tender cornbread muffins are the perfect side to any Southern or Southwestern dish. You can whip up the batter in no time!
These tender and sweet cornbread muffins are the perfect side to BBQ chicken, ribs or beef chili. My kids love them so much that I’m constantly swatting their hands away from the bread basket so they don’t fill up before the main course. I know that baking at dinnertime might seem a little ambitious but these muffins are super-easy to prepare. You can whip up the batter in ten minutes, and I usually serve them instead of a starch. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast, reheated and slathered with honey butter or jam.
Table of Contents
“Let me tell you, this recipe is perfect. My picky family loved them and my hubby almost ate the whole pan.”
What You’ll Need To Make Cornbread Muffins
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the eggs in a medium bowl.
Add the honey and milk and whisk to combine.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients.
Whisk until just combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden. Note that they will not dome.
Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm with softened butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to three months. Thaw for 3 for 4 hours on the countertop before serving.
The muffins are best served fresh from the oven, but leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To reheat, wrap them in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F-oven until hot. Alternatively, you can heat muffins in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or muffins will get tough.
Yes, see my simple cornbread recipe for instructions.
You May Also Like
Cornbread Muffins
These tender cornbread muffins are the perfect side to any Southern or Southwestern dish. You can whip up the batter in no time!
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup milk (preferably whole but low-fat works too)
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. (I prefer to use non-stick cooking spray so the muffins get nice and crisp on the edges.)
- In a medium bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in the honey, and then the milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just blended. Do not overmix; it's okay if there are a few lumps. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden. (Note that the muffins will not dome.) Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm.
- Note: If you'd prefer to make this as cornbread rather than muffins, spray an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Cornbread muffins taste best when served right out of the oven but can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 for 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap them in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot. Alternatively, heat muffins in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or muffins will get tough.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Sugar: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 305 mg
- Cholesterol: 53 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I am excited to try this recipe. Others have asked about corn kernels. How would you adapt your recipe to creamed corn? I love your recipes.
Hi Kathleen, I don’t recommend creamed corn for this recipe. If you’d like a recipe that uses creamed corn, you may want to consider this spoon bread. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Can I use medium grind cornmeal?
Sure, Tammy, that’s fine. Enjoy!
Absolutely LOVE these delicious cornbread muffins! They’re just the right amount of buttery sweetness, and were the perfect compliment to the homemade ham and bean soup! Thank you so much for this recipe! Wayyyy better than Jiffy box mix!
If I only have salted butter should I leave out the salt?
Hi Joanne, I would reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon. Enjoy!
If I want to make these as mini muffins how much baking time would you recommend? Thanks so much!
Hi Patty, I’d start checking minis at 10 to 12 minutes. Enjoy!
This was a total hit in our house. Husband had 3…..I haven’t had the best of luck making cornbread for some reason but this came out perfect. Thank you once again.
Jenn– I have a question about this recipe. I love it and have made it several times. But I was wondering, do you think it would work in a non-muffin form? Could I make this in a cast iron skillet? If so, how long do you think for bake time? Thanks!
Hi Chris, I think this would work in a cast iron pan. One other reader commented that she did that and baked it at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. I’m not sure what size that person’s pan was though, so keep a close eye on it. Please report back if you try it!
Just tried this recipe because my son loves corn muffins and I must say that these are by far the best I’ve made. They’re delicious! The honey really takes the flavor to another level.
This came out very well! Can’t wait to make it again!
Recipe was simple to follow and easy to put together. I only used a little less than 1/4 cup of sugar. I only had corn flour vs meal so I added equal parts white flour and corn flour. They came out super soft and were tasty. I would add less salt next time. They probably came out a little salty due to the fact I added less sugar. I should have lightened the salt to counterbalance. Great base recipe and will add blueberries or chopped green onion next time for a variation.
These were delicious! I had to make them dairy free so I replaced the milk and butter with almond milk, margarine and a splash of lemon juice. Sooo delicious. I even found an adorable vintage corn shaped tin to make them in.
These cornbread muffins are amazing. I have been making cornbread for over 40 years and decided tonight to try a different recipe. These are by far the best.
These were easy to make and delicious.
Can frozen corn be added?
Sure – enjoy!
What kind of sugar do you use? Excited to make!!!
Hi Mary, You’ll need granulated sugar for these. Hope you enjoy!
Do I need to adjust the receipe for high altitude? I live in a town about 6000 ft above.
Hi Fanny, Thanks for your note. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
I live at 6200 ft and made the recipe as it was written. They were perfect.
