Honey Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Flour – Use a mix of all-purpose flour and yellow cornmeal. The addition of flour gives the muffins better structure and flavor than just cornmeal alone.

Cornmeal – Be sure to use cornmeal here (preferably yellow) and not corn flour or masa harina. They are not interchangeable. Also avoid self-rising cornmeal or it will throw off the entire recipe.

Baking Powder – I tried a mixture of baking powder and soda, but ended up just using more baking powder here instead and found it worked better for the leavener.

Jalapeños – I use two medium, fresh jalapenos in this recipe. This will depend on the size of the jalapenos and how spicy you would like the muffins to be, however. I don’t recommend canned, diced jalapenos or jarred, pickled jalapenos though, as they tend to add too much moisture.

Fat – Use a combination of unsalted butter and vegetable oil for the muffins. The butter and oil add moisture and keep the crumb tender by prohibiting some of the gluten formation in the flour. Butter also adds a nice flavor. If using salted butter, reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe card.

Milk – I use buttermilk here for added tanginess in the cornbread, but you could use any milk or half milk and half sour cream. Whole milk would be the second-best option. I haven’t tried this recipe with non-dairy milks.

Sweeteners – A combination of honey and brown sugar adds sweetness and flavor to the muffins. I wouldn’t replace the brown sugar with all honey, however, as the sugar also helps with structure and the crumb.

Eggs – One whole, large egg and one egg yolk works best here. The extra yolk keeps the muffins tender and slightly less cakey than two whole eggs would.

Start by preheating your oven to 425°F / 220°C and spray or line a standard 12-count muffin pan and set it aside.

Seed and dice the jalapenos. Optionally, slice 6 thin jalapeno rings and cut them in half to top the muffins with. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and the diced jalapenos. Whisk until fully combined.

In another mixing bowl, or large glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, cooled butter, honey, brown sugar, and the eggs. Whisk thoroughly until the brown sugar has dissolved and everything is well mixed.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Don’t overmix. Let the cornbread batter sit for 10-15 minutes to rest before baking.

Once rested, give the batter a quick whisk to loosen up. Using a large spoon or scoop, evenly portion the batter into the muffin tin. They should be about ⅔ full. Top with the reserved jalapeno half rings if using and set the muffin pan into the middle of the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes, then immediately lower the temperature to 350°F / 180°C. Continue baking for another 14-16 minutes. The edges should be browning, and a toothpick inserted into the muffin should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan. Once cool enough to handle, remove the muffins and transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature with some honey butter or regular butter.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins – I originally made this recipe with a sharp white NY cheddar cheese, but I honestly didn’t even taste the cheese once baked. If you’d like to try it for yourself, add about 1 cup of shredded cheese and fold it into the batter. I recommend using a sharp cheddar or other strong cheese to compete with the jalapenos or the flavor gets lost.

Corn – For more corn flavor, you can optionally add in about 1 cup of fresh corn kernels. Even better, use 1 cup of creamed corn instead. If using creamed corn, cut back to ¾ cup of buttermilk.

Spiciness – If you can’t deal with spice, feel free to omit the jalapenos altogether. However, if you want an even hotter cornbread muffin, swap the jalapenos for serrano chiles, or use a mixture of jalapenos, serrano chiles, and/or habaneros.

Not Muffins – I haven’t tried this specifically with this recipe, but if you’d rather make regular cornbread and not cornbread muffins, you should be able to. Instead of a muffin tin, pour the batter into a prepared 13x9 baking pan or 10” cast iron skillet and bake at 400° for about 20-25 minutes.

Muffin Pan – If you’re making this recipe, you probably already own a muffin tin. If you need one, however, I recommend this 12-count muffin pan from USA Pans.

Whisks - While I like using a balloon whisk for most of the mixing, Danish dough whisks are perfect anytime you need to fold in softer ingredients or are trying not to overmix a batter like here. I switch to the Danish whisk once I combine the wet and dry ingredients.

❄️ Storing Cornbread Muffins

Once your honey jalapeno cornbread muffins have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For the best storage, keep them in a dark and dry place and never stack muffins or regular cornbread.

If you want to stretch the storage out a bit longer, you can also refrigerate the muffins in an airtight container for up to a week.

For even longer storage, you can freeze these jalapeno corn muffins for up to 2-3 months. Place completely cooled muffins on a small sheet pan and set in your freezer for 1-2 hours. Remove and wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Leftover cornbread muffins can be reheated in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel to your desired warmth. Alternatively, you can reheat a larger batch in a 350°F for 10 minutes or so. Place in a baking dish and cover with foil to keep them from drying out in the oven.