Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Oh, gimme a dozen of these warm and savory Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins. Tender, buttery...filled with sharp bites of cheddar cheese and spicy pickled jalapenos. Talk about a tasty twist on a classic cornbread recipe. I think you're about to fall in love.

Cornbread Muffins with Cheddar and Jalapenos. Yes.

If you have been following Buy This Cook That for a while, you've figured out my signature move is cheese. I'm not ashamed either.

This. Girl. Loves. Cheese. I am in a long-term relationship and am 100% committed.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is cheddar cheese and jalapenos. There is something about that salty-tangy bite of sharp cheddar with the spice of a jalapeno pepper that makes me happy.

I'm a pretty simple human.

This recipe is a fun twist on a classic cornbread recipe. You probably have everything you need in your pantry. Just add loads of cheddar and chopped jalapenos are you are ready to rock and roll. (Rock and muffin?)

Ingredients Needed to make Cornbread Muffins:

• Cornmeal - For this recipe you want to use self-rising to help the muffins puff up.
• Flour - All purpose works.
• Sugar - Just a bit. It gives just a hint of sweetness to balance out the cheddar and jalapeno. (Southern "no sugar in my cornbread" purists...don't @ me. Just do it.)
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Milk - Whole, 2% or buttermilk. We used 2% because that is what we had in the fridge.
• Eggs
• Melted Butter
• Cheddar Cheese - I highly recommend sharp.
• Jalapeno Peppers - We used pickled slices. I love the extra zing of the pickled variety.
• Oil

Let's talk peppers for a sec.

I love the flavor and spice of pickled jalapenos. The zip of the vinegar used in the pickling process adds a boost to these cornbread muffins. If you don't like the heat level, use the tamed pickled jalapenos. They are so good without the spice.

I don't like fresh jalapenos in this recipe. I mean, the muffins will still taste good, but with less tangy flavor. If you decide to use fresh, please lower the quantity and watch those seeds. You can turn a tasty recipe into a fire drill in a hurry.

How to Make Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a teaspoon of oil into the bottom of each muffin tin. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda).
3. Gently stir in the milk, eggs, and melted butter until the batter is just combined. (Do not overwork the batter.)
4. Next, fold in the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped jalapenos until they are evenly distributed. Let the batter rest while you preheat the muffin tin.
5. While the batter is resting, place the oiled muffin tin in the oven. You want the oil to be hot before you add the batter.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each ¾ full.
7. Place the cornbread muffins into the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until a pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Then let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and enjoy warm.

It is important for the oil to heat in the muffin pan before adding the batter. This creates a nice, golden bottom as the hot oil essentially "fries" the batter. (It also makes the muffins release from the pan nicely.)

This batter is THICK. That is perfect and lets the cheese and jalapenos stay in every bite instead of sinking to the bottom.

TIP: Love that cheddar? Sprinkle a few shreds on top during the last few minutes of baking.

The self rising cornmeal and the baking soda help the muffins rise. Aren't they gorgeous? Yes, I said this cornbread is gorgeous!

This recipe makes 12 full-size muffins as shown. You can also fill the cups ½ full and stretch it out to 18 smaller sized muffins. Or, make a bunch of little cornbread muffin bites by using your mini-muffin pan.

More Recipes You Might Like:

Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Hot Bacon Hoppin' John

Bacon + Cheddar Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Savory Cheddar Pimento Cheese

Our family enjoyed these cornbread muffins with our favorite Bean Soup. These would also be great with any type of southwestern soup, or heck, give me these yummy muffins with any meal and I'll be happy.

Tips for Best Results:

• Measure and prepare your ingredients before starting. This makes baking easier.
• When measuring the flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. This ensures just the right amount. You don't want to scoop the cup into the flour, that paks it in and can make your muffins too dense.
• Don't stir the batter to much. This causes the gluten in the flour to form and creates a tough muffin.
• Not a fan of spicy jalapenos? Use the tamed variety instead.
• Be sure to PREHEAT the oil in the muffin tins as noted in the recipe for best results.
• Fill the muffin tins ¾ full for nice, full muffins as shown. Fill ½ full to create smaller (18) muffins.

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Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

A WOW-flavor combination in a classic cornbread muffin recipe. Tender, buttery, with bites of sharp cheddar and tangy jalapeno peppers.

4.28 from 29 votes

Print Recipe Email Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Muffins

Calories 292 kcal

Equipment

• Muffin Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 12 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal white or yellow
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, plus a little for the top (optional)
• ¾ cup pickled jalapenos drained, chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a teaspoon of oil into the bottom of each muffin tin. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda).
• Gently stir in the milk, eggs, and melted butter until the batter is just combined. (Do not overwork the batter.)
• Next, fold in the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped jalapenos until they are evenly distributed. Let the batter rest while you preheat the muffin tin.
• While the batter is resting, place the oiled muffin tin in the oven. You want the oil to be hot before you add the batter.
• Carefully remove the pan from the oven and spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each ¾ full.
• Place the cornbread muffins into the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until a pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Then let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and enjoy warm.

Notes

This recipe makes 12 large muffins. You can fill the muffin tins ½ full and make 18 smaller sized muffins instead.

It is important to preheat the oil in the muffin pan. This creates a nice golden bottom and allows the muffins to release easily from the pan.

You can substitute tamed jalapenos for a milder spice level if preferred.

Nutrition

Serving: 1MuffinCalories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 9gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 554mgPotassium: 138mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!