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!
Hello Nagi! Is there a sub for cornmeal? Appreciate your response.
Hi Monica, cornmeal/polenta is a key ingredient for these unfortunately! N x
Hi, could I steam this bread recipe!
I haven’t tried sorry Nandi, would love to know if you give it a go!! N x
Hi! Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda? Thank you 🙂
Hi Nette, this recipe uses baking powder – not soda 🙂 N x
Made these today, added 4 chopped Jalapenos and they were perfect!
I love this idea Julie!!! N x
These are so delicious! Thank you I followed the recipe as is and they turned out perfectly!
Yummy as an afternoon snack with honey!
Hi Nagi,
I was wondering if I can substitute vegetable oil for the butter? If so, how much should I use?
Thank you for suggesting creamed corn as the corn kernel muffin recipe from another baker was dry and I was disappointed. This easy recipe created evenly cooked muffins which are soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. I will bake these again.
Just commenting to share the creamed corn love – with a fried egg on top, it’s my go-to solo meal. No judgement here!
Hello! I’ve made these twice and I LOOOVE them so thank you! However, do you think there’s any way to do this without milk or a substitute for milk? I really wanted to make them last night but I never have regular milk on hand (and I had just run out of oat milk). It was too late to go to the store so I was left with the craving. Any suggestion? Or would you definitely keep the milk?
Hi Almendra, any milk sub like oat/rice/soy milk should work fine. N x
These are amazing! So easy to make too. My only problem is that they didn’t look as brown as I was hoping even after 25 minutes, any tips?
These are absolutely delicious! Just made them and added in some chopped chilli peppers and they are sublime!
Mine didn’t have much corn flavor. Why is that? I used the Organics brand cornmeal, which I guess is too fine? How else can I add more corn flavor?
Absolutely delicious!
OMG so good. Used Coles home brand gluten free flour and they were fantastic. Used the lower sugar option. Trying not to eat them all myself.
Could I use salted butter? Any reason why unsalted?
Hi Mat, I always use unsalted so I can control the amount of salt that goes into a recipe. You can use salted here, just don’t add the 1/4 teaspoon noted in the recipe 🙂 N x
Made these yummies today!
Thank you so much for this recipe
I used a couple of subs:
GF self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
frozen sweet corn, which I cooked and added extra water as if it were the canned corn sub
Lactose free milk
1/4 cup sugar
That’s great that it worked out for you Tasnim!! N x
I tried your chilli con carne and loved it, it had all the flavours of my childhood. For next time I would like to do these cornbread muffins. Unfortunately we have no creamed corn. I see you posted a substitute for it but could you share with us what is the weight of the can of corn kernel that you are using? Thank you. Going to look at all your other recipes….
Hi. I added the leftover creamed corn to the baked mac n cheese. Both yum, but I think I prefer these muffins as an afternoon treat with butter and honey. Thinking or trying orange rind, juice, orange syrup instead of creamed corn, sugar… for orange polenta muffin.. any tips?
Hi Steph, it would be a totally different recipe – something I’d need to test 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, just wondered if this recipe would work for mini muffins for lunch boxes please?
Yes 100% Jo, just cook slightly less 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, can I use buttermilk to substitute milk here?
Hi Brin, yes that should be fine here – N x
I made these lovelies yesterday as sides to my steak and they turned out wonderful! I did use up the whole can of creamed corn through 🤪 and added 1 tablespoon lemon to the milk. It was super moist. Thank you, Nagi!