These Cornbread Muffins are made with creamed corn so they truly taste of corn and are more moist than traditional Southern cornbread. A terrific side and great for snacking, these corn muffins keep for days. THESE are the muffins I make over and over and over again!
This Cornbread Muffin recipe was originally published in October 2014. Recipe slightly improved, rewrote post, new photos, recipe video added – it’s a total refresh!
While many people associate cornbread as a Southern staple, there’s actually two distinct types of cornbread in the States – Southern and Northern style cornbread.
Cornbread from the South is typically (and I use that word loosely!) more crumbly and less sweet, made with just cornmeal, no flour (or very little flour). It doesn’t keep well and is best served with saucy things to dunk it into (Baked Beans Chili), or plenty of butter.
Northern Style cornbread is more cake like, owing to the addition of flour. The crumb is more tender, it’s springy, it doesn’t crumble and it’s usually sweeter.
This Cornbread Muffin recipe is a Northern style cornbread. Except I’ve adapted it to my taste with the addition of creamed corn which you don’t usually find in either Southern or Northern cornbread. Stronger corn flavour, and makes it moister!
Cornbread muffins are the reason I ALWAYS have creamed corn!
It feels unnatural to say that cans of creamed corn are a staple in my pantry. But they are – and it’s because of these cornbread muffins (and this 15 minute Chinese Corn Soup!).
I make these Cornbread Muffins ALOT.
These are the muffins I take to BBQ’s when I’m asked to bring a side (or if I’m told not to bring anything at all 😂).
These are the muffins I can make as a side dish for a midweek dinner because they are terrifically quick to mix up.
And these are the muffins I would choose out of a Muffin Line Up alongside every sweet muffin in existence! (Not to undermine the fabulousness of sweet muffins – it’s just that I am a savoury gal).
Creamed corn substitute
If you can’t get canned creamed corn, use this as a substitute (we tried it and it’s near perfect): Use 1 can of corn kernels. Put all the corn + 1/3 of the liquid in the can + 1 tbsp flour into a bowl. Then blitz with hand blender (or use blender) until you can’t see whole corn kernels anymore but there are still corn chunks (don’t to puree). Measure out and use in place of canned creamed corn in this recipe
Cornmeal vs polenta
The key ingredient in Cornbread Muffins is yellow cornmeal. Cornmeal is ground dried corn kernels – it comes in fine, medium and coarse ground.
Confusingly, cornmeal is labelled as polenta here in Australia.
But actually, polenta is a porridge like Italian side dish (their mashed potato!) that is made from cornmeal.
Confused? Don’t blame you.
All you need to remember is this: If you’re in Australia, buy the yellow ground stuff labelled polenta. That’s cornmeal! Brands I use include Marco Polo and Il Molino (both sold at Woolworths). Do not get instant polenta.
How to make cornmeal muffins
One of those delightfully easy “mix wet, mix dry, mix wet and dry together” muffins!
Dry – Whisk the Dry ingredients in a bowl.
Wet – Whisk the Wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Combine – Pour the Wet ingredients into the Dry ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Fill a standard muffin tin (brush the holes with melted butter).
Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Brush the tops with melted butter while hot, if desired. (I desire!)
How I eat cornbread muffins
These muffins are flavoured and moist enough to eat plain, especially when warm (fresh out of the oven or lightly reheated in the microwave). Having said that though, a little smear of softened salted butter will elevate it, then to take it over the top, add a little drizzle of honey. IT IS SO GOOD!
Then as a side dish, it is made for eating with southern and barbecue flavoured foods, such as:
A big pot of Southern Baked Beans
With these Cornbread Muffins being one of my personal favourite recipes and give that patience is not one of my greatest virtues, I first shared this recipe back when I started this website in 2014. I’ve been looking forward to updating this post with new photos and more importantly, adding a recipe video!
