These sweet, crumbly, fluffy and cheesy cornbread muffins are incredibly easy to make and so delicious and addictive. Topped with sharp goat's cheese cheddar and sliced jalapeños these muffins are a must for any BBQ, potluck or cookout. One bowl and some simple ingredients are all you need.
If I may, my Southern self and I are having a moment, as you can tell from these stunning little cornbread muffins. But, here's the thing...
I've never been to the south. Nor have I ever made cornbread until these last couple of weeks. And now I can't stop!
Cornbread muffins are easy and quick to make and use straightforward ingredients, but you may still have some questions. More about the ingredients themselves, rather than the recipe. If you've ever made a muffin, you can make cornbread muffins. The same principle applies.
How to make cornbread muffins
- Mix dry ingredients together.
- Mix wet ingredients together.
- Add wet ingredients to dry = Done.
But when it comes to using cornmeal you may have a couple of questions, because not all cornmeal is created equal and it's not all interchangeable. I was in the grocery store a few weeks ago and a woman in the baking aisle asked me if cornflour and cornstarch were the same thing, so I know that there is still a lot of confusion about ingredients. BTW... they are the same thing.
So, let's break it down.
Cornbread is made with cornmeal, not actual kernels of corn.
Are polenta and cornmeal the same thing?
Kind of. Cornmeal and polenta are both made from ground corn. Both are used in baking and in breading to add extra texture and crunch. But the difference is that polenta actually makes the dish called... polenta. You couldn't use cornmeal to make polenta because it's ground too fine and would make a mushy goo, rather than the silky polenta that we have come to love. The Kitchn has a great post that goes further in depth if you're interested.
Are semolina and cornmeal the same thing?
Nope. Semolina is made from ground wheat and cornmeal is from corn. Although they have a similar texture and can sometimes be used interchangeably, this is not the recipe to change up. We want straight up sweet corn goodness here.
For these cornbread muffins, I used polenta because finely ground cornmeal is almost impossible to find in Europe. But of course being so close to Italy polenta is everywhere.
If you live in North America, you'll probably have access to both but will more than likely find that cornmeal is cheaper. For this recipe, they are completely interchangeable and will both give you great results.
These cornbread muffins will pretty much guarantee you an invite to every BBQ for the rest of the summer!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!
Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ Cup (1) flour all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (106 g) cornmeal or polenta whatever you have access to
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) sugar
- ½ cup (56.5 g) cheddar grated and divided
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) of butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup (244 g) of milk or buttermilk
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs
- 1 (1) green jalapeño thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add ¼ cup of the grated cheddar.
- In a separate bowl or measuring jug mix the melted butter, milk and oil with a whisk. Add two slightly beaten eggs to the mixture and whisk or lightly beat to incorporate.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the cornmeal; mixing the two together with a fork until combined. The batter should be slightly airy and sticky.
- Spoon into a greased muffin tin. Top the muffins with the remaining ¼ cup of cheddar and a couple of slices of the jalapeño pepper and bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F. Use a toothpick to test the center of the muffins for doneness. The toothpick should come out with a crumb or two.
- Allow to cool.
- Extra muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days or they can be frozen for about a month.
nina says
can instant polenta be used as a substitute?
Debs says
Hi Nina,
Yep. It absolutely can without a problem. Let me know what you think of these muffins.