This recipe for Easy Homemade Corn Muffins is pure perfection! These simple muffins have a crusty exterior and a tender cornbread interior.
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.
Cornbread and corn muffins are a very American thing. So when living in the UK, I had to go without.
For years I searched for cornmeal, so I could make my own, but couldn’t find it anywhere. In desperation, I ordered an American brand of mix that I paid a small fortune for and was left terribly disappointed because they were dry and brittle.
Then one day I was at the grocery store on the International aisle and found ‘Polenta Flour’ which turned out to be fine cornmeal. I made these muffins that same day.
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 add 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.
How to Get That Crispy Exterior on Corn 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.
Should Corn Muffins Be Sweet?
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.
How to Make Corn Muffins:
Mix dry ingredients in 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.
Best served warm with butter and maybe a little honey.
Baker’s Tips:
- 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.
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
How do you store Corn Muffins? To store corn muffins, 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.
Can corn muffins be frozen? Yes, Corn muffins freeze well.
To freeze corn muffins, once baked and cooled, add 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.
What Cornmeal for Corn Muffins and Cornbread? 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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Easy Homemade Corn Muffins
This classic recipe can also be easily adapted to be as sweet or savory as you like by adding anything from honey to grated cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cup 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
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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 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.
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Divide batter into the heated, buttered muffin pan, filling them 3/4 of the way. This makes a large muffin. (20 - 24 muffins).
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Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Recipe Notes
This recipe can be easily adapted to be as sweet or savory as you like by adding anything from honey to grated cheese.
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.
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.
Dama says
Such a wonderful, easy recioe! Thank you!
James says
Hello,
Here in the southern US we drip jalapaeno juice on a warm muffin after adding butter. I go an idea and just diced the jalapaeno and to add to the final mix before baking. Thought bacos would be a nice accent (saw you recipe above and I may combine the two ideas as I have been baking hamburgers. Will advise. Thanks for a simple UK recipe.
James
Erren says
Hi James, thanks for the great info! I’ve never tried jalapaeno juice, but I plan to try cheese and bacon!
tessa says
I made these for a brunch. They were so soft and lovely! Thanks so much!
Erren says
Wonderful, Tessa! 🙂
Rebecca says
I love cornbread, actually crave it at times! I was also looking for a Southwest cornbread recipe that is a little spicy and sweet. I have your classic and honey cornbread recipes and wondered if you had tried any other recipes for this wonderful bread. Do you use the polenta meal for your cornbread. Thank you for publishing these great recipes.
Erren says
Hi Rebecca, Yes, I use polenta meal which is just very fine cornmeal. I find the other types that aren’t as fine produce very dry corn breads. I too crave corn breads. I’ve done quite a few recipes (Mini Honey Cornbread loaves, Strawberry Honey Cornbread Muffins, Blueberry Cornbread Muffins, Cornbread Pancakes, and classic corn muffins. I haven’t done any savory (although I was thinking of an Italian savory corn bread. If I were you, I would use the classic corn muffin recipe and build on it with the flavors you want. It’s not a very sweet recipe and you could probably make it work. Sounds great! Let me know if you end up trying it! 🙂
cintia says
hello Erren. I have a question: are two cups of milk? my cups contain 240ml each.
Erren says
I’ve been told that the conversion for cups to ml is 250ml. I hope this helps.
cintia says
but the recipe is written 2 cups / 120ml, so I was confused
Erren says
Oh no! Thanks for letting me know!
Samantha says
I’m making ham & beans(well, no ham chunks, just a ham hock for flavor) for supper tonight and am going to try your recipe to go along with it. I can’t find my favorite recipe for corn bread, so I’m looking for a new one. I hope this is it!
Erren says
Hi Samantha, Sounds great! I hope it turned out well for you! 🙂
Erren says
Hi Angie, Thank you so much for letting me know! That’s really great to hear 🙂 I’m so glad you like the recipe and it worked well for you!
Angie says
Hi! We used your recipe as a base for a savoury corn muffin yesterday and absolutely loved it! Thank you so much!