Name: Cornbread Muffin
Yield: 12

Skip the mix! This Cornbread Muffin Recipe is buttery, honey-sweet, and comes together in minutes with simple ingredients and a tender crumb. reliable for dinners and holidays.

Finished cornbread muffins stacked on top of each other, with honey and butter melting on top, ready to be enjoyed.

author’s note

Skip The Box Mix, Make These Instead!

I’ve said it before, but my Cornbread Recipe is one of my absolute favorites on the site. I’m such a huge fan of all things chili and soup (hi slow cooker Chili, White Chicken Chili, and my newest obsession, Mediterranean Lentil Soup). And for me, it’s basically a rule that every bowl of soup needs something on the side, either a slice of cornbread or a warm dinner roll.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I knew I wanted to make a batch of cornbread. But then it hit me, how fun would it be to make individual cornbread muffins instead of slices? So, I pulled from my go-to cornbread recipe and started testing. The result was unbelievably good. These muffins are tender, moist, flavorful, and evenly sweet and savory, everything you want in a cornbread muffin.

They’ve been on repeat in my kitchen ever since, and whether you serve them with my Roasted Red Pepper Soup or alongside your favorite chili, they’re the kind of side you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again.

Ingredients for cornbread muffin recipe displayed, including corn meal, brown sugar, flour, buttermilk, and more.

Ingredients In Cornbread Muffin Recipe

Ingredient	Swap or Tip
Cornmeal	Use stone-ground for more corn flavor.
All-purpose flour	Swap ¼ cup for fine cornmeal for a heartier crumb.
Cornstarch	Arrowroot works in place of cornstarch.
Baking powder and baking soda	Make sure both are fresh for best rise.
Salt	Fine sea salt blends best.
Buttermilk	DIY: 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Rest 10 minutes.
Egg	Room temp eggs mix in smoother.
Honey and light brown sugar	Using both gives the muffins a deeper sweetness than plain white sugar alone.
Butter	Make sure butter is at room temp after melting before adding to avoid clumps.

Whisking dry ingredients until combined, followed by adding wet ingredients and whisking until the mixture is smooth.

How To Make This Cornbread Muffin Recipe

Prep: Heat oven to 350°F. Bring buttermilk and egg to room temp.
Dry: Whisk cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Wet: Whisk buttermilk, egg, honey, and sugar. Slowly whisk in cooled melted butter.
Mix: Add wet to dry and stir just until combined. Don’t overmix.
Pan: Brush a 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter. Fill each ¾ full.
Bake: Bake until edges are lightly golden and a toothpick has a few moist crumbs.

Mixing wet and dry ingredients together, and brushing a muffin tin with butter using a pastry brush, in preparation for baking.

chelsea’s recipe tips

Tips For Success

Don’t overmix: Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients come together so the muffins stay soft and tender.
Cool the butter first: Hot butter can make the wet mixture clumpy, so let it come back toward room temp before mixing.
Butter the pan well: This gives you those golden, buttery edges that make these muffins extra good.
Start checking early: Cornbread dries out fast if overbaked, so pull the muffins once a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Serve them warm: They’re best with a little butter and honey while still warm from the oven.

Filling a tin with batter and baking until the tops achieve a golden, crisp texture.

Storage

Keep muffins in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag at room temp for up to 3 days.
Wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap, then put them in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.[/stoage]