With just a touch of sweetness, these moist and tender southern Cornbread Muffins are so darn good! The simple 8-ingredient recipe is super quick and easy making it possible to have warm ready to eat muffins on the table in just 30 minutes!
The Best Cornbread Muffins Recipe
For me, a good Cornbread Muffins recipe is a must have! They are so simple to whip together and made with just a handful of basic ingredients but have so much soul for a little muffin. So whether I’m eating them with a big bowl of Chili, with a rack of yummy BBQ Baby Back Ribs, or just alone with a dollop of butter and honey, they are one of my favorite southern foods.
And I find that this easy recipe is not one that I really need to plan ahead to make. The batter comes together in just 5 minutes and the muffins only take about 20 minutes to bake. So it’s not unusual for me to make a quick batch on the fly, because there is nothing better than warm comforting corn muffins right out of the oven!
Why We Love These Cornbread Muffins
- Quick and Easy! This is an 8-ingredient recipe that takes just 30 minutes to make! All you need is a few basic pantry ingredients and a muffin pan!
- Southern Classic! So tender and tasty with a dash of sweetness, simple cornbread muffins are a well-known southern classic.
- Family Favorite! These muffins go with almost any meal from chili to BBQ. They can even be served as an after-dinner treat. Your whole family will love them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shortening – Vegetable shortening is the fat used in the muffin batter, but you can also use room-temperature unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar is used to add a touch of sweetness.
- Eggs – You will need a large egg to help bind the muffins.
- Milk – I always use whole milk or 2%, but any type of milk you have on hand is fine including plant-based varieties.
- Flour – Simple all-purpose flour is all you need for this recipe.
- Baking Powder – Used as a leavening agent it helps the corn muffins rise.
- Salt – A dash of salt balances the sweetness of the sugar with the cornmeal.
- Cornmeal – The star ingredient! Basic cornmeal gives the muffins their color, texture, and yummy taste.
How To Make Cornbread Muffins
This recipe is super easy! I use a mixer to make my muffins, which I recommend. However, you can make this recipe by hand if you prefer. Just make sure to combine the ingredients together well before folding in the cornmeal and you should be all set!
Preheat The Oven And Prep The pan
First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it nice and hot before you even begin making the cornbread muffin batter. Next, grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter or spray it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the muffins from sticking. You can also use paper muffin liners if you prefer. Then set the pan aside for now.
Make The Batter
Now that your oven is turned on and your pan is prepped, you can make the batter! Add the shortening and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix them together using the paddle attachment. Then add the egg and milk and continue mixing until everything is well combined.
Bake The Muffins
To bake, fill each of the greased muffin cups about 2/3 full of batter. It’s important that you don’t overfill the cups and that all of them are filled about the same amount so that they bake evenly. Then transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake the muffins for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden on top. When they are done, a toothpick should come out clean.
What Else Can I Add To The Muffins?
For the most part, you can add anything you like to the batter. But do keep in mind that wet ingredients such as frozen corn or fruit can throw the batter off. So for example, if you want to add corn, it’s best to add canned corn or defrost frozen corn first. Some other yummy additions include jalapeños, shredded cheddar, bacon, or even blueberries for a sweeter cornbread muffin.
Can I Make Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins?
Probably yes, but I’ve not tried. However, make sure to use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour that has xanthan gum in it, which acts as a replacement for the gluten that is naturally in all-purpose flour and the recipe should work perfectly.
Expert Tips
- Grease the pan well. Be sure to grease the pan well with butter or cooking spray to prevent the muffins from sticking. If you skip this step they will stick even if you are using a nonstick pan.
- Don’t overmix the batter. You need to gently fold the cornmeal into the batter at the end. Overmixing will result in dense muffins.
- Make 12 muffins. It may seem easier just to put more batter in fewer muffin cups but your results will not be as good. This recipe was designed to make 12 muffins.
Storage
Leftover homemade cornbread muffins can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 to 3 days at room temperature or for about a week in the fridge. To reheat, you can put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds or in the toaster oven for about 2 to 3 minutes.
You can also store the muffins in the freezer for about 3 months in a sealed freezer bag. Then just allow them to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours before eating or reheating.
Other delicious Muffin Recipes To Try
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
- Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
Craving More? Follow Along:
Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup shortening or unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1¼ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cornmeal
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a muffin tin with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer and the shortening and sugar and mix well. Add the egg and milk to this and continue mixing until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the mixer bowl and mix in with the shortening mixture until well combined. Fold in the cornmeal just until incorporated into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the greased muffin pan, only ⅔ full.
- Transfer the muffin pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Tips & Notes:
- Grease the pan well. Be sure to grease the pan well with butter or cooking spray to prevent the muffins from sticking. If you skip this step they will stick even if you are using a nonstick pan.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. You need to gently fold the cornmeal into the batter at the end. Over-mixing will result in dense muffins.
- Make 12 muffins. It may seem easier just to put more batter in fewer muffin cups but your results will not be as good. This recipe was designed to make 12 muffins.
- Leftover homemade cornbread muffins can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 to 3 days at room temperature or for about a week in the fridge. To reheat, you can put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds or in the toaster oven for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- You can also store the muffins in the freezer for about 3 months in a sealed freezer bag. Then just allow them to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours before eating or reheating.
