Cornbread Muffins with Cheddar, Scallions, and Jalepeno

The perfect little accompaniment to Chili, these Cornbread Muffins with Cheddar, Scallions, and Jalepeño are deliciously savory.

Upon my cabinet shelves resides this set of oversize stoneware mugs that we acquired very soon after we moved into our house. They have a sturdy disposition, and some pretty patterns that my eye can make out when my nose hovers an inch away as I delicately enjoy my morning beverage of choice. These mugs are already filled with memories of laughter, quiet smiles over a meal, and often times an impatience to rush through the little moments to get the weekend errands started. All too often it seems the whirlwind of playing catch up keeps nipping at our heels as we rush to finish “just one last thing” before bed, before the weekend, before Thanksgiving. The seemingly implacable nature of time gleefully stands still each time I use these mugs, for it is the simple steadiness of their presence is a kind of cathartic calm. They are humbly there, each day, and there is something sweet in the simplicity of knowing that one constant in an unpredictable whirlwind of everything tumbling about in everyday life.

These past two weeks have been quiet ones for a multitude of reasons. Fatigue and conserving energy are contributes, as is the cleaning out of the freezer of emergency meals in compensation of energy highs and lows. In some ways, having an out of commission microwave is freeing in the fact you (or I, anyways, I do not think my husband shares my sentiment) do not feel chained to a device that is such a standard in households these days. It forces us to be a bit more creative in ways to reheat food, though I will admit that pasta and risotto are perhaps better eaten on the day of or heated in the microwave. There have been a multitude of soups in this household as of late, for recipe tests and ease of preparation and heatability on the stovetop.

These little muffins would be a great base for a savory Cornbread Stuffing to preen atop your Holiday table.

A few weeks ago, I posted this Chipotle Turkey Chili recipe, and I had baked some of my favorite little savory cornbread muffins to go with it. I know there are some who swear by cornbread dressing during the holiday, and these muffins are perfect as a side by themselves or could easily be transformed into a delicious, savory stuffing. Flavored with butter and milk,, this recipe uses very little sugar to let the more savory aspect of corn shine through. I paired it with some jalepenos, scallions, and cheddar, which the latter helps keep these little muffins moist. These are very simple to throw together, and I can attest to the fact that they freeze very well and retain their moistness.

You can, of course, increase the sugar level if you are a fan of sweet cornbread. I know there is a whole debate over Northern Cornbread vs. Southern Cornbread, and that is a battle I slowly and cautiously back away from. I remember from my childhood the few times we did have cornbread it was a boxed mix, so I know it was something pretty sweet as most boxed mixes are. I do not pretend to be a master nor connissour of this little bread, as I honestly always thought it was an ugly version of cake. I do fondly remember, however, being inspired a few times to eat what Laura Ingalls and her family ate, something called “Cornbread Mush”. It resembled a kind of chunky, soupy-ish version of cream of wheat. Crumbled hot pieces of cornbread in a bowl topped with some milk and maple syrup. Try it before you knock it, it was pretty delicious and a sneaky way to have cake for breakfast in my opinion

Flick on your oven to preheat, then this is a two bowl operation for muffin success. One of the secrets I have found for most baked goods like quick breads, scones, muffins, and cakes, is to try and combine the dry and wet ingredients in a quick, efficient manner using as little stirring as possible. This helps create a nice, tender baked good, as no one likes to bite into a tough little hockey puck. Sometimes tenderizing agents such as acids or cornstarch can be used to enhance the tenderness of the finished product, but the science of baking is bratty and complex, and the less gluten you help develop in these items, the more tender it is. Think of how long you knead dough to help the gluten develop and then relax, and the resulting chewy texture. For my muffins and other items, I prefer to run away swiftly from rubberizing them as much as possible!

These tender little muffins turn out beautifully. I recommend using a great quality cheddar cheese - I love Tillamook Dairy products as I find they are wonderfully balanced, and extremely consistent, and delicious at a reasonable price. No, this is not a sponsored plug for them - if I mention any brands they are what I use because I find them to be excellent, superior products. The cheese you choose will affect the overall flavor of the finished muffin, so it is important to select a cheese that you personally love. The resulting muffins are buttery, feather light, and savory. The jalapeño and scallions perfume the batter with their distinctive tastes, and you can adjust the heat level by either incorporating the seeds and membranes of the jalapeños. I add them, but I love a good amount of heat, and I love the dependability of these muffins turning out perfectly each time I have made them. A recipe that is comfortably reliable, like my little morning coffee mugs

If you are one that prefers a sweeter cornbread, add an additional 1/3 Cup of Granulated White Sugar to the mix, and it should be sweet enough without being too cake-y!

Cornbread Muffins with Cheddar, Scallions, and Jalepeño

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: 18 Muffins

These little cornbread muffins are super simple to throw together and the end result is a deliciously savory, corny muffin that is super tender. It is a perfect accompaniment to Chili or as a BBQ side, especially for those of us who like something less sweet and more savory for their cornbread.

I have made these several times and the amount of batter makes a good 18 smaller muffins, or if you like the giant oversize ones you can try your hand at a cool dozen if you don’t mind the muffin tops crowding each other. It is something you can also bake in a 9x13 - I have not as muffins are easier to freeze for our household but I imagine the bake time would adjust up just a few minutes at least for sheer volume of batter.

I should note that I always use 2% milk and salted butter. I also grate my cheese by hand, as I prefer the flavor and texture of the cheese. Pre-shredded is fine as I know it is a very convenient item, but know there is a tiny bit of cornstarch used to help keeping the cheese from clumping together. That bit of cornstarch should not affect the flavor nor texture of the muffin in a very noticeable way, but I have not baked these with pre-shredded cheese.

Ingredients

3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 Cup Granulated White Sugar
2 Tbsp Baking POWDER
2 Tsp Sea Salt
2 Cups Milk (I use 2%)
3 Eggs, beaten
14 Tbsp (1 3/4 Sticks) Butter, melted then cooled
2 1/4 Cups grated Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 Jalepeños, minced (seeded if you do not want too much heat)
1/2 Cup chopped Scallions, divided
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 F. Spray the cups and tops of the muffin tin and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and butter. Once combined, stir in 1 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, jalepenos, and 1/3 Cup of the scallions.
With a spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. When the flour is just incorporated, stop mixing. Overmixing the batter will result in tough, sad muffins.
Fill the cups of the muffin tin 3/4 full. Top the muffins evenly with reserved cheese and scallions, then crack fresh black pepper on the tops.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are puffy and golden brown. Toothpick will come out clean when inserted.
Cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container or Ziplock bag.