This recipe for Easy Homemade Corn Muffins is pure perfection! These simple muffins have a crusty exterior and a tender cornbread interior.
Serve the delicious muffins for breakfast or as a side with Chili Con Carne.
It’s hard to beat a light and fluffy cornbread muffin with a buttery, brown exterior. They can be enjoyed in so many ways – from breakfast to a side for Chili Con Carne.
Why This Recipe Works
- No special ingredients are needed – No buttermilk, or canned creamed corn – just simple, fine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, butter, milk, and eggs.
- It’s simple to prepare – no soaking the cornmeal or special equipment – just a bowl and a wooden spoon are needed for this recipe.
- Melted Butter adds flavor to this recipe instead of the usual vegetable oil most recipes call for. It’s also added to the pan to promote that beautifully browned exterior.
Should Corn Muffins Be Sweet?
This is a There is much debate on whether Corn Muffins should have sugar. Where you stand, usually depends on where in America you live.
These corn muffins can be made with or without sugar to suit your taste.
I make them semi-sweet, but you can adjust the recipe according to how you like your cornbread.
Test the sweetness of the batter by making a mini pancake in a frying pan and adjusting the sweetness as needed before baking the muffins.
What Cornmeal Is Best
For this recipe, I recommend fine cornmeal (known in some countries as ‘Polenta Flour’). Fine cornmeal makes a much more moist and tender muffin.
Getting A Crispy Exterior On Cornbread Muffins
The trick to the buttery, golden crust on these corn muffins is brushing a metal pan with melted butter and heating the pan in the oven before adding the batter.
It doesn’t take much butter, so I just add an extra teaspoon to the recipe. Dip a brush in the melted butter and brush it over the sections in the pan.
Place the buttered pan in the preheated oven while you mix the batter. Then add the batter to the heated, buttered pan.
How To Make Corn Muffins
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Form a well into the middle of the mixture.
Add the eggs, milk, melted butter, and oil into the well of dry ingredients.
Mix until combined.
Divide batter into the heated, buttered pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
These muffins are served warm with butter (and maybe a little honey or jam)
Tips For Best Results
- This recipe calls for fine cornmeal. Using coarse cornmeal may result in a dry muffin.
- Be sure not to over mix the batter. I recommend using a simple wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer as the overworked batter will result in a heavy, dense muffin.
- Lumps are fine. When making corn muffins, you want a few lumps in the batter. They’ll hydrate during baking give texture.
- Always check cornmeal for freshness. Cornmeal can go bad. Good cornmeal will have a sweet smell. Rancid cornmeal will smell stale and musty.
More Great Recipes
- Blueberry Muffins
- Crumb Cake
- Award Winning Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
- Easy Homemade Cornbread
Variations
- Bacon & Cheddar Corn Muffins: Add ¾ cup of grated cheddar and 1 cup of cooked, chopped bacon before adding to the pan.
- Honey Corn Muffins: Add 1 cup of honey to the batter when adding the other wet ingredients.
FAQs
Wrap well or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want your corn muffins to stay fresh for longer, store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, they freeze well. To freeze, add the cooled muffins to a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, leave to thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
This recipe uses fine cornmeal (the photo below) also known as Polenta flour in the UK and Europe. This results in a light, fluffy and moist texture. Using coarse cornmeal will result in a much drier muffin.
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Easy Homemade Corn Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fine cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar more or less depending on how sweet you like your muffins
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 1 stick (plus 1 teaspoon) salted butter melted and cooled
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°f/ 200°c Prepare a muffin pan by brushing a thin coating of melted butter over the sections in the pan. Place the buttered pan in the preheated oven while you mix the batter. Note: this step is optional and the recipe can be made using a greased, nonheated pan instead.
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well into the middle of the mixture.
- Mix egg, milk, melted butter, and oil in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the well of dry ingredients; mix well.
