Cornbread Muffins

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Forget the box! This homemade cornbread muffin recipe is quick, easy, and delivers the most tender, perfectly sweet cornbread you’ve ever tasted.

Cornbread muffins on a wire rack.

My kids love these cornbread muffins so much that I’m constantly swatting their hands away from the bread basket so they don’t fill up before the main course. Baking at dinnertime might seem ambitious, but these are super-easy to prepare. You can whip up the batter in ten minutes, and I usually serve them instead of a starch.

Pair them with seafood, BBQ chicken, ribs, beef chili or chicken tortilla soup. And try to save a few—leftovers are delicious for breakfast, reheated and slathered with honey butter or jam.

“Let me tell you, this recipe is perfect. My picky family loved them and my hubby almost ate the whole pan.”

Melissa

What You’ll Need To Make Cornbread Muffins

ingredients to make simple cornbread recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients. Begin by whisking the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the honey and milk and whisk to combine.

adding honey and milk to the eggs

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

whisking the dry ingredients

Step 3: Combine wet and dry. Add the egg mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients.

adding liquid ingredients and melted butter to dry ingredients

Step 4: Finish the batter. Whisk until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.

mixed cornbread muffin batter

Step 5: Prepare to bake. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. I think it’s easiest to use a muffin scoop.

cornbread muffins ready to bake

Step 6: Bake and cool. Bake for 17 to 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. The muffins are best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.

Cornbread muffins on a wire rack.

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Cornbread Muffins

Cornbread muffins on a wire rack.
These tender cornbread muffins are the perfect side to any Southern or Southwestern dish. You can whip up the batter in no time!
Servings: 12 muffins
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 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)
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). 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.

Notes

  • If you'd prefer to make this as cornbread rather than muffins, spray an 8-in (20-cm) square pan with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Freezing 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 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap them in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) 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

Per serving (12 servings)Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 305mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12g

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.

4.83 from 587 votes

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1,109 Comments

  • 5 stars
    So delicious, light and fluffy! My daughter said, “we should always make these”

  • I don’t have a muffin pan. Is it okay to use cupcake pan?

  • 5 stars
    Honestly these are just the best. Thank you for this perfect recipe. I’ve tried a few others when I am feeling like trying something new and always regret it. These win hands down. Thank you!!

  • 4 stars
    Absolutely delicious but a little salty. I used only 1/4 cup sugar and that was plenty. So moist!

  • Can you add frozen corn kernels to the batter? What about jalapenos?

    • Hi Susan, I think either of those add-ins should work. Please LMK how they turn out!

    • I have tried adding frozen corn (thawed first) to corn muffin recipes. Corn was not fully cooked when the muffins were done. I think if I really wanted corn in my muffins, I’d parboil the corn for a few minutes first.

  • 5 stars
    Made these and had them for breakfast over the last week! I would definitely make them again, they’re nice and moist (way too many cornbread recipes come out dry), and the taste is well balanced between salty and sweet.

    Thank you for publishing this recipe with the metric measurements as well as the cup measures! I much prefer going by weight for the sake of consistency, but it seems a lot of recipes go by cups only, so I was happy to see the option there.

  • 5 stars
    I made these last night as a side dish for chili. It took will power not to eat them all because they were so good!

  • What do you think about adding a can of creamed corn?

    • — Arlene Forster
    • Reply
    • I don’t recommend it here — sorry!

  • 5 stars
    The best cornbread muffins!!! Love your recipes Jen!
    I’ve been making these for the past 5yrs for Thanksgiving. And if I’m not hosting, I have to show up with a batch. My family loves them.

  • 5 stars
    Hi Jenn,
    I can’t say enough how much I love and trust all of your recipes. It’s like my family has the same taste buds as yours…. I’m writing to find out if it matters what kind of corn meal- fine ground, medium, coarse, or polenta (or is polenta redundant with one of the previous)? If it does matter, which do you recommend?

    Also, my family is gluten-free, and I find that if I substitute the GF flour, it turns out fine (including the honey cake for the high holidays!). Just sharing for others…

    Best,
    Patricia

    • You really can use any ground of cornmeal. I use Indian Head Brand stone ground corn meal. Hope you enjoy the muffins!