Of all of the breads that I bake, Cornbread Muffins often seem to be at the top of my list—and this recipe is always in regular rotation during the fall and winter. They are soft, easy to mix up, and store well in the fridge or freezer. Oh, and the kids love them!
We love corn muffins alongside soup, stews, and chili—or warmed with eggs in the morning and even on their own as a toddler snack. I particularly love this recipe because, in addition to being delicious, each muffin is filled with nutrition, too.
I love this muffin recipe for kids since it’s a nice option for kids with egg or dairy allergies or intolerances—or for when you’ve simply run out of eggs.
You can make these full size or mini, depending on your preference. They pair really well with Vegetarian Bean Chili, Vegetarian Lentil Soup, Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup, Roasted Carrot Soup, and many more soups for kids!
(You may also like my Cornmeal Pancakes recipe!)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
These Cornbread Muffins have just a few basic ingredients. To make them you’ll need to have the following items on hand and ready to go.
- Cornmeal: Cornmeal is the base for this recipe and lends the classic cornbread flavor and texture.
- All-purpose flour: This helps the muffins stay light and fluffy.
- Maple syrup: A little maple syrup adds the hint of sweetness you expect in corn muffins.
- Canola oil (or melted unsalted butter): A little fat from oil or melted butter ensures the muffins are moist and tender.
- Baking powder: This ensures the muffins rise and bake through properly.
- Milk: You can use dairy or nondairy milk in this recipe.
TIP: These are easy to make allergy-friendly, so use nondairy and gluten-free ingredients as you like.
Ingredient Substitutions
- You can use 1:1 gluten-free baking mix in place of the all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Use nondairy milk as needed.
- Use honey in place of the maple syrup (for kiddos over 1) or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons additional milk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process of making these Easy Cornbread Muffins. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
- Stir together the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the wet ingredients.
- Add about 1 ½ tablespoons batter to each mini muffin cup.
- Bake until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
TIP: These are super simple to stir together, so let the kids help with the stirring if they want to get in on the cooking action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Muffins can become dry if they are over-baked or if there’s not enough fat or moisture in the batter. Check for doneness on the lower end of the baking range by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of a muffin. It should come out cleanly. Remove from the oven and transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool fully.
Muffins are baked in a muffin pan and cornbread is typically baked in a baking pan that’s either square or rectangular.
What to Serve with Cornbread Muffins
We like to have these muffins with Vegetarian Bean Chili or Black Bean Soup, alongside scrambled eggs for breakfast, or as a snack with some cheese and fruit. So many possibilities!
How to Store
Store the cooled Cornbread Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Warm slightly to serve.
Best Tips for Success
- Use whole wheat flour or a 1:1-style gluten-free flour blend.
- Stir the ingredients together gently.
- Make them mini or full size, depending on your preference.
- Serve with soups for kids, stews, chili, eggs, or as a component at snack time.
- Top with butter, honey, or apple butter if desired. Dice into smaller pieces for younger toddlers.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear what your family thought of this recipe so please chime in below to share!
Easy Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (plain unsweetened, if using nondairy)
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup canola oil (or melted and slightly cooled butter)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. (I use Classic Pam.)
- Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Portion 1 ½ tablespoons batter into each prepared cup and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Store fully cooled muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and heat for 15 seconds in the microwave before serving.
- To make full-size muffins, bake for 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
- Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-free: Use nondairy milk.
- Stir the ingredients together gently.
- Make them mini or full size, depending on your preference.
- Serve with soups, stews, chili, eggs, or as a component at snack time.
- Top with butter, honey, or apple butter if desired. Dice into smaller pieces for younger toddlers.
Nutrition
This post was first published October 2018.
Hello there! Would avocado oil or olive oil work in place of the canola oil in this recipe?
Yes, either would be fine (or melted butter). With the olive oil, they will taste best if it is a light one without too strong of a flavor.
Wow! Simple and very flavorful. Will be making on repeat.
Made these muffins to go with chili. They were super easy and quick. Made it dairy free with soy milk. Big hit with the 4-year old and adults. Guess I’ll be making these everytime we have chili!
Loved this recipe. It’s very forgiving and flexible. I used corn flour instead of cornmeal because it’s what I had on hand and since the batter became too thick because of that swap, I just added in about 3/4 cups of plain yogurt and the muffins came out perfect with a nice crispy golden top. I also added in about 3/4 cups of frozen corn kernels into the batter. It’s a nice bite of sweetness when munching on these delicious little treats.
Can I omit the maple syrup and salt if I want to serve to my baby?
I would replace the maple syrup with milk to ensure they aren’t too dry. That’s fine on the salt.
Hi I want to make this for my toddler but I still prefer no to add any sweetener to his meals.
Can I omit the maple syrup without any substitutions?
Can I substitute the AP flour for whole wheat?
Hi, sure if you can leave it out if you prefer and yes all purpose flour will work fine. Enjoy
Turned out perfect – myself, toddler, and 4 yr old have already eaten 4 full sized out of the oven!
This is the cornbread recipe I’ve been missing all my life! My usual recipe contains a whole cup of sugar — I don’t miss it at all here. I followed another reviewer and added an egg. All of yummy toddler food recipes I’ve made are perfect without any substitutions, though!