- If using a preheated pan, carefully remove the heated pan from the oven. Divide batter into the sections of the pan, filling them ¾ of the way. This makes a large muffin (20 to 24 muffins).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Tips + Notes
What Cornmeal
This recipe uses fine cornmeal (the photo below) also known as Polenta flour in the UK and Europe. This results in a light, fluffy and moist texture. Using coarse cornmeal will result in a much drier muffin.Top Tips
- Be sure not to over mix the batter. I recommend using a simple wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer as the overworked batter will result in a heavy, dense muffin.
- Lumps are fine. When making corn muffins, you want a few lumps in the batter. They’ll hydrate during baking give texture.
-
Always check cornmeal for freshness. Cornmeal can go bad. Good cornmeal will have a sweet smell. Rancid cornmeal will smell stale and musty.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in February of 2014, but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in March of 2018.
Anthony says
Why was my comment removed?
Erren Hart says
Hi Anthony, your comment wasn’t removed. It just has to be approved to show up. I get a lot of comments left by bots that want to leave inappropriate links on my site so I have to publish comments myself. I have only just gotten to it.
Anthony says
I found this recipe today I gave it a shot,first of all putting melted butter in the pan and heating it up just smoked the house down don’t think its necessary,secondary I like a sweet corn muffin I put way extra sugar and it wasn’t sweet at all it’s more like a southern cornbread and muffins were kinda dry think recipe needs more oil they are to dense and no I didn’t over mix I’ve been baking all my life! Any comments back would be appreciated!
Erren Hart says
Hi Anthony, I’m sorry you didn’t like heating the pan. I may update the recipe and make this step optional as all ovens are different and it could cause issues. That said, I find it creates a golden crust that my family loves.
I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to comment on your other issues except to say I’m sorry you didn’t like them. Baking is very difficult to troubleshoot as there are so many variations in ovens and ingredients. I have different results when I change flour brands and depending on the cornmeal you use, it can also affect the results. I try to include as many tips as I can to help visitors successfully create my recipes, but without being next to you in the kitchen, it’s so hard to help. I appreciate your feedback though, and always open to learn from any experience that’s shared. All the best, Erren
Mary says
These are a delicious blast from my past. I found this recipe doing an image search, and I had to check out the recipe because they look like muffins from my childhood. When did muffins grow a top that made them look like toadstools? The 70s? The 90s? All muffins, not just corn muffins, looked this in photos, and out of the oven from my Italian mom’s kitchen, so I had to try them.
They are delicious and just like I remember them. Cheat – I put some vanilla in them, so I don’t know whether that turns them into a corn cupcake, but the vanilla intensifies the aroma.
Erren Hart says
Hi Mary, I’m so glad I was able to help you re-create a fond memory and you enjoyed them so much! Thanks for letting me know and for sharing your tip too!
Bray says
Break out your waffle iron… & let me tell you you’re in for a treat
Erren's Kitchen says
Yes, Please! 🙂
Lady D says
I truly love this recipe, perfect balance, not too sweet! Great to serve with Chili Mac on a cool fall day🍁 or just to have with butter and a morning cup of coffee ☕️
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! 🙂
Sheri Vitek says
I loved this recipe, but I have to say the melted butter in the pan had my fire alarm going off during cooking. I only used 2 tbspoon baking powder and they rose well! I definitely would make these again.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Chalon Stewart says
I liked this recipe. However the 15mins wasnt sufficient so I let it bake longer. But very tasty. Thanks for this.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Elizabeth Charlton says
No matter which cornmeal product I use, I don’t get a sweet corn flavored muffin. So I take a small can of canned corn and put contents in a baggie, where I gently crush the flavor out of the kernels. I then drain the liquid into the batter…
Bryan says
Came out great, not really something we get in Scotland but really nice and versatile. Wee bit of maple syrup while they’re warm make a great treat in the morning
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you liked them Bryan, thank you 🙂
Rachel Gradinarov says
What happened with my comments? I sent 2 comments.
Erren Hart says
Hi again, your comments came through after my workday was over (this comment came in after 11PM my time). I’m sorry if you felt my answer was delayed.
Irene Groat says
We loved the taste and texture. Will do them again. Thank you for the recipe
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Irene 🙂