Buttermilk cornbread muffins are the perfect addition to your next bowl of chili. Tender, moist, and flavorful, these cornbread muffins are easy to make from scratch in your own kitchen.
Cornbread muffins are a great addition to any homecooked meal. We like to pair cornbread with chili, pulled pork, or smeared with jam as a snack.
These muffins are easy to make – you’ll need only a handful of simple ingredients. Plus, they turn out moist, tender, and flavorful – no dry cornbread here!
You may notice that this is the same recipe I use for my skillet cornbread. No need to mess with success – this is my go-to cornbread recipe, made into single-serve muffins.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need ground cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs.
Since this recipe is so simple, and baking requires exact measurements and ingredients, I don’t have many suggestions for substitutions. Buttermilk cannot be substituted with regular milk – it works with the leavening agents in this recipe to allow your cornbread to rise properly.
The small amount of granulated sugar in this recipe adds just enough sweetness to soften the flavor of these muffins. If you are opposed to adding sugar to your muffins (I realize this is hot-button issue for some!), you’re welcome to omit it.
Buttermilk substitute
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, here’s an alternative. In your liquid measuring cup, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Fill your measuring cup the rest of the way with whole milk, then allow to set for five minutes.
The acid of the lemon juice (or vinegar) will curdle your milk, creating a buttermilk substitute. It may not look pretty, but it is perfectly safe to add to your cornbread batter.
Mixing your cornbread batter
Mixing your cornbread batterMixing your batter is surprisingly simple. First, you’ll whisk together your dry ingredients to remove clumps. Then, make a well in the center of your dry ingredients.
Add your wet ingredients, then mix until just combined. Once you don’t see any streaks of dry ingredients anymore, stop mixing. One of the keys to tender cornbread is to not overmix your batter.
Leftover cornbread
Do you have leftover cornbread? I recommend enjoying your cornbread within two days – otherwise it begins to dry out. Have leftover, dry cornbread? Try microwaving it for 10-15 seconds with a damp paper towel over top to add a bit of moisture.
Leftover cornbread also freezes well. I recommend wrapping individual portions with wax paper or foil, then placing them into a freezer-safe bag or tightly sealing container. Bread will keep for anywhere from 3 to 6 months in the freezer when stored properly.
Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups ground cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, removing any clumps.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs to the dry ingredients until just combined (as soon as you don't see any streaks of dry ingredients anymore).
- Portion batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Edges should be browned and tops should have a light brown color.
- Allow to cool for up to ten minutes before removing muffins from the pan. As they cool, they will contract from the sides of the pan, making them easier to remove. If needed, use a butter knife to gently pop your muffins out of the pan.
- Optionally, brush the tops with melted butter before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Muffins are best served same day, and leftovers enjoyed within two days of preparing.
- Leftover muffins can be frozen and thawed for future meals. Once muffins are cooled to room temperature, wrap in wax paper or foil, then store in a freezer-safe bag or tightly sealing container. Bread will keep for 3 to 6 months when stored properly.
- Buttermilk substitute – in a liquid measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Fill with milk (to the 1 cup line), then allow to set for 5 minutes. This will curdle your milk, creating a buttermilk substitute.
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