So to any Southerner reading this recipe – don’t judge me for using creamed corn in this! It might not be authentic but it’s darn tasty, with terrific corn flavour and these stay moist for days!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml / 115 g butter , melted unsalted
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml milk , any fat %
- 1 CUP canned creamed corn (NOT 1 CAN!!!)
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (sold in packets labelled "polenta" in Australia) (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) flour (plain/all purpose)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (110g) white sugar (can reduce to 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Baking:
- Extra melted butter for greasing and brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Brush a 12 hole standard muffin tin with melted butter.
- Combine Dry ingredients in a bowl and give them a quick stir to combine.
- Whisk Wet ingredients in a bowl until combined.
- Pour Wet into Dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tray – use it all up, fill the holes right up!
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove muffin tray from the oven. Optional: Brush tops with melted butter. Cool for 5 minutes then remove muffins onto a rack.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Cornbread Muffin recipe was originally published in October 2014. Recipe slightly improved, rewrote post, new photos, recipe video added – it’s a total refresh!
Life of Dozer
It was raining today, so we went shopping (for ME!😂). I live in a VERY dog friendly neighbourhood!
These muffins were a hit with everybody at my Thanksgiving-Eve dinner. My only recipe modification was to use parchment paper muffin cups instead of nonstick spray in the muffin tray. With parchment paper, nothing sticks to the pan, and nothing sticks to the paper cup. The muffins are so good that it would be a shame to lose any part of one due to it sticking to the pan or an ordinary muffin cup.
I’m so thrilled to hear this was enjoyed by all Coleen!! Happy Thanksgiving! N x
Hi Nagi! I am looking forward to baking these today for tomorrow! Question for you: if I wanted to reheat what temp would you suggest, or would microwave for a few seconds work without making them hard? Perhaps you mentioned how to reheat and I missed it. Thanks so much! p.s. in your trip to the US you try to stop in Maryland as they are known for their crabs!
I’ve been to Maryland!!! That’s why we went – for their crabs, it was amazing!!! The whole batch of these on a plate on paper towels (to absorb moisture on base as it heats) will heat up in the microwave in about 1 minute. They will definitely NOT dry out because these are considerably more moist that traditional Southern Corn Bread. 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi! This recipe is great! You are correct – traditional Southern cornbread was not sweetened at all, but now most cornbread in the south is lightly sweetened, like your recipe. Sweetened cornbread such as the Jiffy corn muffin mix that’s popular here, is considered “northern” style cornbread in the South. I love it al!! I agree with Lynn above – you are my go to recipe source. You must be a Southerner at heart!
I LOVE SOUTHERN FOOD!! I think it’s my favourite type of American food, and actually one of my all time favourite foods from all over the world! N xx
Hi, will these be ok to make during the day to serve with dinner at night? Thanks 🙂
YES YES! 🙂 N x
I am going to make the corn bread muffins, but would like to know if I can use a little cayenne to “spice things up”
Definitely! YUMMO!
Hi! I just recently joined, when I was looking for Mexican style shredded beef/ chili con carne, etc! While doing so I came to the “Corn bread muffins” so I thought to give it a go, they are still in the Oven, but they do look promising! However I have to point out that the gram/ cup spoon ratio in your dry ingredients is incorrect, if I was working with my scales only I would be missing exactly half of the dried ingredients! For example: 1/2 cup of cornflour/ polenta does not equate to 60 g, but rather 125 g, 1.5 cup of self raising flour is certainly not 225g but rather 375 g ,but the liquid ingredients are correct! Will let you know how it ended!
Cheers
Max
Sydney
Australia
Hi Max from Sydney! 🙂 How’s the weather back at home? I’m in Tokyo at the moment, quite a contrast from the heat of Sydney I came from!! Hmm, I double checked my records and I do think that the weights are correct, the industry standard weight for 1 cup of flour in Australia (plain and self raising) is 150g. I do hope you enjoy it!! 🙂
Really good muffins!
