Cornbread Muffins

Warm, golden and drizzled with honey? Count us in! These honey cornbread muffins are tender, lightly sweet and ready in about 25 minutes.

Cornbread Muffins: The Perfect Side for Every Table

Our team baked these cornbread muffins first, then Hillary C. made them for her kids, who ate them warm with butter and honey.

Her notes make this recipe more reliable. She used all-purpose flour, found them tender rather than dense, and her oven finished them in about 15 minutes with roughly 18 muffins from one batch.

Our opinion: cornbread muffins are at their best the day you bake them. Hillary found hers a little dry by the next morning, so serve them fresh or warm the leftovers with a pat of butter.

Why you’ll love these cornbread muffins

• Sweetened with honey
• Soft and moist, not crumbly
• Fast 14 to 18 minute bake
• Perfect with chili, soup and holiday meals

Cornbread Muffins ingredients

Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Yellow cornmeal: the classic cornbread flavor and color.
• Flour: pastry flour makes them softer, all purpose makes them sturdier.
• Baking powder and baking soda: for lift.
• Salt: balances the honey.
• Eggs: lightly beaten.
• Honey: sweetens and keeps them moist.
• Oil: canola or vegetable oil for a tender crumb.
• Milk: dairy or plant based, you choose!

How to make cornbread muffins

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below!

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line or grease your muffin pan.
• In a large bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, oil and milk.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix, just until combined.
• Fill the liners to the top and bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F and bake 10 to 13 minutes more, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, and enjoy warm!

How do you know when the muffins are done?

There are a few easy ways to check:

• The toothpick test: insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, they are done!
• Check the tops: they should be lightly golden and bounce back when lightly pressed.
• Use a thermometer: the center should register between 190 and 200°F.

What our test bakers learned

Cornbread lives or dies by its texture, so we wanted real kitchens to weigh in before we called this one done.

• Test #1: Kami K. baked the opening batch at home and tuned the recipe before handing it off to the group.
• Test #2: Hillary C. used all-purpose flour and found the crumb tender, not dense, with a sweetness level she would not change.
• Bake time: Her oven had them done at about 15 minutes, a few minutes ahead of the recipe, so start peeking early. Her batch made about 18 muffins.
• How they served them: Her kids ate them with butter and a drizzle of honey. By the next morning they had dried out a little, so plan to enjoy most of them the day you bake.

Variations and substitutions

• Fold in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1 diced jalapeño for a savory kick.
• Add 1/2 cup of corn kernels for extra texture.
• Whip softened butter with a spoonful of honey for serving.

Tips for making cornbread muffins

• Honey browns quickly, so start checking at 14 minutes.
• Warm the honey slightly so it mixes in easily.
• Grease the pan well if you skip liners. Cornbread loves to stick!

How to store cornbread muffins

Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

How long do cornbread muffins last?

These muffins are best within 3 days. Warm them for 10 to 15 seconds before serving.

How to freeze cornbread muffins

Making them ahead for the holidays? Cool completely, wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm before dinner.

Cornbread Muffins FAQs

• Can I make these ahead for Thanksgiving? Yes! Bake, freeze, then warm them before dinner.
• Can I use sugar instead of honey? This recipe is built around honey. Sugar changes the texture.
• Why is my cornbread dry? Usually overbaking. Pull them as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

More muffins you’ll love

• Banana Bread Muffins
• Fresh Strawberry Muffins
• Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins
• Homemade Blueberry Muffins from Scratch

Cornbread Muffins

Enjoy the sweetness of our Cornbread Muffins! These tender, golden muffins are infused with the natural sweetness of honey, creating a perfect balance of flavors and texture. Enjoy them as a comforting side dish or as a standalone snack any hour of the day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Calories: 289

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 ½ cup pastry flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners in preparation for baking.
2. In a large bowl, sift together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 ½ cups of flour, 1 Tablespoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set this dry ingredient mixture aside for later use.
3. In a medium bowl, combine lightly beaten 2 eggs, 1 cup honey, ½ cup canola or vegetable oil, and ½ cup milk. Whisk these wet ingredients together until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Using a beater or whisk, gently mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
5. Fill muffin liners with batter to the top and bake at 400°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the door, lower the oven to 350°F and bake 10 to 13 minutes more, until the tops are lightly browned and the muffins pass the toothpick test: a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Additionally, the tops should bounce back when lightly pressed, or the internal temperature should register 200 to 205°F.
6. After baking, allow the muffins to cool on a rack for several minutes before removing them from the pan. Enjoy them fresh from the oven or store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

Pastry flour or all-purpose flour Selection Note: Select your flour thoughtfully to achieve the ideal muffin texture! Pastry flour produces airy and delicate muffins, while all-purpose flour yields a more substantial, robust texture.

Flour Measuring Tip: For precise measurements, refrain from scooping flour directly from the container. Instead, delicately spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off using the flat side of a knife. This straightforward method guarantees accuracy, resulting in consistently delightful muffins with every batch.

 

Milk Selection Note: We’ve extensively experimented with various milk options in this recipe, such as cow’s milk, almond milk, and coconut milk. Each choice delivers delightful outcomes, allowing you to select the milk that best suits your taste preferences or availability.