Absolutely the BEST!
Very easy to make and turned out delicious. I have tried many corn bread variations and this one is up there! I had to freeze some but, after thawing, they reheat nice in the toaster oven. My muffins did dome on the top – maybe I over mixed the batter? Can’t tell from the taste though. Thanks for posting this!
easy recipe and delicious! I followed other’s comments and increased cornmeal, decreased sugar- so good. also tried a few with jalapeño.
Easy recipe and perfect portion-controlled accompaniment to chili!
These are my husband’s favourite muffins. I’m going to be making them again tomorrow. They are quick to make and always turn out beautifully! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I made these last night and they’re gone! They were so delicious! I baked mine at 400 degrees for the first 5 minutes to allow them to rise with a nice dome on top and then I turned them down to 350 for the remainder of the baking time.
Thanks for a delicious recipe! I used 1/2 gluten free flour and half spelt flour and full fat oat milk because it’s what I had on hand. Still they turned out wonderfully. This recipe made 8 large muffins for me that did dome. I thought they were a smidge too sweet but my son stated they are perfect as is.
I searched the internet once again in hopes of finding an edible cornbread muffin. Well thank goodness for Once Upon A Chef’s recipe. I made this recipe for a church function and got compliments galore! I have to say they taste delicious! I followed recipe exactly, made 36 muffins and everyone turned out beautiful with none stuck to the tin, none burned or worst not done in the middle. I will continue making these and will never make any changes on the recipe! Why? 50 yrs in the kitchen and never made a muffin I was proud of until now!! It’s practically a miracle!
I made these muffins today. They were beautiful (looked exactly like the ones on the picture) and their taste also was great. And they are also really quick and easy to prepare. But I used polenta, as I couldn’t find any other kind of corn meal here (I live in Germany) and that remained quite coarse, a bit like sand between the teeth. So is corn meal different and is there anything I could do about this if I want to make them another time?
Hi Anke, your best bet is to use cornmeal (which perhaps you could order online). If not, I think you could get away with using the polenta if you gave it a quick whirl in a food processor or blender to make the grains a bit smaller. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the quick answer. And I will certainly try one of your suggestions.
These were really good and came out perfect, not too crumby, not too stiff. Only thing I changed was gluten free flour instead but followed all the measurements and instructions. Awesome recipe
Hi, can this recipe be doubled just by doubling the ingredients?
Thanks
Sure!
Hello
OK to make this in a cast iron skillet? Thank you Jenn. Love all the recipes.
Hi Mary, Sure, I think that would work. I’m not sure how long it will take though, so just keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hello. Delish. Cast iron for 25 minutes at 350. Made two. The second one I put about 3/4 batter in the skillet, then added pulled pork and finished with remaining batter. Also 25 minutes. YUM. thank you.
Wow, I never bother to leave reviews, but this is SO much better than other corn bread recipes I’ve made before. The honey and butter (I browned mine) really made it! And I don’t know if my muffin tin is a little smaller but my muffins domed a lot! Whole family loved these!
I’ve tried so many recipes from this site growing up and I truly trust Jennifer with all my heart when it comes to amazing recipes! I tried this cornbread recipe out and was not disappointed!!! It’s so tender and has the perfect balance of moisture. I also got domes on mine! Since I prefer sweeter cornbread, I would add less salt next time and a little extra sugar as the salt was pretty prominent. Other than that, amazing recipe!
I made these today for a catering event & they are the best cornbread recipe I’ve ever tasted! Mine even had a dome! Thanks very much!
I am 76 yrs old and have tried a lot of cornbread muffin recipes. Today I decided to try a new recipe and yours caught my eye. These are the BEST muffins I have ever made. This is a keeper, all my other cornbread recipes are going in the garbage. Can’t top this one !!!! I did not change a thing, followed the recipe exactly the way it was given. When I was younger we always ate it as a dessert with molasses. Still do the same thing to this day. Thank you so much for sharing.
The easiest and the best recipe ever! I make over and over again, my daughter loves it.
I love, love, love this recipe. I always make sure I have some of the cornmeal muffins in my freezer. They turned out perfectly, they taste delicious, I give it top ratings.Susan
I don’t have any milk on hand. Which would be a better substitute: unsweetened coconut milk (carton, not can) or half and half?
Hi Valerie, I’d thin the half and half with a bit of water and you’ll be good to go.
Thanks so much! And thank you for being my go-to resource for reliably great recipes. I’ve made so many of yours and always love them!!
Can I use buttermilk instead of normal milk?