Thanks Judy! 🙂
These muffins are so good! They taste even better the next day and they also freeze very well. I used a butter substitute and was glad it worked really well in the recipe. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Woo hoo! So glad you liked these K, I am VERY fond of them! 🙂 N x
THIS fool almost found a way to wreck it! I dumped in the whole can of creamed corn before I realized it said 1 CUP not 1 CAN! Luckily I was able to fish half the can’s worth out.
So glad you salvaged it! I will put CUP in caps!
I’ve got a few questions:
Polenta….I’m thinking you mean dry cornmeal since polenta to me is a cooked cornmeal mush. I’ve learned that capsicum is what I know as a pepper, so it may be a geographical thing. Could you clarify for me?
I make cornbread often, and I usually mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and then gently stir the wet into the dry until just moist, trying not to over-mix. With that in mind, I would mix the creamed corn with the other wet ingredients….am I correct? If that’s the case, for me, I’ll list the corn with the other wet ingredients so I don’t end up having to stir it in separately.
Looking forward to trying this! Thx!
Ahhhh YES Maret, thank you! It was brought to my attention recently that polenta and cornmeal are referred to differently from country to country! Yes it is cornmeal (we call it polenta here in Australia – it’s so confusing!). I’m updating the recipe now. N x
I have made this with the Chili Con Carne, as muffins, in a rectangular pan and as muffins. They come out perfect every time!!!! Love, love love it 🙂 I have made this cornbread for both my son and my daughter’s class at school – their third grade friends wanted to know if I would give their moms the recipe!!!
BA HA HA!! I LOVE hearing that!!! Are you in Australia?? So glad you and everyone enjoyed this Lori!
No, we’re not in Australia but I wish we were 🙂 We are in Michigan, USA. Myself and my family love your recipes and at least one is included in our weekly meals. My children are 8 and 11 and they regularly ask for them!!!
Awww!!! Please tell your children that it makes me so happy to hear that they are enjoying my recipes! (And if they like dogs, please tell them Dozer sends a big WOOF all the way over from Sydney, Australia!)
Just want to clarify an ingredient: polenta
That you mean prepared polenta not dry cornmeal.
That chili con carne corn bread pie looks incredible! I’m totally with about eating your way through a different country! Anytime I travel overseas – I’m armed with a list of foods and/or eating establishments I want to visit… and I always make sure there’s time for local street food! I love your idea of eating across America – if you’re ever on this side of the world, drop me an email – I’ll eat with you 🙂
Thanks Kathleen! And for SURE, I am dragging you along with me for an eating tour when I’m next in America!
I love warm homemade corn bread, but only made it once so far. Yours looks so fluffy, full of moist crumbs and delicious! It definitely pairs well with your amazing chili con carne, I love the personal touch you brought to both recipes. If you ever travel to the US again, you know that we should meet! I kind of read through Meggan’s comments, and yes, you are invited to the Midwest, there are so many delicious things to try here 🙂
I haven’t done the Mid West at all, so definitely on the agenda for next time!!
These corn bread muffins sound like pure southern perfection. There are a few things I look for in a corn bread, but mostly it is just moistness. I don’t want anything dry and crumbly, and you seem to have solved that problem! For you next jaunt in the US, I’d love to suggest a stop in the Midwest. I’ll have to meet you there, of course, and I can introduce you to all sorts of Wisconsin favorites such as butter burgers, frozen custard, and a proper fish fry. May I suggest pants with an elastic waistband???
It’s a date!! And yes, I will be sure to only pack stretchy clothes, ha ha ha!!
Wow, those muffins look so great! The recipe looks super easy and I cannot wait to try out! I just made a batch of muffin last week and failed miserably, because i replaced the baking powder with dry yeast… Won’t risk like that next time…
Somehow your blog gave me the impression that you’re based in the US, but interesting to learn you are not.
Love your recipes and photos. They always look so delicious 🙂
Thanks for your kind words Maggi! It’s actually probably a good thing for me that you think I’m in the US because 90% of my readers are in America!