Savory Cheese Cornbread Muffins

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 09/8/21
cheese corn muffins
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 17 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
120 Calories
6g Fat
12g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 120
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 311mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 146mg 11%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 58mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These golden corn muffins are cheesy and delicious. The muffins go especially well with a bowl of chili or a hearty stew or serve them with beans or greens instead of your classic cornbread. The muffins take just 10 minutes to prepare, and they bake in just 16 to 20 minutes. 

Feel free to omit the sugar if you like, or add more if you prefer a sweeter muffin. Or add some heat to the muffins with pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar.

They have all the flavor and texture you would expect from a corn muffin with the additional protein and flavor of the cheddar cheese.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  • 1 large egg

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or shortening, melted

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for topping, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a muffin tin or spray with baking spray.

  3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, table salt, sugar, and cornmeal. Blend well. Stir the shredded cheese into the flour mixture.

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Add the milk and the melted butter or shortening and whisk to blend.

  5. When the oven has completely preheated, stir the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture just until blended. 

  6. Immediately fill the prepared muffin cups about two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown.

  7. If desired, brush more melted butter over the tops of the hot muffins as soon as they come out of the oven.

  8. Enjoy!

Tip

  • Before you combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, make sure the oven has preheated, and the pan is greased and ready. The baking powder begins working as soon as the batter is combined, so get the muffins into the pan and then the oven as quickly as possible.
  • Use a coarsely shredded cheese rather than the finely shredded, or use diced block cheddar. 

Recipe Variations

  • Jalapeno Cheese Corn Muffins: Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped jalapeno peppers to the muffins.
  • Bacon Cheddar Corn Muffins: Add about 1/2 cup of crumbled cooked bacon to the muffin batter.
  • Pepper Jack Corn Muffins: Add 1 cup of shredded or diced pepper jack cheese to the muffin batter.
  • Replace the sugar with 1 tablespoon of honey, if desired.

Why Use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder?

If you've ever detected a strange, metallic taste when you take a bite of a biscuit or muffin, you probably agree with the recommendation of aluminum-free baking powder. In fact, the flavor of all of your baked items will improve with aluminum-free baking powder. Rumford and Argo make an aluminum-free product, as do Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. And Bob's Red Mill sells 1-pound bags.