Thanks,
Charlotte
I don’t recommend it, Charlotte — sorry!
I did make this with buttermilk and they were outstanding.
I used 1/2 buttermilk, 1/2 half and half and it turned out fine.
Need recipe for oatmeal cookies
Hi Jean, here is my recipe for oatmeal cookies. For future reference, you can search for any recipe (or ingredient) you’d like by using the search function on each page of the blog. (Just click on the little magnifying glass you see in the upper right corner.) Hope you enjoy the cookies if you make them!
I substituted buttermilk and they were amazing.
I substituted buttermilk and they were amazing.
Wowza! I have been looking for an easy corn muffin recipe that doesn’t get too dry. I made mini muffins…just sprayed the muffin pan with no stick spray….and it made 32. Best ever!
I also used buttermilk and they turned out fantastic! Great recipe.
How long did you leave them in for?
PERFECTION FOR PERFECTIONISTS!
These are absolutely the BEST cornbread muffins ever. Perfect with soup, easy to make, moist, fluffy and SCRUMPTIOUS. (especially warm with a little honey butter). It’s official Jenn, I’m a fan! My very very very picky foodie aunt who mostly eats French food said « I don’t eat muffins, I only like croissants with my soup. »… I made her take one bite and then she ate three muffins in 3 minutes flat! This is now only the third ‘fan letter’ I’ve ever written …the third review I’ve posted your blog. I guess I can no longer refer to myself as someone who doesn’t write reviews or fan letters! 🙂 Thanks for bringing such joy to me and my family with your absolutely amazing recipes.
💗
Yummy!!
I am going to give this a try but am considering minis. How long should the small ones stay in?
Hi Tracie, I’d start checking them at 10 to 12 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious! For dietary reasons, I used monkfruit and Sweet As Honey instead of the sugar/honey. Turned out great. Perfect with a cup of chili and a salad.
This is my favourite corn meal muffin recipe so far. Hadn’t made cornmeal muffins in years, but started with this recipe about six months ago. Very moist ( pardon the term!). Great flavour.
Hi!
Can I add a bit more all-purpose flour to have it not soo crumbly? Or is there anything I can add to make it not soo crumbly. I love the flavor but the muffin falls apart sometimes after taking a bite.
What new measurements would you recommend?
Hi Kathleen, feel free to change the ratios; I use 1-1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup cornmeal. Hope that helps!
These corn muffins were too dry. Crumbled easily.
Overbeating the batter can cause corn muffins to crumble and taste dry. I would suggest blending the flour and the wet ingredients until just mixed. I had a boyfriend once help me make cornbread muffins using a mixer and the poor things just crumbled on contact.
HELP! 🙏 There are so many recipes out there but the consistency is either gummy and tastes like Play-Doh I ate when I was 2, or so dry, a drink is NOT OPTIONAL. This muffin recipe was almost perfect but still too dry. I’d welcome and appreciate any suggested adjustments or tips to help them turn out a bit more moist this time around! Thanks in advance 😃
Hi Linzy, Sorry you found these to be dry! Dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely. Also, did you serve them on the same day? Like most homemade cakes/muffins, they don’t stay fresh for long.
Excellent cornbread muffins. I added 1/4 cup of corn. Will definitely make again.
Made these to pair with Best Ground Beef Chili!! Not much of a baker and these turned out amazing!
These cornbread muffins came out delicious.
These turned out well, but I did halve the sugar, which was the right move. Will make again!
I have made this recipe several times. The cornbread is tender and has nice flavor. I used 2% milk and eliminated 1tbs of the sugar and it was sweet enough for us. Will definitely continue to make.
These are fantastic! We make mini muffins, which are ideal for our small grandchildren. They are the perfect pairing with a bowl of chilli, freezer friendly, and make great lunch box snacks. The best cornbread muffins!!
Hi Jenn, can i use polenta (finely ground) for this?
Sure, polenta should work. Hope you enjoy!
My mom LOVES these muffins. She is a diabetic, so make mini muffins are ideal for her. They taste just as good several weeks after being frozen. You can eat them at room temperature, but I put them in the toaster oven for a few minutes (even if still frozen) and they come out delicious. My family keeps wanting me to make more of them. So I think next time, I will double the recipe. Thank you so much for a great cornbread recipe. I’ve tried many, but this is the best.
Also for reheating I like to split them in half (like a bun) and fry them gently in some butter. This is the way we do it in Boston, gives you a nice crunchy exterior, softer interior. Great with a cup of coffee for breakfast.