These Cornbread Muffins are made with creamed corn so they truly taste of corn and are more moist than traditional Southern cornbread. A terrific side and great for snacking, these corn muffins keep for days. THESE are the muffins I make over and over and over again!
This Cornbread Muffin recipe was originally published in October 2014. Recipe slightly improved, rewrote post, new photos, recipe video added – it’s a total refresh!
While many people associate cornbread as a Southern staple, there’s actually two distinct types of cornbread in the States – Southern and Northern style cornbread.
Cornbread from the South is typically (and I use that word loosely!) more crumbly and less sweet, made with just cornmeal, no flour (or very little flour). It doesn’t keep well and is best served with saucy things to dunk it into (Baked Beans Chili), or plenty of butter.
Northern Style cornbread is more cake like, owing to the addition of flour. The crumb is more tender, it’s springy, it doesn’t crumble and it’s usually sweeter.
This Cornbread Muffin recipe is a Northern style cornbread. Except I’ve adapted it to my taste with the addition of creamed corn which you don’t usually find in either Southern or Northern cornbread. Stronger corn flavour, and makes it moister!
Cornbread muffins are the reason I ALWAYS have creamed corn!
It feels unnatural to say that cans of creamed corn are a staple in my pantry. But they are – and it’s because of these cornbread muffins (and this 15 minute Chinese Corn Soup!).
I make these Cornbread Muffins ALOT.
These are the muffins I take to BBQ’s when I’m asked to bring a side (or if I’m told not to bring anything at all 😂).
These are the muffins I can make as a side dish for a midweek dinner because they are terrifically quick to mix up.
And these are the muffins I would choose out of a Muffin Line Up alongside every sweet muffin in existence! (Not to undermine the fabulousness of sweet muffins – it’s just that I am a savoury gal).
Creamed corn substitute
If you can’t get canned creamed corn, use this as a substitute (we tried it and it’s near perfect): Use 1 can of corn kernels. Put all the corn + 1/3 of the liquid in the can + 1 tbsp flour into a bowl. Then blitz with hand blender (or use blender) until you can’t see whole corn kernels anymore but there are still corn chunks (don’t to puree). Measure out and use in place of canned creamed corn in this recipe
Cornmeal vs polenta
The key ingredient in Cornbread Muffins is yellow cornmeal. Cornmeal is ground dried corn kernels – it comes in fine, medium and coarse ground.
Confusingly, cornmeal is labelled as polenta here in Australia.
But actually, polenta is a porridge like Italian side dish (their mashed potato!) that is made from cornmeal.
Confused? Don’t blame you.
All you need to remember is this: If you’re in Australia, buy the yellow ground stuff labelled polenta. That’s cornmeal! Brands I use include Marco Polo and Il Molino (both sold at Woolworths). Do not get instant polenta.
How to make cornmeal muffins
One of those delightfully easy “mix wet, mix dry, mix wet and dry together” muffins!
Dry – Whisk the Dry ingredients in a bowl.
Wet – Whisk the Wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Combine – Pour the Wet ingredients into the Dry ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Fill a standard muffin tin (brush the holes with melted butter).
Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Brush the tops with melted butter while hot, if desired. (I desire!)
How I eat cornbread muffins
These muffins are flavoured and moist enough to eat plain, especially when warm (fresh out of the oven or lightly reheated in the microwave). Having said that though, a little smear of softened salted butter will elevate it, then to take it over the top, add a little drizzle of honey. IT IS SO GOOD!
Then as a side dish, it is made for eating with southern and barbecue flavoured foods, such as:
A big pot of Southern Baked Beans
With these Cornbread Muffins being one of my personal favourite recipes and give that patience is not one of my greatest virtues, I first shared this recipe back when I started this website in 2014. I’ve been looking forward to updating this post with new photos and more importantly, adding a recipe video!
So to any Southerner reading this recipe – don’t judge me for using creamed corn in this! It might not be authentic but it’s darn tasty, with terrific corn flavour and these stay moist for days!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml / 115 g butter , melted unsalted
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml milk , any fat %
- 1 CUP canned creamed corn (NOT 1 CAN!!!)
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (sold in packets labelled "polenta" in Australia) (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) flour (plain/all purpose)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (110g) white sugar (can reduce to 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Baking:
- Extra melted butter for greasing and brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Brush a 12 hole standard muffin tin with melted butter.
- Combine Dry ingredients in a bowl and give them a quick stir to combine.
- Whisk Wet ingredients in a bowl until combined.
- Pour Wet into Dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tray – use it all up, fill the holes right up!
