This recipe for Easy Homemade Corn Muffins is pure perfection! These simple muffins have a crusty exterior and a tender cornbread interior.
Serve the delicious muffins for breakfast or as a side with Chili Con Carne.
It’s hard to beat a light and fluffy cornbread muffin with a buttery, brown exterior. They can be enjoyed in so many ways – from breakfast to a side for Chili Con Carne.
Why This Recipe Works
- No special ingredients are needed – No buttermilk, or canned creamed corn – just simple, fine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, butter, milk, and eggs.
- It’s simple to prepare – no soaking the cornmeal or special equipment – just a bowl and a wooden spoon are needed for this recipe.
- Melted Butter adds flavor to this recipe instead of the usual vegetable oil most recipes call for. It’s also added to the pan to promote that beautifully browned exterior.
Should Corn Muffins Be Sweet?
This is a There is much debate on whether Corn Muffins should have sugar. Where you stand, usually depends on where in America you live.
These corn muffins can be made with or without sugar to suit your taste.
I make them semi-sweet, but you can adjust the recipe according to how you like your cornbread.
Test the sweetness of the batter by making a mini pancake in a frying pan and adjusting the sweetness as needed before baking the muffins.
What Cornmeal Is Best
For this recipe, I recommend fine cornmeal (known in some countries as ‘Polenta Flour’). Fine cornmeal makes a much more moist and tender muffin.
Getting A Crispy Exterior On Cornbread Muffins
The trick to the buttery, golden crust on these corn muffins is brushing a metal pan with melted butter and heating the pan in the oven before adding the batter.
It doesn’t take much butter, so I just add an extra teaspoon to the recipe. Dip a brush in the melted butter and brush it over the sections in the pan.
Place the buttered pan in the preheated oven while you mix the batter. Then add the batter to the heated, buttered pan.
How To Make Corn Muffins
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Form a well into the middle of the mixture.
Add the eggs, milk, melted butter, and oil into the well of dry ingredients.
Mix until combined.
Divide batter into the heated, buttered pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
These muffins are served warm with butter (and maybe a little honey or jam)
Tips For Best Results
- This recipe calls for fine cornmeal. Using coarse cornmeal may result in a dry muffin.
- Be sure not to over mix the batter. I recommend using a simple wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer as the overworked batter will result in a heavy, dense muffin.
- Lumps are fine. When making corn muffins, you want a few lumps in the batter. They’ll hydrate during baking give texture.
- Always check cornmeal for freshness. Cornmeal can go bad. Good cornmeal will have a sweet smell. Rancid cornmeal will smell stale and musty.
More Great Recipes
Variations
- Bacon & Cheddar Corn Muffins: Add ¾ cup of grated cheddar and 1 cup of cooked, chopped bacon before adding to the pan.
- Honey Corn Muffins: Add 1 cup of honey to the batter when adding the other wet ingredients.
FAQs
Wrap well or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want your corn muffins to stay fresh for longer, store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, they freeze well. To freeze, add the cooled muffins to a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, leave to thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
This recipe uses fine cornmeal (the photo below) also known as Polenta flour in the UK and Europe. This results in a light, fluffy and moist texture. Using coarse cornmeal will result in a much drier muffin.
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Let’s Make Easy Homemade Corn Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fine cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar more or less depending on how sweet you like your muffins
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 1 stick (plus 1 teaspoon) salted butter melted and cooled
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 f/ 220c Prepare a muffin pan by brushing a thin coating of melted butter over the sections in the pan. Place the buttered pan in the preheated oven while you mix the batter.
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well into the middle of the mixture.
- Mix egg, milk, melted butter, and oil in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the well of dry ingredients; mix well.
- Divide batter into the heated, buttered muffin pan, filling them 3/4 of the way. This makes a large muffin. (20 – 24 muffins).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Tips + Notes
What Cornmeal
This recipe uses fine cornmeal (the photo below) also known as Polenta flour in the UK and Europe. This results in a light, fluffy and moist texture. Using coarse cornmeal will result in a much drier muffin.Top Tips
- Be sure not to over mix the batter. I recommend using a simple wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer as the overworked batter will result in a heavy, dense muffin.
- Lumps are fine. When making corn muffins, you want a few lumps in the batter. They’ll hydrate during baking give texture.
-
Always check cornmeal for freshness. Cornmeal can go bad. Good cornmeal will have a sweet smell. Rancid cornmeal will smell stale and musty.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in February of 2014, but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in March of 2018.
Sheri Vitek says
I loved this recipe, but I have to say the melted butter in the pan had my fire alarm going off during cooking. I only used 2 tbspoon baking powder and they rose well! I definitely would make these again.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Chalon Stewart says
I liked this recipe. However the 15mins wasnt sufficient so I let it bake longer. But very tasty. Thanks for this.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Elizabeth Charlton says
No matter which cornmeal product I use, I don’t get a sweet corn flavored muffin. So I take a small can of canned corn and put contents in a baggie, where I gently crush the flavor out of the kernels. I then drain the liquid into the batter…
Bryan says
Came out great, not really something we get in Scotland but really nice and versatile. Wee bit of maple syrup while they’re warm make a great treat in the morning
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you liked them Bryan, thank you 🙂
Rachel Gradinarov says
What happened with my comments? I sent 2 comments.
Erren Hart says
Hi again, your comments came through after my workday was over (this comment came in after 11PM my time). I’m sorry if you felt my answer was delayed.
Rachel Gradinarov says
The muffins stuck to the pan even though it was buttered. Something is not right on this recipe. I followed all the steps and your tips.
Erren Hart says
Hi Rachel, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. Is the pan an older pan? Sometimes if they have scratches, it can cause sticking.
Jane Doe says
There are so many ads I can’t even read the recipe 😥
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m sorry to hear this Jane, unfortunately, I have no control over where they are placed but I will look into it. Were you viewing on mobile?
Emma Mendez says
I think you may have made a mistake with 2 tablespoons of baking powder. Should it read 2 teaspoons ? I think it is way too much and makes the muffins taste very bitter. and inedible.
Thrown them all away as disgusting after taste. Shame
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Emma, the quantity is correct. I wonder if maybe your cornmeal was a little off? I make this recipe regularly and have never had a problem with bitterness before. I’m really sorry it didn’t work for you.
Sophie says
Was it just me or did others have issues with the batter stiffening up???
I did half the recipe but that shouldn’t have made any difference. I expected it to smooth out during baking but nop.
They’re tasty but looks like a strudel topping!
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Sophie, I haven’t experienced this so I’m not sure. I will investigate, thank you for the feedback 🙂