The BEST Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
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These Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins are a twist on the classic quickbread recipe. They're made with sweet cornbread, sharp cheddar, and spicy jalapeño. Easy to make and delicious, they’re perfect for any meal or snack.
You'll also love my other bread recipes—two-ingredient naan and garlic naan—and these homemade bread rolls.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Easy to make: Simple steps and common ingredients make this recipe accessible for all skill levels.
- Moist texture: Using buttermilk and vegetable oil ensures the muffins stay moist and tender.
- Cheesy: Adding cheddar cheese gives a delicious, savory taste.
- Spicy kick: Jalapeño slices add a mild heat that complements the sweetness of the muffins.
🧾 Ingredients notes
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the muffins.
- Cornmeal: Adds texture and authentic corn flavor.
- Baking powder: Helps the muffins rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the savory elements.
- Cheddar cheese: Adds a rich, savory flavor.
- Butter: Adds moisture and richness.
- Milk or buttermilk: Adds moisture and helps with leavening.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the muffins moist.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients and provide structure.
- Green jalapeño: Adds a mild, spicy flavor.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins recipe step-by-step
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin tin or line it with paper muffin cups.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in ¼ cup of the grated cheddar cheese.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and vegetable oil. Add the slightly beaten eggs and whisk until well combined.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently with a fork until just combined. The batter should be slightly airy and sticky.
- Fill Muffin Tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese on top of each muffin and a few slices of jalapeño on each.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
📖 Substitutions and variations
- Gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-free: Use almond milk or any plant-based milk and dairy-free cheese.
- Spicier muffins: Add an additional jalapeño or use a spicier variety of pepper.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing from a decade in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, here are my top tips for recipe success.
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don't have buttermilk, make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using it in the recipe.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best results, bring all refrigerated ingredients (butter, eggs, milk) to room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smoother batter and better rise.
- Cornmeal Texture: To achieve a finer texture, pulse the cornmeal in a food processor a few times before adding it to the dry ingredients.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, place the muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: To reheat, wrap the muffins in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or microwave for 20-30 seconds until heated through.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can omit the cheese if you prefer. The muffins will still be delicious, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.
If you don't like spicy foods, you can use bell peppers or omit the peppers altogether.
Ensure you don’t overbake them and store them well to prevent them from drying out.
More Easy Bread Recipes:
Did you make this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins? Please leave a star rating below, and be sure to tag me when you share a photo on social media—I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
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Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
- ¼ cup melted and cooled butter
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 green jalapeño, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin tin or line it with paper muffin cups.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in ¼ cup of the grated cheddar cheese.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and vegetable oil. Add the slightly beaten eggs and whisk until well combined.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently with a fork until just combined. The batter should be slightly airy and sticky.
- Fill Muffin Tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese on top of each muffin and place a couple of jalapeño slices on each.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: Store extra muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to a month.
- Substitutions: You can use either milk or buttermilk in this recipe. Buttermilk will add a slightly tangy flavor.
- Cheese: Feel free to use a sharp cheddar for a more pronounced cheese flavor.
- Jalapeño: Adjust the amount of jalapeño to suit your spice preference. Remove the seeds for a milder taste.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs. Cordon Bleu trained chef and recipe developer. I help you get incredible dinners on the table fast with fool-proof recipes and step-by-step instructions along with tips and tricks that I've learned over a 10-year career in professional kitchens.
Easy and tasty muffins.
So happy you loved them! 🙂
Delicious! Made for a family gathering and everyone loved them. Can these be frozen?
So happy they were a hit! They absolutely can be frozen, yes. 🙂
Can you dice the jalapeño and mix it in with the cornbread and bake it that way too vs just putting a couple little slices on top?
Absolutely! That works really well, I'm just very conscious that not everyone is a huge spice lover so tend to be conservative with my spicing! Enjoy! 🙂
Really great recipe! Will be keeping this one for sure.
Very good, moist and soft. I made some without the peppers for my husband and he said that his were good too. I used self rising flour instead of a/p with the baking powder and salt. They were fine.
Amazing! So happy these were a hit. 🙂
can instant polenta be used as a substitute?
Hi Nina,
Yep. It absolutely can without a problem. Let me know what you think of these muffins.