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove muffin tray from the oven. Optional: Brush tops with melted butter. Cool for 5 minutes then remove muffins onto a rack.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Cornbread Muffin recipe was originally published in October 2014. Recipe slightly improved, rewrote post, new photos, recipe video added – it’s a total refresh!
Life of Dozer
It was raining today, so we went shopping (for ME!😂). I live in a VERY dog friendly neighbourhood!
I needed something to go with my chilli con carne other than rice and ended up discovering this amazing recipe!!! It was so easy and so delicious. I already made my second batch. I know I will be baking this again and again! Thank you Nagi!
I have cooked this recipe a few times now. I change it up by adding small diced, cooked Spam, diced pickled jalapenos and shredded cheese mix.
So, excited I forgot to rate!!
Just out of the oven now! So yum. I used SR flour as that’s what was available. Also used grated Parmesan and only 1 tablespoon of sugar. Savoury with just a dash of sweetness. Might try it with some feta next time. Have to go and taste test my second one now 😂
My boyfriend made these the first time and accidentally used a full can of creamed corn, and purposely reduced the sugar to 1/4 cup. We don’t love super sweet foods. It was excellent! I loved it a lot, though we agreed we could tolerate a little more sugar.
Next time we used 1/3 cup sugar, and again the full can of corn, on purpose this time, and it’s truly the best cornbread I’ve ever had. I don’t think I’ll ever try another cornbread recipe again.
Growing up I liked cornbread but it was a bit dry. Now it feels more like a muffin and is nice and soft.
If I wanted to make bite size mini muffins with this recipe, how long would you recommend baking these for?
My new corn muffin recipe – after 40+ years of corn muffin cookery! Used pure powdered honey for white sugar.
Great recipe, thanks Nagi. Perfect accompaniment to pumpkin soup. Made when rest of the cupboard is bare! Used a can of corn kernels as suggested to make the creamed corn, and put the whole lot into the recipe.
Amazing recipe, so moist and buttery although I do find it’s best served straight from the oven. My son loves them so I also grate zucchini into them. Freezes great to
Making these in Brissy as we wait for cyclone Alfred to hit- hopefully a tasty snack on hand when the power goes out! I add half a cup of chopped grilled peppers, a cup of grated cheddar, a tablespoon crushed garlic, some smoked paprika and some chopped parsley. My favourite way to eat them is slice in two and smeared with spreadable goats cheese and Ajvar 🤤🤤🤤
These were delicious! I reduced the sugar to two dessert spoons and that was sweet enough for us. Next time I make them, might leave the sugar out completely and put some cheese in instead. The muffins freeze well.
My husband and I love these cornbread muffins. I’m allergic to chicken eggs so I use ducks eggs but duck eggs are crazy expensive so I use one egg and a full can of creamed corn and it’s fantastic.
Can I suggest rather than adding wet to dry, add dry to wet. The dry ingredient bowl can then just be rinsed to save washing up.
Thanks for the info Kim. Very helpful. Oh and Nagi, great meal. We bake it basically every week. Thank you.
Canada:
These were fantastic cornbread muffins! Moist and delicious, I added cheddar and jalapenos. Unlike ordinary cornbread muffins these ones don’t crumble appart! I will absolutely make these again.
Awesome recipe! Took me back to brunch at Sarabeth’s in NYC – thanks so much Nagi. Also did with GF flour, 1/4 cup of sugar AND added a can of drained corn kernels. So good!
This is the best cornbread ever! I do use an entire can of creamed corn instead of 1 cup and it is absolutely delicious, but that’s the only change I make to the recipe. 10/10 recipe
Hi Nagi, thanks for these corn muffins – superb! I just made them and had to force myself to stop after eating 2! I reduced the sugar to 1/4 cup, but otherwise followed it exactly, and it was the perfect level of sweetness for me.
I just ate them on their own, as is. Will definitely make them again – Nagi, can they be made in the oven in a cast-iron skillet, and if so, would I lengthen the cooking time a little? Many thanks. Love to you and Dozer! 🌺
Making these to have with a White Chilli tomorrow. Noted your suggestion for leftovers, I suggest adding ham and hot mustard to that toast/corn/cheese combo, been eating that since I was a teenager!
Totally yummy, great on their own or with my minestrone soup – reminds me of my Texas schooldays! An excellent and simple recipe.
These are fantastic! Made them as mini muffins with gluten free flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Perfect.
Absolutely delicious. As a coeliac I needed to make a few minor tweaks to the recipe. I substituted the flour with GF SR flour (but only added 1 and 1/3 cups because GF flour bakes drier than normal flour), I still kept the baking powder because GF always needs an extra rise, and I added 1/4 cup extra creamed corn and I boosted the butter to 130gm. So yum! Now I’m waiting to see how my brisket turns out.