Corn Muffin Recipe
Tall, domed corn muffins with a soft, tender crumb and just the right sweetness. After 7 test batches, I landed on 3 cups of flour to 1 cup of cornmeal, no baking soda and a 30 minute fridge rest. Dip them in the honey butter glaze!
Servings: 8 muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Corn Muffins
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (156g) fine ground yellow cornmeal *see note
- ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (227g) buttermilk
- 8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter melted & cooled
- ½ cup (100g) neutral oil can also use olive oil, avocado oil, or canola oil
- ¼ cup (84g) honey
Honey Butter Glaze
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 ½ cup (169g) powdered sugar sifted to avoid a clumpy glaze
Variations
- Cheddar Jalapeño: Add 1 to 2 sliced jalapeños and ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese to the batter. Keep the seeds if you want extra heat.
- Whole Corn Kernels: Mix 1 cup of corn into the batter. Drained canned corn or thawed frozen corn both work.
- Bacon Cheddar: Add ½ cup cooked, crumbled bacon and ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese to the batter.
- Chili Spiced: Mix ½ teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika into the batter.
Instructions
Corn Muffins
- Notes: 1. This recipe requires a 30 minute rest of the batter in the fridge before baking. 2. The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method: Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour. Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour. Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess. 3. This recipe yields 8 super dome muffins.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine, set aside.3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (156g) fine ground yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, cooled & melted butter, and honey. Stir to combine.3 large eggs, 1 cup (227g) buttermilk, 8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) neutral oil, ¼ cup (84g) honey
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick! If following a variation, add in the sliced jalapeños, cheese, corn, bacon or spices, stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place in the fridge to allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC when 10 minutes is remaining.
- For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. The photos show a heaping ½ cup of batter. Cover the bowl with the remaining batter and return to the fridge.
- Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The bake time at 350ºF is variable and will ultimately depend on how much batter you put in each well. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF.
Honey Butter Glaze, optional
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine the butter, honey and milk. Microwave until the butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Whisk to combine.2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp honey, 3 Tbsp milk
- Sift the powdered sugar to avoid a clumpy glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar into the mixture.1 ½ cup (169g) powdered sugar
- Add more milk if necessary. You want the glaze to be runny. Dip the muffins into the glaze or drizzle over the tops.
Video
Notes
Cornmeal: I used 100% fine ground cornmeal, which I personally prefer over medium grind. However, you can use either. Do not use anything that says cornmeal mix, as that contains flour and leavening.
Gluten Free: I've had great success making this recipe with gluten-free flour! I recommend using King Arthur's Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour as a direct 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour.
Don’t have buttermilk? Learn how to make homemade buttermilk.
To Store: Leave muffins uncovered on the counter for up to 24 hours. For 2 to 4 days, store in an airtight container lined with paper towels, with another layer of paper towels on top. Swap in fresh paper towels if they get damp.
To Make Ahead: This batter can be made ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, then scoop straight from cold and bake as directed. You may need to add a couple extra minutes to the bake time since the batter is starting out cold.
To Freeze: Wrap each cooled muffin individually in plastic wrap, then place in a zip top bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for about 1 hour, or unwrap and microwave in 20 second intervals.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 3mg